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It’s important that students know exactly what to do to and get all the help they need to make sure they get their student finance payment in time for the start of their course.

All Maintenance Loans and Welsh Government Learning Grants are paid directly into the student’s bank account – but they’ll need to register at their uni or college first. We’ll pay any Tuition Fee Loan directly to their uni or college once they register.

Watch and share our ‘Getting Paid’ playlist, which explains how students get paid.

Help keep students safe online

During payment dates, fraudsters often target students through phishing, which is designed to trick them into giving out their personal details and could result in money being taken.

We’ve created a ‘Phishing’ film as part of our ‘Getting paid’ playlist for you to share on your websites and social media channels to help students stay safe online.

Students in the final year of their course might notice that they’re getting less help towards their living costs than other years.

This is because their Maintenance Loan only covers up to the last day of their course. In earlier years of their course they’ll have had student finance for the full year, including the summer holidays.

More information

If your students have any questions about their student finance, why not encourage them to ask one of our experts for help? They can:

• tweet us @SF_Wales
• ask us a question on Facebook/SFWales

Help your students going through Clearing or Adjustment by explaining what they need to do to sort out their student finance and get paid in time for starting their course.

If they’ve already applied for student finance

They need to let us know as soon as possible of any changes to their university, college or course details. They should log into their account, go to ‘Change your application’ and update their details.

They’ll also need to update their term-time address if this has changed.

If they haven’t applied for student finance

Let them know they need to apply now!

They may not get all their student finance in time for the start of their course. We’ll make an initial assessment so they get some money as close to the start of their course as possible.

Clearing film

We’ve created a short film to share on your website and social media channels explaining what students going through Clearing or Adjustment need to do to sort out their student finance.

Written statement from Kirsty Williams AM, Cabinet Secretary for Education

02 July 2018

EU nationals who intend to study in Wales for the academic year 2019/20 will be eligible to pay the same tuition fees as Welsh students and will be eligible to receive loans and/or grants from Student Finance Wales (SFW) – subject to the existing eligibility criteria.

This is a continuation of the current policy and students will be eligible to receive support until they finish their course. This applies to all student finance from SFW for students in Wales for which EU nationals are eligible. This includes loans to cover tuition fees (for those resident in the EEA for three years), loans and grants for maintenance (limited to those resident in the UK for at least three years), and some other grants and allowances.

The rules applying to EU nationals who will apply for a place at university for the academic year 2018/19 to study a course which attracts student support are unchanged. SFW will assess these applications against existing eligibility criteria, and will provide loans and/or grants in the normal way. EU nationals, or their family members, who are assessed as eligible to receive grants and/ or loans by the Student Loans Company will also then be eligible for the duration of their study on that course.

Students should consult their university’s student finance office, or the Student Finance Wales website, for information about the support available.

Students in Wales starting a postgraduate Doctoral course from 1 August 2018 can apply for the new Postgraduate Doctoral Loan now! Eligible students can borrow up to £25,000 towards their course and living costs while studying.

It’s quick and easy to apply online at www.studentfinancewales.co.uk

Students should apply as soon as possible to make sure their money is ready for the start of their course.

Find out more

We've created a range of resources to help you give students information about what they can get, how they apply and what evidence they’ll need to complete their application.

This includes three films that are available in a playlist for you to share on your social media channels or embed on your website.

Students thinking about starting a part-time course this year can apply to Student Finance Wales for student finance now.

Eligible new students will get more help with their living costs from 1 August 2018. As well as a Tuition Fee Loan, they can now also apply for a Welsh Government Learning Grant and a Maintenance Loan.

Continuing part-time students who started a course on or after 1 September 2014 can also apply now for student finance for the new academic year.

The quickest and easiest way to apply is at www.studentfinancewales.co.uk

Continuing students who started their course before 1 September 2014 should apply on paper from early July.

For more information

To help you explain what part-time students can get and how they apply, we’ve got a range of resources, including main guides, films and quick guides, which can be found in the resources section of the practitioner website.

Help students thinking of studying part time get ready to apply for student finance with our new free printed quick guides.

‘How to apply for student finance for part-time courses’ and ‘What, when and how to repay for part-time students’ are available to order now!

These quick guides give high-level information on how part-time students apply for student finance and how they’ll repay.

And you can still order our ‘Key facts and figures for part-time students’ quick guide, which covers how much part-time students can get to help with their tuition fees and living costs, as well as what extra help they can get if they have a disability.

Our quick guides are ideal for sharing with prospective students at any planned student finance discussions or events.

It can take up to two weeks for your quick guides to be delivered and they often go out of stock quickly, so make sure you order your copies now!

Students in Wales starting a postgraduate Master’s course in 2018/19 can now apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan.

They could get up to £13,000 to help towards their course and living costs.

The quickest and easiest way to apply is online at www.studentfinancewales.co.uk

Encourage them to apply as soon as possible to make sure they get their money in time for the start of their course. They don’t need a confirmed place at university ¬– they can use their preferred choice and simply change the details later if they need to.

Find out more

We've created a range of resources to help you give students information about what they can get, how they apply and what evidence they’ll need to complete their application.

This includes three films that that are available in a playlist for you to share on your social media channels or embed on your website.

For our latest film, we spoke to students in Wales to find out what they think about the new student finance package.

We caught up with them at Cardiff and Vale College after a presentation on what financial help they could get from Student Finance Wales.

With most new students in 2018/19 able to get help towards their living costs equal to the National Living Wage, as well as support to cover the full cost of their fees, we wanted to know what it could mean for them.

The film gives a great overview of the new student finance package as well as helping to dispel some myths and facts about student finance - so make sure to watch it now and share it on your social media channels!

You can find out more about the new student finance package for 2018/19 on our practitioner website

And for all the latest news and updates, remember to like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and subscribe to us on Youtube.

Students applying for uni or college in 2018/19 should apply for their student finance now! The quickest and easiest way to apply is online at www.studentfinancewales.co.uk

New full-time undergraduate students should apply by 11 May to make sure they get their money in time for the start of their course.

They don’t need a confirmed place at uni or college to apply – they should use their preferred choice of course and change it later if they need to.

We’ve got a range of resources to help you explain student finance to your students and their parents, including:

• downloadable factsheets covering the student finance package,
• detailed main guides giving in-depth information,
• ready-made presentations to use in the classroom or at planned events, and
• films for you to share on your website or social media channels.

And don’t forget, you can still order free copies of our printed quick guides to share with students and their parents.

Remember to like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and watch our films on YouTube for the latest news and updates.

Our experts will be answering questions from 1-4pm on Thursday 29 March from your students and their parents about all things student finance.

So whether they want to know what evidence they need to send, when they’ll get their money or how they pay their tuition fees, we’re here to help.

We know how important it is for your students to get the information they need about the changes to student finance this year – encourage them to like us on Facebook and join our conversation!

And don’t forget – they should apply for their student finance by 11 May to make sure they have their money in time for the start of their course.

Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and watch our films on YouTube for the latest news and updates.

Students applying for uni or college in 2018/19 should apply for their student finance now! The quickest and easiest way to apply is online at www.studentfinancewales.co.uk

It’s important they apply as early as possible to make sure they get their money in time for the start of their course.

They don’t need a confirmed place at uni or college to apply – they should use their preferred choice of course and change it later if they need to.

Encourage your students to visit our website – there’s plenty of information for them covering everything from what they can get to how they apply and repay. There’s also a YouTube playlist explaining everything they need to know about the student finance journey from start to finish.

We’ve also got a range of resources on our practitioner website to help you explain student finance to your students and their parents, including:

• downloadable factsheets covering the student finance package,
• detailed main guides giving in-depth information,
• ready-made presentations to use in the classroom or at other planned events, and
• films for you to share on your website or social media channels.

And don’t forget, you can still order free copies of our printed quick guides to share with students and their parents.

Remember to like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and watch our films on YouTube for the latest news and updates.

If you have a student in financial hardship because they’ve previously been paid too much loan or grant and their student finance has been reduced, they should seek help as soon as possible. We may be able to work out a more affordable way for them to pay back the amount they were overpaid.

If a student tells you that they’re in financial hardship you should download the ‘Financial Hardship Confirmation’ form and help them to fill it in. They’ll need to complete and return this as soon as possible to the address on the form. They’ll need to send some documents with the form, including bank statements for all of their bank accounts.

We look at every application on an individual basis.

We understand that this can be a difficult time for students. We want them to be reassured that we’ll try to look at their application for hardship within 2-3 weeks.

If they need any impartial advice, they should visit www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money

We’ve updated our SFW practitioner website with information covering everything you need to know about the new student finance package for 2018/19.

We’ve changed our approach this year to include more information than ever before. Don’t worry, everything you need is still there – we’ve just made it easier to find! There are in-depth pages covering everything from what students can get, how they apply, what evidence they need to send and how they repay. We’ve also got:

• downloadable factsheets covering the student finance package, and
• films for you to share on your website or social media channels.

You’ll find all of these in the resources section of our website.

And don’t forget, you can still order copies of our free printed quick guides to hand out at any planned discussions or events.

Your students can visit www.studentfinancewales.co.uk to find out more about student finance – and encourage them to keep an eye out as we’ll be adding more information for them soon.

Looking for student finance information for academic year 2018/19? Our latest range of resources are available online now.

We’ve produced two factsheets for new and continuing students showing how much student finance they can get in 2018/19 based on their household income and where they live while studying.

Our YouTube playlist features a series of short films that cover everything from applying for student finance to repaying. This can be easily shared on your website or social media channels.

And due to high demand, we’re reprinting our popular free printed quick guides for you to order and share with prospective students and their parents at your open days or any other planned events.

All of our resources are available in English and Welsh and can be found in the resources section.

Our free printed quick guides are back to help your students get ready for 2018/19!

Covering everything from the application process to how and when they’ll repay, our handy guides give high-level information on the 2018/19 student finance package, making them ideal for sharing with prospective students and their parents at any open days or planned events.

• Key facts and figures gives detailed information about the amount of student finance they can get.
• How to apply and repay is a handy twin pack explaining how to apply for student finance and how and when to repay.
• Student finance explained for parents explains what students can get and how they apply and repay.
• Disabled Students’ Allowances explains the extra help available to students with a disability, including a long-term health condition, mental-health condition or specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia or dyspraxia.
• Dependants’ Grants explains the extra help available to students who have children or an adult who depends on them.

We’ll deliver the bilingual quick guides to your school, college or university free of charge.

They can take up to two weeks to be delivered, and were so popular last year that we ran out of stock. So what are you waiting for? Take advantage and pre-order your quick guides today!

Encourage your students to find out more about what they can get in 2018/19 by going to www.studentfinancewales.co.uk.

And we’ll be adding plenty more resources and information to our practitioner website over the coming weeks, so make sure to keep your eye on www.studentfinancewales.co.uk/practitioners.

Help parents find out everything they need to know about student finance for 2018/19 with our updated series of films updated series of films.

Our expert student finance advisers cover everything from how parents can support their child’s application to what evidence they might need to send us.

Share the playlist on your social media channels now!

And make sure you let parents know they can find more information about student finance at www.studentfinancewales.co.uk/parents-and-partners.

It’s important that students know what they need to do to make sure they get their student finance in time for the start of their course.

All maintenance loans and grants are paid directly into the student’s bank account, but only after they’ve registered at their university or college. Tuition fee loans and grants will be paid directly to their university or college.

Watch and share our ‘Getting Paid’ film, which explains how students get paid.

Beware of phishing scams!

Fraudsters often target students around payment dates at the start of term and we want to help students look out for potentially fraudulent emails claiming to be from Student Finance Wales. Students should know that we would never ask them to give us their bank details or login information by email.

Please share our Phishing film and keep your students safe!

SFW part-time grant students can now apply for their student finance for academic year 2017/18.

Continuing students who started their course on or before 1 September 2012 can apply now. New and continuing students who started their course on or after 1 September 2012 can also apply now.

To help you explain what they can get and how to apply, we’ve got a range of resources, including:

• films and factsheets, for new and continuing part-time students available at www.studentfinancewales.co.uk/practitioners
• downloadable quick guides explaining what student finance is available and how and when to apply and repay: www.studentfinancewales.co.uk/practitioners

The quickest and easiest way for students to apply is at www.studentfinancewales.co.uk

For up-to-date information students should bookmark our website: www.studentfinancewales.co.uk

They can also follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook for news alerts.

Students starting a postgraduate Master’s course from 1 August 2017 can apply for a Postgraduate Loan now!

The quickest and easiest way to apply is online at www.studentfinancewales.co.uk

Encourage them to apply as soon as possible to make sure they get their money in time for the start of their course. They don’t need a confirmed place at university – they can use their preferred choice and simply change the details later if they need to.

More information

We’ve created a range of resources for you and your students that give more information about what they can get, how they apply and what evidence they need to complete their application. These are available in the Resources’ section

You and your students can also like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and watch our films on YouTube

The Welsh Government has confirmed that students from the EU will be eligible for financial support in the 2018/19 academic year when studying in Wales. Kirsty Williams, AM, Cabinet Secretary for Education said 'I am pleased to confirm that support will continue to be available for EU students. Wales has an internationally renowned higher education sector and it is vital that we continue to attract bright students from around the world to study and research at our universities'.

We’ve created a range of resources to help you explain the new Postgraduate Loan to students in Wales thinking about starting a postgraduate Master’s course from August 2017.

For your students we’ve produced three films that explain what they can get, how to apply and what, when and how they’ll repay. These can be shared on your social media channels or embedded on your website. They’re available in a handy playlist or as individual films.

Students should visit our website for more information.

For you we’ve created three factsheets that explain who is eligible for a Postgraduate Loan, how they apply and how and when they’ll repay their loan. These are available in the resources section of the practitioner website.

You can also find information on the Postgraduate Loan in the products section of this website.

Finally, please remember to bookmark this site and check back soon as we’ll be adding more information closer to the application launch.

Students applying for university or college courses in 2017/18 should apply for their student finance now.

They don’t need to have a confirmed place at university or college – they can use their preferred choice of course and change it later.

Encourage your students to apply now to make sure their money is ready at the start of their course. The quickest and easiest way to apply is online at www.studentfinancewales.co.uk.

Expert advice on student finance

The Student Finance Wales website has a dedicated area for practitioners that offers a range of resources to help you give students expert advice about the options available to them.

These include:

• factsheets to tell you everything you need to know about student finance;
• quick guides you can download and share with your students and their parents;
• detailed guides that are designed to help students in all circumstances;
• presentations to use in the classroom or at any other planned events;
• a series of helpful films to share on your website or social media channels to explain what student finance is available, how to apply and repay.

Remember to bookmark our website to access the latest information and resources.

www.studentfinancewales.co.uk/practitioners

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to receive regular updates. Watch our films on YouTube

Looking for student finance information for academic year 2017/18? Our latest range of resources is available online now!

To help you give the most accurate and up-to-date information about student finance, we’ve got:

• factsheets factsheets covering the key points you’ll want to share with your students, from applying to the repayment process,
• ready-made presentations for you to use when talking to students and their parents,
• quick guides highlighting essential information to download and handout, and
• films that can be shared on your website or social media channels.

You’ll find all of these in the resources section of our website.  We’ll be adding more resources soon, so make sure you bookmark our website and keep checking back.

Our contact centre opening hours over the holiday period will be as follows:

Friday 23 December 08:00 – 13:00
Saturday 24 December Closed
Sunday 25 December Closed
Monday 26 December Closed
Tuesday 27 December Closed
Wednesday 28 December 08:00 – 18:00
Thursday 29 December 08:00 – 18:00
Friday 30 December 08:00 – 13:00
Saturday 31 December Closed
Sunday 1 January Closed
Monday 2 January Closed
Tuesday 3 January onwards: return to normal hours
    

Help your students get ready for AY 2017/18 with our free printed quick guides

Covering everything from the application process to information on how and when students will repay, our handy quick guides provide high-level information on the 2017/18 student finance package, making them ideal for sharing with prospective students and their parents at your open days and any other planned events.  You can now pre order the following quick guides:

   
• Student finance – key facts and figures gives detailed information about the amount of student finance available to students in AY 2017/18.
   
• How to apply and repay - a handy twin pack explaining how to apply for student finance and how and when to repay.
   
• Student finance explained for parents - explains what students can get and how they apply and repay.
   
• Disabled Students’ Allowances - explains the extra help available to students with a disability, including a long-term health condition, mental-health condition or specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia or dyspraxia.
     
• Dependants’ Grants - explains the extra help available to students who have children or an adult who depends on them.

It can take up to two weeks for your quick guides to be delivered to your schools, universities and colleges.  These were so popular last year than we ran out of stock early so take advantage and pre-order your quick guides today! There are also online versions available to download.

The resources section of the practitioner website will be updated regularly with new information and resources, so check back often.

The following statement applies to EU nationals who are currently in receipt of student loans from Student Finance Wales (SFW), and to those EU nationals who intend to begin studying in the academic year 2017/18. The Education (Student Support) (Wales) Regulations 2017 are currently being drafted and, if made, will provide support for eligible students. It is proposed that the regulations will apply to the provision of support to students, including EU Nationals or their family members, in relation to an academic year which begins on or after 1 September 2017 (‘AY 2017/18’). The regulations applying to EU nationals, or their family members, who are applying for a place at university from 1 September 2017 to study a course which attracts student support will remain unchanged from the Education (Student Support) (Wales) Regulations 2015.

EU nationals or their family members, currently in higher education, and who are assessed as eligible to receive loans and/or grants from SFW, will continue to receive these loans and grants until they finish their course. This applies to all student finance from SFW for students in Wales for which EU nationals are eligible. This includes grants and loans to cover tuition fees, loans and grants for maintenance, and some other grants and allowances if a person continues to meet the eligibility requirements in respect of each element of support.

Once the usual application cycle commences in 2017 SFW will assess these applications against the eligibility criteria, and will provide loans and/or grants in the normal way. EU nationals, or their family members, who are assessed as eligible to receive grants and/ or loans by the SLC will receive support for the duration of their study on that course if they continue to satisfy all eligibility requirements.

Students should consult their university’s student finance office, or the Student Finance Wales website, for information about the support available.

In May 2016 the Welsh Government consulted on proposals to implement a postgraduate loan scheme for Welsh students.

While it was not possible to implement a scheme in Wales for AY 2016/17 the intention is that postgraduate support should be available to Welsh students from September 2017. This is subject to appropriate regulations being brought forward.

Some universities offer a postgraduate bursary depending on the subject area. There are also educational trusts and charities that may be prepared to assist by means of small grants or loans. There are standard lists in most public reference libraries including the Educational Grants Directory.

Students could also consider a part-time option in 2016/17 which may have reduced fees.

If no other funding is available, and subject to eligibility, a Professional and Career Development Loan (PCDL) can help to pay for course fees and any associated costs. The course provider and course has to be listed on the PCDL register. Further information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/career-development-loans/overview or by contacting a careers adviser on 0800 100 900

We've created new a film and new playlist covering key messages for students applying for university or college through Clearing and needing to sort out their student finance.

Our Clearing film explains what students need to do whether they’ve applied for student finance already or not.

We’ve also created a Going through Clearing? playlist to help answer any other questions your students may have about student finance.

Use the code to embed the film on your website.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flnR2-3xj9E&list=PLbRuPgpyODof1UPGf6EAQGhAIRfrPchjs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

All of our films are available in our 2016/17 Resources or on our YouTube channel, youtube.com/sfwfilm.

SFW part-time loans students can now apply for their student finance for academic year 2016/17.

New and continuing students who started their course on or after 1 September 2012 can apply now. Continuing students who started their course before 1 September 2012 can apply from early July.

To help you explain what they can get and how to apply, we’ve got a range of resources, including:

• films and factsheets, for new and continuing part-time students available at www.studentfinancewales.co.uk/practitioners
• downloadable quick guides explaining what student finance is available and how and when to apply and repay: www.studentfinancewales.co.uk/practitioners

The quickest and easiest way for students to apply is online at www.studentfinancewales.co.uk

For up-to-date information students should bookmark our website: www.studentfinancewales.co.uk

They can also follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook for news alerts.

Facebook

Twitter

YouTube

Students applying for university or college courses in 2016/17 should apply for their student finance now.

They don’t need to have a confirmed place at university or college – they can use their preferred choice of course and change it later.

Encourage your students to apply now to make sure their money is available at the start of their course. The quickest and easiest way to apply is online at www.studentfinancewales.co.uk

Expert advice on student finance

The Student Finance Wales website has a dedicated area for practitioners that offers a range of resources for you to help you give students expert advice about the options available to them.

These include:

• factsheets to tell you everything you need to know about student finance;
• quick guides you can download and share with your students and their parents;
• detailed guides that are designed to help students in all circumstances;
• presentations to use in the classroom or at any other planned events;
• A series of helpful films to use in the classroom or on your website to explain what student finance is available and how to apply.

Watch our film to find out what else our practitioner website has to offer.

Remember to bookmark our website to access the latest information and resources.

www.studentfinancewales.co.uk/practitioners

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to receive regular updates.

Watch our films on YouTube.

Our popular, free printed quick guides are back and available to pre order now! Covering everything from the application process to information about repayment, they’re ideal for sharing with prospective students and their parents when you’re talking about student finance.

We’ve got:

•         a handy twin pack explaining how to apply for student finance and what how and when to repay
•         Student finance explained
•         Student finance explained for parents
•         Disabled Students’ Allowances – to explain the extra help available to students with a disability - including a mental-health condition or specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia or dyspraxia
•         Dependants’ Grants – to explain the extra help available to students who have children or an adult who depends on them

They’re available to pre order in English and Welsh now and will be delivered to your school, university or college from early December.  Get your order in quickly before they go!

The resources section of the practitioner website – http://www.studentfinancewales.co.uk/practitioners – will be updated regularly with new information and resources so check back often!

It’s time for part-time students to apply for student finance so make sure you order our ready-made application packs today.

New and continuing students who started their course on or after 1 September 2014 can apply for a Fee Loan and Course Grant to help them pay for their tuition fees and living costs. They can download an application form at www.studentfinancewales.co.uk or contact their university or college to ask for an application pack.

Packs include an application form and information on how to apply and repay. You can order them now.

We’ve also produced a series of resources for you to use with part-time students, which are available to download from the practitioner website. You will find a quick guide and factsheet explaining what loans and grants are available for part-time study and a more detailed main guide.

And, please share with your students our Loans for part-time study film, which is available to watch on our YouTube channel.

Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs) are part of the statutory student support package provided by the Welsh Government via Student Finance Wales. Following the announcement of changes to support arrangements in England, the DSAs policy in Wales is being reviewed to ensure that funding is targeted effectively. Comments are invited on the proposed changes to DSAs from academic year 2016/17, as detailed in SFWIN 01/2015. View details

Students applying for university or college courses in 2015/16 should apply for their student finance now.

They don’t need to have a confirmed place at university or college - they can use their preferred choice of course and change it later.

Encourage your students to apply now to make sure their money is available at the start of their course. The quickest and easiest way to apply is online at www.studentfinancewales.co.uk

Expert advice on student finance

• factsheets to tell you everything you need to know about student finance;
• quick guides you can download and order printed copies to share with your students and their parents;
• detailed guides that are designed to help students in all circumstances;
• A series of helpful films to use in the classroom or on your website to explain what student finance is available and how to apply.

Remember to bookmark our website to access the latest information and resources.

We've published a series of presentations, aimed at different audiences, to help you explain the student finance available for new students starting in 2015/16.

We've included a presentation explaining the application process and there's even a presentation template that can be used to make your own bespoke student finance presentations.

Check out our new presentations for academic year 2015/16.

It’s time to start getting ready for a new academic year. We have created a range of helpful tools and resources to help you explain to your students what student finance is available through Student Finance Wales.

There are factsheets that tell you everything you need to know about a wide range of subjects, for example, applying for student finance, extra help for students with disabilities or dependent children and repayment arrangements. There is also a selection designed to help you answer questions from parents.
In addition we have developed animations and films you can share with your students to help explain student finance and the application process.

There’s a range of handy quick guides to hand out to students, to give them information about what support is available to them; and there’s information on extra help for students with a disability, including a mental-health condition or specific learning difficulty or students who have children and adult dependants There is also a quick guide specifically for parents.
You can order printed copies of these to hand out to your students and their families.

You will find a selection of PowerPoint presentations, along with the notes you’ll need to deliver these to your students and their families.

We also have Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages where your students can access up to date information and support while they’re applying for student finance.

The Welsh Government have published a stakeholder engagement exercise on several proposed technical changes to be included in the Student Support Regulations for 2015/16 and are looking for your feedback. Responses should be returned to the Higher Education Division no later than 3 December 2014.

You can find the regulations and response form here.

If sponsors provide their National Insurance number we can verify their income details with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). This means that they won’t have to send in any evidence of their income, making it easier to confirm their income details.

In some instances HMRC won’t be able to verify their income details; if that’s the case we’ll write to the sponsors and ask them to send us evidence of their income.

We recommend that parents and partners have their National Insurance number to hand when entering their financial information.

Parents and partners of new students (starting in academic year 2013/14), will need to continue to provide evidence of their household income.

From academic year 2014/15 full-time students can confirm their identity by providing their passport number on their application. If they don’t include passport details on their application they will need to send in a UK Passport Details Form. Students should be advised not to send their passport to us.

If they don’t have a valid passport, they’ll need to send in their Birth or Adoption Certificate instead along with the Birth/Adoption Certificate Form.
The UK Passport Details Form and Birth/Adoption Certificate Form can be downloaded from www.studentfinancewales.co.uk.

We've created new videos covering key messages for students applying for university or college through clearing and needing student finance.

Our Clearing video, explains what the process means and how to make sure that any student finance application is assessed as quickly as possible. The Payment video stresses what to do to make sure that money gets paid on time.

There is also a timely reminder on the dangers of Phishing scams. Our video explains what precautions to take and how to stay safe online.

And to make it easier for you to share the new videos with your students we've brought them together, with some of our other relevant videos, in a Going through Clearing? playlist.

All of our videos are available in 2014/15 Resources or on our YouTube channel, youtube.com/sfwfilm.

Student Finance Wales (SFW) pre-launch information packs for new part-time students are now available for HEI’s to order.

The packs contain two handy quick guides which provide step by step guidance on how to apply and repayment. They’re available to order here.

HEI's are encouraged to distribute the packs to prospective part-time students. Please check back here in late July when we’ll be making application packs available to order.

In the meantime, go on, order your information pack today!

Applications for student finance, for courses starting after 1 September 2014, are now available.

We're encouraging all students not to delay and ensure their funding is ready for the start of their course by applying online now.

We are pleased to announce the launch of our new Student Finance Wales practitioner website.  This website is dedicated to supporting practitioners across Wales.

We’ve created a suite of resources that you can use when giving out advice about student finance.The site also hosts a wealth of student finance policy information all in one place.

We hope you find the site useful, easy to use and informative.