You must think carefully about budgeting for your studies and living costs before arriving in the UK; make sure you have enough money to pay for your fees and your living expenses for the whole of your course at the College.

Any earnings from part-time work should be seen as pocket money or additional spending money and should not be included in your budget for course fees or accommodation fees.

If you need to apply for a student visa you will have to show that you have sufficient funds to support you throughout your studies as part of the visa application process.

The estimated living costs needed in Cardiff, in addition to the course fees, are now in the region of £7,000 to £7,500 per academic year.

The College does not offer any form of scholarships or bursaries for students.

You will find that our course fees are amongst the most competitive in the UK and that they compare very favourably with other institutions. To help international students on mainstream courses with their financial planning and budgets the College has fixed-level fees: students who are enrolled on a two or three year programme will pay the same fee in their final year as they do in their first.

If you need to get a bursary or scholarship to fund your studies you must apply while you are in your home country. You can find information on funding programmes that may be available to you by contacting the British Council in your home country.

 Work the costs out in your country's currency

The International Student Calculator will help you plan and manage your money for your studies in the UK  

You can contact your local British Council Office for information on living costs.

Bank Accounts

While in Cardiff you may need to open a bank account you should discuss this with your bank in your home country as they may have links with a UK bank.

Banks may not open accounts for you where you can get overdraft, or will refuse to give you a credit card (if you are on a short course, not a degree course, this is very likely). However, they should ALWAYS be able to open a 'basic' bank account (free to open, where you can pay money in, set up standing orders and direct debits, and take money out with a cash card).

There are many banks in the UK which provide basic bank accounts for international students on College courses.

You will need to consider:

• The services the bank will offer you and the charges it will make
• What arrangements there are for transferring money from your home country, and the costs involved
• How easy it is for you to visit or contact the bank

You can find information regarding student finance from the BBA ( British Banking Association)