Essential information for undergraduate applicants from the UK - 2020 entry (updated March 2020)
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Essential information for undergraduate
applicants from the UK
2020 entry (updated March 2020)
1Who this information is for:
This is a summary of the funding available, and the costs involved
in Higher Education, for students entering Leeds College of Music
in September 2020. The arrangements described here apply to
full time students normally resident in England, who enrol on the
3 or 4 year BA programme, and the 2 year Foundation Degree.
Arrangements vary slightly for students from Scotland, Wales,
Northern Ireland and other EU countries. Please refer to the
websites listed at the end of the document for more detailed and
updated information.
Quick Guide 2020 – New Undergraduates
Most students will not have to pay any tuition fees whilst
studying.
Tuition fee loans are available, which are only paid back once
you earn over £26,575 per year. (from April 2020)
Maintenance loans are available to help with living costs.
These are paid back on the same basis as the tuition fee loan.
Extra help is available for students with a disability, which
affects their study costs, and for those with children.
The conservatoire has additional bursaries for the lowest
income students, to help with living costs, which will be
awarded automatically to those who qualify.
Additional non – income assessed scholarships may be
available for specialist areas and for excellent candidates.
2Tuition Fees
The conservatoire will charge the maximum fee permitted for
2020 entry which is £9,250. The fees are per academic year and
may increase in subsequent years by the forecast rate of
inflation, or other factors, depending on Government policy.
You can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan from Student Finance
England, (or other awarding body, depending on where you live)
to cover the whole cost and the fee will be paid directly to the
conservatoire on your behalf.
It is possible to take a loan for part of the fee and pay the rest
yourself if you wish, or if you prefer not to apply for a tuition fee
loan at all, you can pay the full fee directly to the conservatoire.
Student loans are subject to interest from the date when the
loan is received. For information about how to apply for a tuition
fee loan, the interest rate and how the loan is repaid, see below.
Maintenance Loans for living costs
UK students (not EU) are entitled to Maintenance loans to help
pay for essential expenses such as accommodation, food, books
and travel etc. All eligible students can receive a minimum level
maintenance loan, regardless of their household income. The
remainder of the loan will depend on your household income.
Loans are paid directly into your bank account in 3 instalments
at the start of each term.
The loan rates for 2020 entrants are:
Amount Maximum amount
2020 Entrants available to available subject to
all eligible income assessment
students
Student living with £3,410 £7,747
parents
Student living away from £4,288 £9,203
parental home
3Interest rates and repayment of loans
Interest is charged on students loans, from when the loan is paid.
The rate is linked to the rate of inflation and is adjusted annually
as follows:
Charging period Interest rate
Whilst studying
Retail Price Index (RPI)(2.4%) plus 3%
From start of financial Variable interest rate dependant on income:
year after graduation £26,575 or less = RPI
£26,576 to £47,835 = RPI plus up to 3%
Over £47,835 =RPI plus 3%
If you fail to update your RPI plus 3% irrespective of income, until you
contact details or do not supply the information required.
send information they
request
You are required to start repaying loans for fees and living costs
in the following financial year after you graduate, but only if your
annual income is above £26,575. The repayment rate is 9% of
your income, above the first £26,575, regardless of how much
you have borrowed. If, after 30 years you have not repaid the
full amount, the remainder of the loan will be written off.
Examples of repayments are shown here:
Annual income before tax Approximate ANNUAL repayment
£26,575 £0
£27,000 £38.25
£30,000 £308.25
£36,000 £848.25
£40,000 £1,208.25
No matter how much you owe, you only pay back according to
how much you earn above £26,575.
Students with an entitlement to benefits
Students who have an underlying entitlement to certain means
tested benefits e.g. Income Support for those with dependent
children, may receive an increased maintenance loan of up to
4£10,490 which includes a special support element which is
disregarded in any benefits assessment.
Additional help for specific circumstances
Students with dependant children can apply for a Parents
Learning Allowance, and a Childcare Grant.
Students with an adult dependant can apply for an Adult
Dependants Grant.
Students with a disability or a specific learning difficulty can
apply for the Disabled Students Allowance, to help with any
extra costs incurred whilst studying, as a direct result of a
disability. See www.gov.uk/student-finance/extra-help
How your household income is assessed
Most applicants who will be under the age of 25 on 1st
September 2020, will be assessed on the income of the parent(s)
with whom they normally live.
If the applicant only lives with one parent, but that parent has a
partner or spouse who lives in the household, their income is
included in the assessment. The income of a parent who lives
elsewhere is not included. Students who are married will be
assessed as a couple, and students who are classed as
independent* or over 25, will be assessed on their own income
and that of their partner/spouse where applicable. For 2020
entrants, the income assessment will normally be based on the
tax year 2018 - 2019, however there is an opportunity to be re-
assessed on the current tax year if there has been a significant
reduction in income. You will be re-assessed for each year of the
course. Where the resulting assessment has been subject to
parent’s household income, and less than the maximum support
is available, then it is the parent’s responsibility to make up the
difference.
*The criteria for independent assessment for those aged under
25 are very specific – simply not living with your parents is not
enough to claim independent status– please contact us for
further advice if you are estranged from your parents, have
been looked after by the Local Authority, or have supported
yourself financially for more than 3 years prior to entry .
5How and when to apply for Student Support
The process for applying for Student Support is centralised and
all applications from English residents will be dealt with by
Student Finance England. You can apply for your support from
around February 2020 for September 2020 entry. Apply online,
at www.gov.uk/studentfinance, or to obtain a paper form (PN1),
contact Student Finance England on 0300 100 0607. Applicants
from other parts of the UK and EU, please see the end of this
information for the list of contacts.
You can apply for all of the support listed above, in one online
application. You will need to provide your Passport number (or
Birth Certificate if you do not have a passport), National
Insurance number, correct course details, bank account details
and your household income details. If you decide to apply for the
full income assessed finance (advised if your household income
was below about £63,000 in 2018-2019), your parent(s) will also
need to supply their personal details and income information,
which will be verified by HMRC. They will not usually be required
to supply paper evidence. Once you have applied and set up a
Student Finance account, you will have a unique customer
reference number and will be able to log back in and change
details where necessary, and view all the correspondence
relating to your Student Finance.
Further points to note
Fees, loans and grants may be subject to annual inflationary
increases. Figures quoted here apply to new entrants in the
academic year 2020-2021.
The system described above applies to students who are
normally resident in England, and meet certain residence
requirements.
The rules vary slightly for students who are from Northern
Ireland, Scotland or Wales – please see the websites listed at
the end for the latest information.
Residents of other EU countries outside the UK can apply for a
tuition fee loan, but are not usually eligible for any of the
support for living costs.
6 If you are from outside the EU, then the residence must have
been for purposes other than education. (E.g. not Boarding
school). There are specific rules for Asylum seekers and
members of the Armed forces.
The decision about whether you are eligible for Student
Finance is made by Student Finance England, (or other
assessing body), not the conservatoire.
Previous study
Eligibility for Student Support will be affected if you have been in
Higher Education before, regardless of the amount of support
you received, even if you had no loan or grant. For further
advice about the effect of previous study, please contact us.
If you already hold an equivalent level qualification, from any
country, you will not be entitled to Student Finance. For further
advice on this matter please contact the Student Fees and
Funding staff at LCOM. Contact details are at the end of this
information.
Scholarships and Bursaries from the Conservatoire
In addition to the statutory funding available, Leeds College of
Music provides some additional Scholarships and Bursaries, to
ensure that no applicant is deterred from applying, for financial
reasons, and to encourage applications from those interested in
shortage areas, exceptional candidates, or from groups that are
underrepresented at the conservatoire.
Audition travel costs refund
The conservatoire will provide assistance to applicants from
lower income households, to ensure that no one is deterred on
the grounds of cost, from attending an audition or interview at
the Conservatoire. We do not charge audition fees, so this will
take the form of a refund of reasonable travelling expenses to
applicants (Home students only) who are from a low income
household. Application forms with exact criteria for this are sent
with the interview /audition invitation.
7Leeds College of Music Bursary
The conservatoire will provide a cash bursary for lower income
Home students, as follows:
Students who commence their first year of study in 2020
Household income £0- £25,000 Bursary = £800
Household income £25,001 - £42,875 Bursary = £400
The information about the household income is obtained from
the financial assessment which is undertaken in order to receive
the maintenance loan. Applicants will not need to undergo
another means test. The Bursary will paid in 2 instalments, 50%
in November, and 50% in March.
You do not need to apply for the Bursary – we will calculate
your entitlement automatically!
The Alan Hawkshaw Foundation scholarships
Three Scholarships of £1,500 per year are awarded to support
gifted students on the conservatoire’s Classical and Jazz
undergraduate programmes. The award is for applicants
whose principal instrument is in short supply, especially, but
not exclusively: Trombone, tuba, bassoon, French horn, oboe,
double bass and piano, although this may vary each year.
Selection for these scholarships will be on the basis of musical
and academic ability, and potential. Applicants, who play an
appropriate instrument, will be selected at audition stage. In the
event that there are more than 3 suitable candidates, priority
will be given to those from the lowest income households.
Alan Hawkshaw is a successful composer of television and file
scores. The Alan Hawkshaw Foundation has been established to
put investment back into the industry by supporting gifted
musicians. The Scholarships from the foundation provide young
musicians with opportunities they would otherwise not have
access to.
8The Leverhulme Trust Arts Scholarship for Jazz
Generous support from the Leverhulme Trust has enabled us to
provide four scholarships of £6,150 each, to help towards living
costs, for exceptional UK students, in Year One of their studies
on the BA Jazz Applicants will be selected on the basis of their
potential, identified at audition and interview. No separate
application is required – applicants will be automatically
considered for the scholarship.
The Reuben Vincent Trombone Scholarship
Two scholarships of £2,500 each are available for principal
trombonists, or if there are no trombonists, jazz pianists. These are
in memory of Reuben Vincent, who was an accomplished jazz
trombonist and successful businessman.
Leeds Cathedral scholarships
Four choral scholarships, one choral conducting scholarship and
one organ scholarship, are available to undergraduates on any
pathway. The award is by application and audition during
enrolment week. Scholars are paid £1,000 and up to an
additional £500 for extra events.
Read more about Leeds Cathedral choirs at
www.dioceseofleedsmusic.org.uk/leeds_cathedral_choirs
We continually fundraise to create new scholarships - Check the
website www.lcm.ac.uk to see what’s available and to apply for
a scholarship, or contact studentfunding@lcm.ac.uk
9How much funding will I actually receive for my living costs?
This table shows the amount of funds available for living costs for
a single student studying at Leeds College of Music, living away
from home, and not eligible for benefits, according to household
income (2020 entry figures)
Residual Maintenance Leeds Total amount
Household Loan College of available for
Income Music living costs
(As determined by Bursary
the financial
assessment)
£25,000 or less £9,203 £800 £10,003
£30,000 £8,543 £400 £8,943
£35,000 £7,883 £400 £8,283
£40,000 £7,222 £400 £7,622
£45,000 £6,561 £0 £6,561
£50,000 £5,901 £0 £5,901
£62,212 and over £4,288 £0 £4,288
(For information about the LCOM bursary, see page 8)
10How much does being a student at Leeds College of Music
actually cost?
Your living costs will vary according to your circumstances and
your lifestyle expectations, but for students in year one, living
away from home, the following is a guide:
Essential Items Suggested amount per week
Rent in Joseph Stones From £144 to £163 (for 43 weeks)
House (single en-suite (Most rooms are £152 per week)
room) (2020 prices)
Rent in other student From £139 to £199 per
accommodation in Leeds week (usually for 44 weeks)
Rent in shared student £70 - £85 ( x 52 weeks)
House
Food £35
Utilities (Gas, electricity £15 to £20 per week (but could vary
and water are included in widely)
Halls, but not usually in
shared houses).
Mobile contract £10.00
Daily travel to College Nil if within walking/cycling
distance, otherwise a return ticket
to Headingley would be about £4.00
Travel to home once per The train/coach fare - depends
Term where you live!
Miscellaneous costs e.g. £15.00
Toiletries, laundry,
hairdressing, clothes,
Course costs – stationery, £5.00 per week average
memory devices, You will receive printing credit (250
instrument maintenance, sheets) at the start of term.
concerts/gigs
Other “non-essential” items you may want to budget for:
Buying equipment e.g. laptop – Not necessary, although
desirable, but everything you need in terms of IT
equipment and software is provided for you to use in the
conservatoire.
11 Your social life!
Presents/Christmas/birthdays
Alcohol and Cigarettes
Clubs/hobbies/gym
Annual or one – off / start up costs
TV Licence (£157.50)
Instrument/equipment insurance
Household items such as bedding, towels, kitchen
equipment.
Deposit for next year’s accommodation
Fresher’s week fun.
Points to remember
The maximum student finance available for living costs is
calculated according to what the Government thinks you
need to cover basic living costs only. It is not expected to
cover an extravagant social life, or the purchase of expensive
equipment.
The maximum support available for most students starting in
2020 from the Government and the conservatoire will be
£10,003, for those with household incomes of less than
£25,000. (see table on page 10 for more information). If you
receive less than this, due to the income assessment process,
you should discuss with your parents, how much support, if
any, they are willing to give, to make up the difference. If
they cannot, or will not, top up your income, you will need to
find another source of income e.g. a part-time job.
Don’t spend all your money at the start of term! The
maintenance loan is paid in three equal instalments at the
start of each term. However, the terms are not of equal
length so you need to plan for this and ensure you don’t run
out of money before the next payment.
If your student finance has been finalised in time, you will
receive payments into your bank account as follows:
(Dates are approximate)
124 days after enrolment First instalment of maintenance loan
(September 2020) – 1/3 of total amount.
Late November 2020 First instalment of LCoM bursary –
50% of total (if eligible)
6th January 2021 Second instalment of maintenance
loan - 1/3 of total amount
Around early March 2021 Second instalment of LCoM bursary –
50% of total (if eligible)
Around 1 week after Third instalment of maintenance
Easter bank holiday 2021 loan - 1/3 of total amount
Some student accommodation, including Joseph Stones
House, requires a substantial deposit, before the keys are
issued. This will be before enrolment, so you will not have
received your loan/grant. If this is likely to be a problem,
consider how you will deal with this – you could look at
alternative, cheaper accommodation, open a student bank
account with an overdraft, as soon as you have your UCAS
confirmation in August, or contact the landlord to see if they
are willing to defer some of the payment until your receive
your funding.
Calculating your budget
You can get an estimate of the amount of student finance you
would be entitled to, before you actually apply, by using the
Student Finance calculator at www.gov.uk/student-finance-
calculator. There is also a detailed online calculator at
www.ucas.com/budget-calculator. You could also use the paper
and pen version at the end of this booklet!
13Further questions? Read our Fees and Funding FAQ and useful
links on the website
www.lcm.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/fees
To read independent advice about student funding see
www.moneysavingexpert.com/students
For further information about student finance:
If you live in England
www.gov.uk/student-finance 0300 100 0607
If you live in Wales
www.studentfinancewales.co.uk 0845 602 8845
If you live in Scotland
www.saas.gov.uk 0300 5550505
If you live in Northern Ireland
www.studentfinanceni.co.uk 0845 600 0662
If you live in a non-UK EU country
www.gov.uk/student-finance/eu-students
(+44) (0) 1412433570
Leeds College of Music staff who can help:
Fees and Funding Manager Heather Holehan
studentfunding@lcm.ac.uk 0113 2223419
Fees and Funding Officer Louise Brown
studentfunding@lcm.ac.uk 0113 2223508
N:\Fees and Funding\website and prospectus text\2020 entry\HE Funding booklet 2020 entry A5 version.doc
14Student Budget Planner – Full time Higher Education
New student / single person / shared house or Halls
WEEKLY ANNUAL
YOUR INCOME AMOUNT AMOUNT
Student Loan for maintenance
Any Bursaries /Scholarships from LCoM
Wages – term-time and vacation
Any support from parents / family / savings
TOTAL INCOME
YOUR EXPENDITURE
Rent – for full length of contract
Food /toiletries / household essentials
Gas / Electricity / Water (Unless inc. in rent, otherwise
suggest about £15-£20 per week, depending on number
shared with)
Council tax (Most students not liable but check rules if in
a shared house)
Equipment I intend to buy/ gigs, concerts I will attend
Books, media, photocopying, stationery.
Clothes and Laundry
Travel to College and /or home
TV Licence / mobile phone / Internet
Contents /instrument/laptop /insurance
Other costs e.g. Cigarettes / Gym / Medical / Sport/
hairdresser/gifts etc
Social Life (ideally this should be whatever you have left
over after everything else has been paid for!)
Deposit for next year’s accommodation may be payable
before the end of the academic year.
TOTAL
Difference between income and expenditure?
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