Finances
Bursaries | Money Saving Tips | Scholarships and Prizes | Student Loans and Grants | The Finance Office | Cashless Catering
We want your time at the RWCMD to be enjoyable and rewarding; it is important that it should not be spoiled by unnecessary financial worries. It is best to draw up an outline budget, as one of the hardest things about being a student, whatever your personal circumstances, is making money last.
Budgeting is vital and cannot be done too early.
Always try to stay in control of your financial situation and if you cannot manage, ask for help sooner rather than later. Make sure you are getting your full state entitlement and know when the College expects your Tuition Fee Contribution to be paid. Investigate the late arrival of your Student Loan immediately.
Take advantage of student discounts and open a bank account BEFORE you arrive, to allow quick paying-in/withdrawal of cash. Pay bills on time to avoid ‘late’ charges. Try not to be tempted by credit cards and remember that a bad credit rating at college will stay with you.
Feed yourself properly and economically and keep socialising within limits you can afford. Don’t rush out and buy books/equipment; wait until the course commences and then purchase what is necessary, share the costs with a friend, borrow from the library or buy second-hand.
Bursaries
Money Saving Tips
The issue that most students take time to get used to is having a huge amount of money suddenly arrive in their bank account at the start of an academic term. This might sound great for you, but it’s a huge responsibility. For lots of parents, this is the biggest concern as they pack their little ones off to start their new lives and believe me, they will not be impressed if you ring up a few weeks into the term to tell them that you’ve “had a great first few weeks, but I’ve run out of money. Can you sub me until my next loan instalment?!”
What you must remember at this point, is that although the sum of money is large, it needs to last you for everything you do during that 12 week term, plus you’ll need some money for the Christmas Holidays (and indeed Christmas itself).
So, here is the most important rule of money management: BUDGET PLANNING!
We have some handy tips to try and help you ensure your funds last:
Don’t eat out every day: try bringing food from home
Try lots of supermarkets and do your own price comparisons
Don’t take taxis everywhere, it’s a very expensive habit!
Check on the internet for deals and vouchers before going out
Sign up for student offers such as Student Beans, Groupon and Voucher Cloud
If you’re eating out, there are always deals to be had, so make sure you find them
When doing your shopping, think about shopping for the term. Although you’ll need ‘top-up shops’, you can buy all the bulky items in one and try and get deals
Don’t be afraid to try the supermarket own brand. Why spend £1 on baked beans that you can get for 17p?
Scholarships and Prizes
There are a number of scholarships and prizes available to students.
Full details are available from the Library or from the Academic Services Office.
Please contact the Finance Office if you have any queries regarding payment of cash scholarships.
Student Loans and Grants
All home students who are attending undergraduate courses are normally eligible to apply for a student loan to cover course fees and maintenance costs. Certain grants (non-repayable) may also be available, dependent on household income.
Find further information for:
All European Union nationals may be eligible to apply for a tuition fee loan.
Further information can be obtained by contacting eu_bursary@slc.co.uk or by phoning +44 (0) 141 243 3570.
The Finance Office
Monday – Friday 11:00 – 16.00
The Finance Office is open for general enquiries
Students can collect cheque or cash payments between 11.00am – 2.30pm and must present a valid student ID card.
The Finance Office is situated on 4th floor, Raymond Edwards Building and deals with the College’s financial matters, including payment of fees. If you have any problems with fees or any financial problems of a general nature, you should arrange to meet with the Head of Finance as soon as possible.
Cashless Catering
The College along with Catering Academy have introduced a Cashless Catering service for both Students and Staff. You will be able to pay for your food and drinks from either the Canteen or Coffee Shop using your College ID card. You can credit your Cashless Catering Account using either of the two “Top-Up” Units in the College Refectory. To credit or check your account balance, follow the instructions below:
– The Top-Up Units are touch screen, to start press anywhere on the screen with your finger (you may have to press twice).
– A Top-Up screen will be displayed; insert your College ID card into the reader on the front of the kiosk. It doesn’t matter which way up you insert your card. The system will then display your name and the current balance on your account.
– The Top-Up Unit accepts notes and coins and as each note or coin is loaded the Top-Up amount will show in the “Topup” box as well as adding to the “New Balance.” Coin values will be add quicker than notes, don’t be alarmed by the strange noise as notes are loaded, they are not being shredded! The unit verifies each note and places them in a secure stacker.
– When you have finished crediting your account, remove your ID card from the reader. Your new balance is now instantly available to spend.
– At any time you can insert your ID card in to the Top-Up Units and your current balance will be shown. Once you have checked your balance, remove your ID card to continue.