ThinkSpace Education > Degree Courses

Finance & Loans

We understand financing a postgraduate degree course can be challenging. Eligible UK students may now apply for a government Postgraduate Student Loan, while non-UK students can use our flexible interest-free payment plans. Here you will find out how we structure our course payments, and the options available to applicants looking to study with us. Please read the information below, and if you have any questions please get in touch.

ThinkSpace Education degree courses are priced in UK pounds. Our payment partner is Flywire who offer easy payment options to students in the UK and all over the world.

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How Payment Works

Before starting your degree course, to confirm your place, you pay an initial deposit of £1000. The rest of your course fee is then divided in equal termly instalments over the full length of your course.

You will be invoiced each term or semester and you have three months, interest free, to pay. If you want to pay your whole course up front you are welcome to do so. Equally you can pay termly or pay the termly invoice in smaller monthly instalments. It’s entirely up to you. The longer your schedule, the less you pay each term.

Through your Flywire account, you can control exactly when and how you pay your fees. You are guaranteed that the correct amount of money in UK pounds will reach us. Flywire offers a wide range of payment options. You are able to compare payment methods and find the one that is the most convenient and the best value for you.

Scholarships

ThinkSpace Education tries to provide exceptional value to all students both in the UK and the rest of the world. Our fee structure is extremely competitive and, as such, does not allow us as much room for bursaries or scholarships as some providers. However, on occasion, we do award part scholarships to exceptionally talented applicants, particularly those from disadvantaged or under-represented groups, to help them fulfil their potential.

If you would like to be considered, you can fill in the Bursary Application after you have been accepted on to the program. This will be sent to you in your acceptance email. We are unable to assess bursary applications before seeing your full application.

UK Student Loans

Our MA and MFA courses are eligible for UK government student loans of up to £11,222 to pay for your course fees, maintenance and additional equipment. This amount is paid directly to you by the Student Loan Company in three instalments.

PG Loans are paid directly to you the student in three instalments each year. You get the first payment after your course start date, once we have confirmed that you’ve registered.

The loan will be paid in 3 instalments of 33%, 33% and 34% each year. After your application has been approved, you’ll be sent a letter with your payment dates. You can also check them in your online account. The University will invoice you the fees shortly after you have received each instalment from the Student Loans Company.

If you are part time student studying a 12 month course over two years, your student loan will be paid in six instalments over two years.

For details of student eligibility visit the government website but the main points, (as of 22nd Jun 2020) are quoted here:
How To Apply For A UK Student Loan

Eligibility

Whether you qualify depends on:
  • Your course
  • Your age
  • Your nationality or residency status
You will not be able to get a Postgraduate Master’s Loan if:
  • You’re already getting payments from Student Finance England for another course that you’re studying
  • You’ve received a loan or grant for a master’s course before - unless you got Disabled Student Allowances or you left your course for a serious personal reason like illness or bereavement.
  • You already have a master’s degree, or a qualification that’s equivalent or higher.
  • You’re behind in repayments for any previous loans from the Student Loans Company.
  • You’ll still be eligible if you have a PGCE or a postgraduate diploma or certificate.
  • You will not get extra money if you repeat a year of your course.

Your Course

It must:
  • Be a full, standalone master’s course (not a top-up course) (all our MA and MFA courses are but not our PG Cert and PG Dip courses).
  • Be worth at least 180 credits - check the course provider’s website if you’re not sure (all our MA and MFA courses are 180 or 240 credits)
  • Have started on or after 1 August 2016.
Your course must be provided by an eligible university or college in the UK (including the Open University). Check with the university or college that your course is registered. (we are – our courses are listed under the University of Chichester) Your course can be taught or research-based. It can be:
  • Full-time, lasting 1 or 2 academic years (this includes both our MAs and MFAs)
  • Part-time, lasting 2 to 4 academic years - no more than twice the length of the equivalent full-time course (so this includes our 2 year part time MAs but not the 3 years option and all part -time options on our MFAs)
You cannot get a Postgraduate Master’s Loan for a postgraduate certificate or diploma.

Important Notes for Students Applying for PG Loans

Students taking student loans are not eligible for our interest free credit plan. They need to pay their fees directly to the University of Chichester.

Students taking loans are allowed to study part time but only up to 50% of the full-time rate. So a 1 year MA can be taken over 2 years, a 2 year MFA over 4 years

Student Loans are not normally available for students studying PG Cert or PG Dip courses, only MA or MFAs.

Applying For a Loan

To qualify for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan for distance learning, you’ll need to be living in England on the first day of the first academic year of your course. You’ll also need to live in:

  • England for the whole of your course, if you’re an EU national
  • The UK for the whole of your course, if you’re not an EU national

You do not need a confirmed place to start the application process. You need to register for an account with the Student Loan Company.

Interested? Get Started Today

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