FEES & FINANCIAL SUPPORT

If you are a resident in England and studying for an undergraduate degree for the first time, government loans are available from Student Finance to cover your tuition fees and help towards your living costs.

How much does my degree cost?

2027–28 academic year (from 1 August 2027)
For approved (fee cap) providers with TEF and an APP, the maximum tuition fee cap is expected to be:
£10,050 per year for standard full-time undergraduate courses

The government intends to lay the regulations that implement these changes in early 2026. These regulations will be subject to Parliamentary procedure. Final fee levels for future years will be confirmed once this legislation is in place and will not exceed the applicable government fee cap.

Once new entrants have commenced their programme, the School may increase tuition fees for subsequent years of the planned programme (assuming continuation of studies), in line with any increases applied by the UK Government to the maximum tuition fee limits.

If you have any questions regarding fees or funding, please contact our Admissions team at admissions@northernart.ac.uk.

Do I pay fees in full at the beginning of the programme?

You are not expected to pay your fees in full at the beginning of the programme. New full-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan of up to the value of the tuition fee charged to cover the cost of tuition fees; the amount you can get does not depend on your household income.

If you are not eligible for a Tuition Fee Loan or you have any queries about the payment of fees, you can contact Student Finance at studentfinance@northernart.ac.uk, who can offer advice and guidance. For more information on the alternative types of support that might be available to you, read our Money Matters guide.

Do I get any help with living costs?

Maintenance loans are available for each year of study to help with living costs such as food, accommodation and travel. These are normally only applicable to UK residents. For more information on eligibility, you can visit the Student Finance website. There is also information in the Undergraduate student finance and support section of the UCAS website.

The amount you can borrow depends on where you live and study, and your household income. For more information and to find out what support you could get, please use the Student Finance Calculator.

Useful links:

STUDENT FINANCE ENGLAND
STUDENT LOANS COMPANY
UCAS

Financial Support provided by the School

We want to help make studying for a degree as affordable and accessible as possible. Alongside the financial support available through Student Finance England, The Northern School of Art offers a range of bursaries, grants and awards to eligible undergraduate students.

For students starting their studies in 2027–28, financial support available includes:

Maintenance Grant
Students who are in receipt of the maximum maintenance loan may be eligible for a Maintenance Grant of:

·         £500 in Year 1

·         £300 in Year 2

·         £500 in Year 3

Tees Valley Progression Award
Students aged under 21 who are from a low-participation area within the Tees Valley (POLAR4 Quintile 1) may be eligible for a one-off £500 award in Year 1.

Mature Students Award
Students aged 21 or over who are entering Higher Education for the first time may be eligible for a one-off £500 award in Year 1.

Care Experienced Bursary
Students who have spent time in care may be eligible for a £500 bursary for each year of study.

Carers Bursary – new for 2027
Students with caring responsibilities as a young adult carer may be eligible for a £500 bursary for each year of study, paid in two instalments across the academic year.

Commuter Student Support Hardship Fund – new for 2027
We recognise that the cost of travelling to university can be a significant expense. Eligible students who commute to the School may apply for support towards their travel costs through our Commuter Student Support Hardship Fund.

Students may receive up to £500 per academic year, with up to £250 available per semester, subject to eligibility and the availability of funds.

Combining financial support

Eligible students may qualify for more than one of the School's bursaries, grants or awards. From the 2027–28 academic year, there is no £1,000 annual cap on the total bursary support an eligible student may receive.

Individual awards are subject to their respective eligibility requirements and, where applicable, attendance and satisfactory progression or completion criteria.

Full eligibility criteria, application arrangements and payment schedules will be confirmed to students as part of the enrolment and financial support process.

Alumni Discount – From 2025, undergraduate alumni will receive up to 20% discount on postgraduate programmes at the School.

This information will be published on the School’s Access and Participation Plan (APP) webpage, and available in accessible formats on request. The Students' Union will also play a role in reviewing interim APP reports.

Student Protection Plan

The Student Protection Plan, approved by the Office for Students (OfS), outlines how the School will protect your education if a risk arises. It details the communication procedures and measures taken.

Other costs

As our programmes are practical in nature and involve working with a range of materials, students should expect to incur some additional costs. The amount spent will vary depending on individual choices made in response to project briefs.

Based on information provided by current students, average additional costs are estimated at £50–£150 per module. These costs may include essential books, art and design materials, printmaking and printing, and any required travel to off-campus learning activities.

Optional educational trips, including residential visits and overseas study opportunities, may be offered during the course. Participation in these trips is voluntary, they do not form part of assessed coursework, and they will incur additional costs. Further details, including indicative costs, will be provided at the point such opportunities are offered.

No studio fees are charged for this course. Licensed software, including Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Cloud, is provided at no additional cost.

Creative Practice Package

All students who enrol receive:

- Home licence access to Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, After Effects, etc.)
- Home licence access to Microsoft Office 365
- First-year workshop materials
- Specialist software access depending on programme
- Free access to industry-standard equipment (cameras, video gear, etc.)
- Access to IT, iMac suites, Cintiqs, ceramics, textiles, sewing, sound booths, animation, darkrooms, 3D printers, laser cutters, woodworking, and more

Creative UK

As a student at The Northern School of Art, you can join Creative UK for free.

This membership gives you access to:
- A UK-wide creative network
- Industry news and insights
- Collaboration opportunities
- National and local events
- Job listings and research updates

If you are studying for a postgraduate degree for the first time, information on government loans are available from Student Finance – Postgraduate Loan to cover your tuition fees and help towards your living costs.

You can currently apply for Student Finance of up to £12,471 to pay for your programme fees and help towards your living costs. If you have already applied for student finance in the past, you can use your existing login details. If not, you will need to register.
 

How much does it cost?

 
Fees for all postgraduate programmes offered by the School are £7,500 per year for students commencing their studies in September 2025. *Shool alumni are eligible for a 20% discount on MA course fees.
 

Do I pay fees in full at the beginning of the programme?

 
You can pay your tuition fees at the beginning of the academic year in full, or you can pay in three termly instalments at the beginning of each term.

If you are paying your tuition fees from a Student Finance loan, unlike undergraduate loans, the School does not receive tuition fees directly from Student Finance England, you are required to pay the School from the postgraduate loan you receive.

If you have any queries about the payment of fees, you can contact: studentfinance@northernart.ac.uk who can offer advice and guidance.
 

Do I get any help with living costs?

 
Once you have paid your tuition fees, the balance of your student loan is intended to help with living costs. This may not be enough to cover all of your living costs; therefore, you may need to supplement your income from another source.
 

Useful links:

Gov.uk - Masters Loan
Save the Student – Postgraduate Loans in England 2024

Other costs

As our programmes are practical in nature and involve working with a range of materials, students should expect to incur some additional costs. The amount spent will vary depending on individual choices made in response to project briefs.

Based on information provided by current students, average additional costs are estimated at £50–£150 per module. These costs may include essential books, art and design materials, printmaking and printing, and any required travel to off-campus learning activities.

Optional educational trips, including residential visits and overseas study opportunities, may be offered during the course. Participation in these trips is voluntary, they do not form part of assessed coursework, and they will incur additional costs. Further details, including indicative costs, will be provided at the point such opportunities are offered.

No studio fees are charged for this course. Licensed software, including Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Cloud, is provided at no additional cost.