How does Clearing affect my student finance?

If you’ve been offered a place at uni through Clearing and you want to know about your student funding, we’re here to help.

This is what you need to do to get your finance sorted:

1. APPLY FOR YOUR STUDENT FUNDING

If you haven’t already applied for student funding, do it now. If you are a UK student, you can apply online through the main Student Finance portal – make sure you apply to the correct country you normally live in, not the country you’ll be studying in.

The process usually takes 6 weeks so you need to be prepared for a wait.

or

2. CHANGE YOUR COURSE/UNI DETAILS

If you are a UK student and you have already applied for funding, but for a different uni, you need to tell Student Finance. You can change your application very easily through your Student Finance online account. You just need your email address or customer reference number, password and secret answer to do this (you may not remember these now, but you will in 3 years time!) You can reset your password if you have forgotten it.

Once you log in, choose the ‘change your application’ option and change your course and uni details. The UCAS code for Brighton is B72.

This can take a 2 – 3 weeks so put a note in your diary to check your online account again before the start of term, to make sure that the system has registered your change of university.

3. EU STUDENT INFORMATION 

If you are an EU student, you can see what funding you can apply for by looking at Student Finance England for EU students. EU students must download an application form to make an application. You cannot apply online.

If you are an EU student and you have already applied for student finance, you need to let Student Finance England know if you are making any changes. You must complete an EUCO1 form and send it to them in the post.

This can take a 2 – 3 weeks so put a note in your diary to check your online account again before the start of term, to make sure that the system has registered your change of university.

4. FIND OUT WHAT ELSE YOU’RE ENTITLED TO

Once you have been assessed for the standard student finance package, there may be additional things you are entitled to depending on your personal and/or financial circumstances. Have a look at University of Brighton Bursaries information and an article about student bank accounts which might help you. You can also contact us to discuss your situation. Our phone number is 01273 642888

5. THERE ARE 2 STAGES TO THE ENROLMENT PROCESS

Part 1 – look out for our email about activating your university user account. Once you’ve done this, you’ll be able to log into studentcentral, our online learning environment – you’ll find loads of info about your course, and from 24 August start the process of enrolling online as a Brighton student.

Part 2 – enrol in person when you arrive at Brighton. If you have a place in Varley Halls, you can enrol there or wait for the designated enrolment event at your campus. Typically new students have to wait 3 working days from in-person enrolment before you can receive any maintenance loan so make sure you bring enough money with you at the start of term.

6. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ACCESS TO MONEY AT THE START OF TERM

Things usually go smoothly and everything is worked out at the start of term, but it is best to be prepared for a slight delay once you get to uni. You don’t want to miss out on fun activities and getting involved at the start of term.

If you don’t change the name of the uni to which you’re going to the University of Brighton then your student funding could be significantly delayed – so make sure you change this information as soon as possible!

To look at our general information for  new students, we have a dedicated New Student area

To look at more advice about coming to uni through Clearing, we have a dedicated university Clearing section

We look forward to meeting you next month 🙂

The Student Advice Service