By working out your budget before you arrive, you will be confident that you'll be able to manage your money while at uni and be in control of your finances.
If you are an international student, please visit our dedicated web page.
Applying for funding
You may be able to apply for your fees to be paid via a tuition fee loan from Student Finance. If you have not already applied, you can do so at gov.uk/student-finance before the deadline. This website will also provide advice and guidance on eligibility criteria.
As an undergraduate, you may be able to apply for a government maintenance loan to help with living costs. Unlike the tuition fee loan, the amount you receive varies depending on your situation. Students do not need a confirmed place at university to apply. There’s no need to wait for UCAS offers - it’s never too early to apply!
You might be eligible for extra money on top of student loans, for example, if you’re on a low income, are disabled or have children or caring responsibilities.
Some postgraduate courses have funding attached to them that covers fees, living costs or both, e.g. PGCE and Pre-Reg Healthcare courses such MSc Nursing (Adult / Mental Health). You might also be eligible for bursaries or grants.
If you want any advice on what you can apply for please contact our student support advisers.
Top tip!
Please ensure that you use exactly the same name to apply to the University as you do to apply to Student Finance. Any difference between the names used could cause delays in the processing of your payment.
In order for your payments to be released to you, your information with the Student Loan Company must match the information held by the University: your names, date of birth, year of study (e.g. Foundation Year, Year 1 etc), and course title. Any information that does not match could cause delays in the processing of your payment.
If there is a mismatch, you will need to contact our Student Record Team and/or the Student Loan Company to provide evidence of the correct information.
Your Student Support Number (SSN)
Your Student Support Number (SSN) is a unique identification number given to you by Student Finance. We use your Student Support Number if we need to contact Student Finance on your behalf.
Your SSN usually consists of 13 digits: four letters, followed by eight numbers and another letter (e.g. APNN01234567A). You'll find it on documentation sent to you by Student Finance, or by logging into your student finance account.
If you contact the i-zone or the Fees Team regarding your student loan, please make sure you quote your Student Support Number.
Please note: Your Student Support Number is not the same as your Customer Reference Number (CRN), which is given to you by the Student Loans Company when you first set up your account and usually consists of 11 letters.
How to use your Student Finance online account
Student Finance has created a helpful series of explainer videos on the common processes you’ll need to complete when applying for student finance and take you through them step-by-step.
When will I receive my maintenance loan?
A key part of budgeting is to know when you will receive your maintenance loan.
If you are entitled to an Undergraduate maintenance loan and you are fully or temporarily registered up to 7 working days before the start of your course, you should receive your first payment on the scheduled instalment date as per your Financial Notification from Student Finance. This is usually the start date of your course. (Once you've registered, you can check your start date in MyRecord under 'Your Course Details'; in most cases, it's also listed in your Course Essentials.)
If, however, you register close to or after your course start date your loan will be paid within 7 working days. So, you’ll need some money to last until your first instalment is paid. 
If you do not receive your finance after these timeframes, please contact the i-zone.
You may notice that it continues to say 'awaiting confirmation' on your Student Finance England portal, even after you have completed registration. This is perfectly normal as it usually takes 24-48 hours for your status to be updated once we have confirmed your registration. Any information that does not match (e.g. your names, date of birth, year of study and course title) could cause a delay in the processing of your payment.
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Student Finance payment statuses |
What this means for you |
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Checking details |
The Student Loans Company (SLC) need to check your National Insurance number before they can pay you. Go to ‘Your actions to complete’ in your student finance account to make sure it's correct. |
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Scheduled |
SLC have scheduled your payments. Before they can pay you, we will need to confirm to them that you’re registered on your course. We’ll do this one you are temporarily or fully registered on your course. |
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Awaiting confirmation |
SLC are awaiting confirmation from us that you are registered on your course (either fully or temporarily). SLC will pay you after they get this. You may notice that it continues to say 'awaiting confirmation' on your Student Finance England portal, even after you have completed registration; this is perfectly normal as it usually takes 24-48 hours for your status to be updated once we have confirmed your registration. However, if any information that we supply to SLC doesn't match their own records (e.g. there is a discrepancy in terms of your name, date of birth, year of study or course title) your payment could be delayed. |
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Ready to be paid |
SLC don’t need anything else from you or us. Your payment will be made on the date shown. |
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Payment in progress |
Your payment is on its way. It can take up to three working days for it to appear in your bank account. |
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Paid |
SLC have made a payment to your bank account. |
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Blocked |
SLC cannot pay you. You should already know about this. |
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Cancelled |
SLC have cancelled your payment. You should already know about this. |
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Failed |
Your payment has been returned to SLC. Go to ‘Your personal details’ in your student finance account to check your bank details. |
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Suspended |
SLC will not make any more payments to you at this time. This is because you’ve suspended your course. |
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Withdrawn |
You’ve withdrawn from your course. This means the SLC will not make any more payments to you. |
Self-Funding
If you are self-funding and paying your tuition fees yourself (this includes family members making payment on your behalf) you will be given the opportunity to pay in full or set up an instalment arrangement (if applicable) when you complete your Online Registration.
If your school or employer is paying your fees you must complete a Sponsor Request via MyRecord and upload evidence of the funding (Purchase Order or a funding letter). Please note: if you are applying for a tuition fee loan from Student Finance you do not need to complete a Sponsor Request.
For any queries please contact fees@canterbury.ac.uk
Opening a student bank account
Once you are either fully or temporarily registered, you can get a Bank Letter to prove you are a Canterbury Christ Church University student. Simply click on the 'My Letters' tab in MyRecord and follow the instructions.
If you are registered but can't see the 'My Letters' tab in MyRecord, you may need to click the '+' to reveal any additional hidden tabs along the top menu.
Budgeting and other funding
Putting together a realistic budget plan, where you factor in what money you have coming in and going out, as well as exploring ways to increase your income through things like part-time work, will help give you peace of mind. If you follow these steps we hope you'll feel prepared but if you need any help, our friendly Student Support Advisers are on hand to support you:
We would recommend that all students create a personal budget before arriving, so you can manage your money right from the start.
First, find out how much you might be entitled to from Student Finance England by using their online student finance calculator.
Work out what other income you may have or could apply for.
Once you know what your income is, you also need to work out what your outgoings might be, from accommodation to food, mobile phone contract, to utility bills, and much more. The budget planner from Money Advice Service is a good tool to get you on the right track.
And don't forget our Student Money Adviser can help you pull together a budget plan.
The maintenance loan from Student Finance England, scholarships or bursaries, although very helpful, are unlikely to cover all of your living expenses, so you may need to think about how you or your family can financially support your time at university and ways to boost your income such as:
- Part-time work – you can sign up to Unitemps, the University's recruitment service for students, before you arrive to help you find a job in and around the University. A part-time job is also a great way to develop skills, try something new, settle in and make new friends.
- External funding - take a look at these websites for further funding opportunities: www.turn2us.org.uk or www.thescholarshiphub.org.uk
Our Student Support Advisers are on hand to give advice on all money matters, and if you need help planning your finances, it's never too soon to contact us: T: 01227 922675 or email studentsupport@canterbury.ac.uk
For information on financial support available once you are a student.