Student Finance

How grants are calculated

The amount of student finance you receive depends on your income. In this we take into consideration the income and assets of:

• the student
• the student's parents
• other people the student lives with

What we consider your income depends on if you’re an independent or a dependent student.

We calculate the amount of your grant every academic year. So you’ll need to submit an Income Statement every year.

We’ll calculate your grants using gross income. This is the total income received before any deductions are made.

You will not receive student finance if the total amount of income and assets is more than £500,000.

In your income we also consider assets such as:

• properties, excluding your main home
• stocks, shares or bonds
• goodwill of a business
• tangible or moveable assets

Find further details on what we consider your income in the Education (Grants and Allowances) (Jersey) Order 2018 on Jersey Law.

Independent students

If you’re an independent student, your income is assessed on your:

• estimated gross income for the calendar year in which the academic year starts. 
• estimated gross income for your spouse, civil partner or a partner living with you

If you married, entered a civil partnership or began living with the person during the year, we’ll only consider a proportion of that person's income.

Dependent students

We consider the income for the calendar year before the start of the academic year you’re applying for. For example, we’ll look at income from 2023 for the 2024 academic year.

What we consider your income depends on who you live with.

If you live with:

• both your parents, we’ll look at the total income of both your parents
• 1 parent and their partner, we’ll look at either the total income of:
• the parent you live with and their partner
• both your parents and not their partner, only if both parents have agreed
• 1 parent, we’ll look at the total income of:
• the parent you live with only if your other parent died or cannot be contacted or located
• both your parents (all other students)
  

You will not receive any grants for tuition fees or maintenance if your parents do not want to tell us their income or miss the deadline to complete the Income Statement. You’ll still be able to receive a disabled student allowance (DSA).

Courses that are funded

You can apply for student finance for full or part-time study.

You can study in:

• Jersey
• the UK
• other countries around the world

If you study abroad, you’ll need to provide evidence that the course is of a recognised standard to UK higher education. To know what evidence we need email studentfinance@gov.je.

Student finance is generally for 3-year courses but some take 4 years. If your university structured your degree over 4 years we’ll spread your 3 years funding over 4 years so you receive 75% per year.

Work placement

Some 4 years degrees include a work placement year to gain experience. If this is unpaid, you can receive a maintenance grant to help you with your living expenses.

Integrated masters

Courses of 4 years with an integrated masters for the final year are not usually financed because this is a postgraduate qualification.

For more information or advice contact us. 

Undergraduates

You can receive student finance for up to 3 years when you do a higher education course at a recognised university or institute.

There are extra grants if you study in clinical fields such as medicine, veterinary, dentistry or nursing.

Foundation art courses 

If you’re doing a 1 year vocational arts course, you can receive student finance for the tuition fees for an equivalent course provided at Highlands College.

Distance learning

You can receive a grant for your tuition fees if your distance learning course is your first higher education course or professional qualification.

You must be enrolled either with:

• the open university on a 30 or 60 point course
• a recognised distance learning institution in England, Scotland or Wales that we approved

You do not need to meet any academic requirements to receive grants for distance learning courses.

Financing post-graduate study and other funding

There is other funding available other than Student Finance.

Finance for post-graduate courses

You can receive student grants for some post-graduate courses such as:

• professional qualifications such as PGCE or legal courses
• master's degree
• doctorate

Find more information on financing post-graduate courses.

Skills bursary

You can receive this bursary if you're aged 16 to 18 years old for a course not offered on Island such as specialist sports scholarships or dance courses.

You can receive up to £6,675 per academic year.

You can apply for the bursary if you:

• have been a Jersey resident for the last 5 years
• are aged between 16 to 18 years old on 1 September of the academic year your course starts
• are taking a full-time course of up to 2 years that leads to a recognised qualification at Level 2 or Level 3

To apply contact Student Finance.

Sector specific bursaries and funds

Many bursaries and funds are available through private companies or charitable trusts. These are often sector specific such as law, engineering or construction.

Find further details on educational trusts, bursaries and gift funds.

Leave, fail or change your degree and absences

Leaving or failing your degree

If you leave midway or fail your degree you’ll have to repay your tuition fees and part of your maintenance grant.

You may not have to repay your grant if you were ill. You’ll need to give a medical note as proof and a letter from your university.

Contact us before you make any decision or for more information.

Trailing a module

Your university may allow you to continue onto the next academic year and trail 1 or more modules from the previous year. This usually only happens if you have enough credits for the whole course.

To receive the grant for your autumn term you’ll have until the end of the first semester to complete all your outstanding modules. If you do not complete your modules in time you will not receive your grant for that academic year.

You should contact us if you trail modules.

Repeating an academic year

You will not receive a grant if you need to retake a year either full-time or part-time. You’ll need to pay your maintenance and tuition costs.

You’ll start to receive the grant for the following academic year when you complete the repeated period.

Transferring course

If you decide to transfer to another course you will not receive a grant for a repeated period of study. This includes if this course is at a different university or the same for a term or an academic year.

You can start receiving your grant again when you have successfully completed the repeated period. 

You might be able to transfer your grant to another university if you have:

• an agreement from your current university or both universities, if moving to a different one
• a written confirmation from both universities supporting your transfer based on academic grounds
  

Gap year and time off Island

You can take a gap year after you applied for student finance for a maximum of 12 months before it affects your application. If you take a longer break your application can be rejected and you’ll need to apply again.

Tell us as soon as possible if you’re taking a gap year so we can put your application on hold.

Time you spend off Island over 12 months can affect your eligibility to apply for student finance. You should contact us for more information.

Absence from your course

We might hold or claim back part of your grant if you’re absent from your course.

However, you may not have to repay your grant if you absent because you were ill. You’ll need to give a medical note as proof and a letter from your university.

Appeals

All applications are reviewed and a decision is made by Student Finance.

You can request a review of the decision we make by emailing studentfinance@gov.je.

We’ll send your request to the Minister of Children and Education to review and make a final decision.

If you’re not satisfied with the Minister’s decision you can appeal to the Grants Appeal Panel. You would need to send your request to Student Finance to arrange the panel.

You have 2 months to submit your appeal from the date you receive our decision. 

Further support and advice

If you have any questions about financial help for students contact Student Finance.

You can also make an appointment with us using the following online form. Appointments can be over the phone or virtually.

Make an appointment with Student Finance

If you’re considering university but need advice on education, career options or next steps email the Careers Guidance team on skillsjersey@gov.je.