The funding available for a placement year is significantly different from a normal study year. It is important to think about whether you can financially commit to a placement, based on the funding that is available to you. The following guidance has been put together to help you with the decision-making process.

Reduced-rate maintenance loans

UK home students funded by Student Finance England will be entitled to a reduced rate maintenance loan during a paid or unpaid work placement year. This will typically be in year 3 of a full-time undergraduate course at BU. The loan rates are demonstrated in the table below:

Reduced rate maintenance loan for 2025/26 Full year loan
Students living in the parental home £2,396
Students undertaking their placement in London £4,485
Students undertaking their placement elsewhere (including overseas) £3,194

Type B placements

UK home students who undertake what is considered as a Type B placement by Student Finance England could be eligible for full funding, i.e. the same amount received in a standard study year. This support would be subject to household income assessment as usual. Type B placements are defined by Student Finance England as:

  • unpaid service in a hospital or in a public health service laboratory or with a clinical commissioning group in the UK
  • unpaid service with a local authority in the UK acting in the exercise of its functions relating to the care of children and young persons, health or welfare, or with a voluntary organisation providing facilities or carrying out activities of a like nature in the UK
  • unpaid service with a local authority acting in the exercise of public health functions in the UK
  • unpaid service in the prison or probation and aftercare service in the UK
  • unpaid research in a UK institution or, in the case of a student attending an overseas institution as a part of their course in an overseas institution
  • unpaid service with a Special Health Authority, the NHS Commissioning Board, the National Institute for Care and Excellence, the Health and Social Care Information Centre, a Local Health Board, a Health Board or a Special Health Board in Scotland, or a Health and Social Services Board in Northern Ireland
  • unpaid service in the UK Parliament.

It is likely students will need to provide evidence that they are undertaking this type of placement to their funding body (Student Finance England or other) to be considered for the full support. The evidence can be uploaded to a student's Student Finance online account. This could be, for example, a job description or a letter from the employer to confirm unpaid placement and job responsibilities.

Fees and more funding options

The tuition fee for a full placement in 2024/25 and 2025/26 will be £1,850 for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. UK undergraduate home students on a full placement year will also be able to apply for the Tuition Fee Loan through their funding body (SFE or other) as normal, to cover the £1,850.

BU UK home students who face financial difficulty whilst on placement can apply for additional funding through the BU Financial Support Fund. BU also has the Placement and Professional Opportunities Fund for those UK home students who need financial help with placement costs. Visit the web pages for full details of the qualifying criteria for each fund.

Find out more about placements

Making changes to your Student Finance funding

If you decide to change your course, either by taking a placement year or continuing your studies, this will affect your student funding. To ensure you receive the correct Maintenance Loan and Tuition Fee Loan, you will need to let both your Programme Team and Student Finance know. This YouTube video provides helpful guidance on how to change your student finance application.

Continuing your studies

You will need to change your course from the 4-year sandwich version to the 3-year full-time version. The course details section on your student finance application is where you will need to update this; click on 'change this answer', then select the 3-year version of your course (not the 4-year sandwich).

Taking a placement year 

You will need to change your course from the 3-year full-time version to the 4-year sandwich version. The course details section on your student finance application is where you will need to update this; click on 'change this answer', then select the 4-year sandwich version of your course (not the 3-year full-time version).

If you need any further guidance on placement funding, please contact AskBU.