Student Finance at West Dean

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Nearly all of our students pay for course fees through multiple forms of funding. This might include savings, student loans, West Dean bursaries and scholarships and funding from external organisations who support us.

Mid-March is when you can start to apply for a loan from Student Finance England for September 2025 courses. 1 April is an important deadline for West Dean bursaries and scholarships.

Ahead of these dates, here are a few reminders of what to expect and tips when applying.

Student Finance England

If you are a UK national living in England, Student Finance England is the first place to look to apply for a loan. Their website has a useful student toolkit with a timeline and student finance calculator to estimate how much maintenance loan you’ll get.

How much Student Finance can you expect to get at West Dean?
As West Dean is a private college, Student Finance England tuition fee loans are less for our undergraduate courses than for publicly funded universities:

  • Full Time Undergraduate Courses - Maximum of £6,185 per year 

BA (Hons) Interior Design
Online BA (Hons) Interior Design
Full time Diploma HE in Applied Interior Design
Graduate Diploma Courses
Foundation Degree Arts

  • Part Time Undergraduate Courses - Maximum of £4,635 per year

BA (Hons) Art & Contemporary Craft
Part time Diploma HE in Applied Interior Design

Please note that if you have previously studied for a higher education qualification, you will not be eligible to receive funding from Student Finance England.

Maintenance loans
UK citizens based in England can get a maintenance loan from Student Finance England to help with accommodation and expenses. The amount will vary, depending on your household income. You can check how much you are eligible for using the Student Finance Calculator.

Postgraduate Study loans
For MA and MFA courses, if you are a UK citizen you can apply for a Master’s loan. Please refer to https://www.gov.uk/masters-loan

You can get up to £12,471 to help with tuition and maintenance for entire course. This is the same as for all other universities.

West Dean Scholarships & Bursaries

As student loans will not cover all of your course fees, there is a shortfall to pay. This is where scholarships and bursaries come in. Scholarships and bursaries are split by subject area on our funding website and fall into these areas:

  1. Edward James Foundation Bursary (EJF Bursary)
  2. West Dean Scholarship
  3. Other West Dean bursaries and scholarships - these are donated by external organisations, and you apply through West Dean
  4. External funders - this is where you apply directly to them

Edward James Foundation Bursary (EJF Bursary)

This bursary is funded by the Edward James Foundation itself and by our generous donors keen to support students. It is open to students of any age and nationality with a financial need, and covers a portion of tuition fees. Maintenance fees are not usually covered.

Applicants should demonstrate they are pursuing other avenues to raise funds and they must be able to finance remaining costs.

Deadlines:  1 April and 1 August 2025. Please apply once you have been offered a place and have paid a deposit.

Apply via the funding page by completing the application form.

Application Form

West Dean College Scholarship

This scholarship is open to students of any age and nationality, who are from one or more of the following underrepresented groups:

• Students from areas of low higher education participation, with low household income or low socioeconomic status
• Black, Asian and ethnic minority
• Mature students
• Disabled students
• Care leavers
• Carers
• Estranged from families
• Traveller community
• Refugees
• Military families

The successful applicant will receive funding that covers a 50% contribution towards tuition fees as well as a 50% contribution towards accommodation fees for the duration of the programme.

Deadlines:  1 April 2025. You can apply once you have been offered a place and have paid a deposit 

Apply via the funding page by completing the application form.

Application Form

Other Scholarships & Bursaries

There are a number of scholarships and bursaries funded by external third parties but must be applied through us. Each award has certain criteria, please check you are eligible before applying. This funding is typically for one academic year only.

Deadlines: 1 April and 1 August

Apply via the funding page by completing the application form.

Application Form

Other Sources of Funding

Many organisations such as QEST and Heritage Crafts provide funding to cover all programmes, specialisms and pathways.

These organisations should be applied to directly, instead of via West Dean.

Check you meet the criteria and can make the deadlines

Review the other funding options for suggested organisations to apply to.

International Students

Our fees are the same for UK and International students, with many of the West Dean scholarships and bursaries being open to international students. Here are a few tips to help with securing funding:

  • Do look at sources in your home country
  • If you are applying for West Dean funding, apply for this before you arrive to the UK
  • For any queries about student finance eligibility and visas for international students, refer to the UK Council for International Student Affairs UKCISA

How to Apply for Funding

  • Head to the funding page on our website
  • Click on the subject tile for your course of interest
  • Use the drop down menu and look for your course in the table
  • Look at all the funding that has a tick for your course
  • Check the criteria
  • Once you have reviewed your eligibility, apply using the application forms

Funding FAQs

What is a financial plan, requested on the EJF Bursary form?

A summary of what you are asking for and why you have arrived at that amount based on the figures inputted into the table.

Can I apply for more than one scholarship or bursary?

Yes! Apply for everything you are eligible for. Most students are supported by more than one stream of funding.

Do I use the same personal statement for each application?

Sometimes you can but where each bursary has its own criteria, it is important to tailor your personal statement and explain why you meet the criteria. Otherwise, your application won’t be considered.

When will I hear the outcome of my application?

For April deadlines, we aim to get back to you in May. It can be later if we need to go back to our funding supporters to make a final decision.

What if I send in my application and it needs more information?

If your application is incomplete or doesn’t meet criteria, we will query it with you and give you the chance to send in more information.

Can I appeal the decision?

For the Edward James Foundation bursary you can apply again for 1 August deadline if you feel you should have received more funding. For scholarships & bursaries, it isn’t usually possible to appeal as decisions are made based on the information you give us in your application.

What if I can’t secure enough funding in time?

You can defer your place. You will need to reapply for funding though as that can’t be deferred.

Useful Sources of Funding Information:

Gov.uk, Student Finance - https://www.gov.uk/browse/education/student-finance

UCAS, International students - https://www.ucas.com/international/international-students

UCAS, Money and Student Life - https://www.ucas.com/money-and-student-life

UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs), Home or Overseas fees -https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/Information--Advice/Fees-and-Money/Home-or-Overseas-fees-the-basics

Student Finance - https://studentfinance.campaign.gov.uk/

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