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FAQs - College Fees and Charges

Please contact the Finance Office, if you require more assistance

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

Below are the answers to the most common questions that are asked about Girton College Fees and Charges. If you require more assistance, please contact the Finance Office on:

If you need Financial Support, please contact the Financial Welfare Officer:

Payment issues and problems

Each term you will be issued with a bill for how much you need to pay.

You will also need to pay additional charges such as utilities and Uniware charges. These charges will vary for every student.

Utilities are included within the residence charge for all main College rooms and student hostels. Utilities are chargeable in family and couple accommodation. 

Information about when you need to pay can be found at 'How and When to Pay' and will also be on the bottom of your College Bill.

The preferred method of payment is bank transfer but other payment methods are also accepted. Further information can be found at 'How and When to Pay'

We do not receipt payments automatically, but we can reply to say we have received money by return email, if you send in a request by email to finance@girton.cam.ac.uk. 

If you are not able to pay your bill you need to contact your Tutor or the Financial Welfare Officer on fwo@girton.cam.ac.uk before the due date to discuss the situation.

Depending upon your circumstances they may be able to request that any late charges are withheld.

There is a flat rate fine of £50.00 for late payment and interest is added to bills at base rate plus 10%, if they are not paid within ten days of the due date in each term.

Email reminders are sent out before late payments are added.

Once a late fee has been added, you will need to discuss any problems and genuine reasons why you haven't paid with your College Tutor as the Finance Office are not authorised to cancel late fees.

Please contact the Finance Office as soon you become aware of any discrepancies so that they can explain any charges and investigate any issues.

Prepayments and Deposits

This is a sum charged to Overseas undergraduates who do not have full funding or a Student Loan (commonly called self-funders) or was paid by postgraduates who started their PhD degree before the academic year 2024/25 after which new postgraduates will no longer pay a prepayment but will be asked to pay their full fee bill in November.  

  • It is paid shortly after arrival, on your first College bill.
  • This prepayment will be refunded against your final bill before completion of your course.

This is not just for accommodation and is paid by all students in their first year at the College in three termly installments.

  • It is used to cover the cost of any damage to your room or College property and is used to pay any debts which have yet to be charged to your bill once you have left such as Uniware card charges, library fines etc.
  • The remaining amount is refunded within one month of you graduating or your degree being approved.

After any debts have been paid the remaining amount is refunded by bank transfer within one month of you graduating or your degree being approved.

Uniware

All members of the University are given a University (Uniware) Card. This can be used to make purchases in the Porter Lodge, the cafeterias, the Social Hub or on UPAY.

  • For most students the card has a £500.00 credit limit per term, which can be used against purchases.
  • The Credit limit can be reduced or removed completely at the request of the student to aid with budgeting and spending. Please contact the Finance Office on finance@girton.cam.ac.uk to request this.
  • Students receive registration details on receipt of their card. The card can be managed via the UPAY app or the website Upay Students can monitor spend, amount remaining and usage.
  • At the end of each term, the amount that has been spent is added to the following term’s bill, i.e. money spent in the Michaelmas term is charged in the Lent term.
  • If you reach your credit limit, you can top the card (add money) at the Porters’ Lodge or the UPAY App or website.
  • The credit limit is reduced for Postgraduates in Term 10 or above and for Undergraduates and Postgraduates in the month before they graduate (apart from in exceptional circumstances for Tutorial reasons).

College Accommodation and Contents Insurance

The College Contribution is charged separately to all students who do not live in College accommodation and who pay a University Fee (apart from those on a year abroad or working away). This is a relatively small contribution to the running of all non-academic facilities on site from which all students can benefit, including subsidised food, assistance from the lodge, sports facilities including the swimming pool, and much else. 

Postgraduates who are writing up no longer pay University Fees so are exempt from the contribution, however they will be charged at conference rates in the cafeteria unless they opt into paying the charge.

Utilities are included within the residence charge for all main college rooms, Swirles Court and student hostels.

In houses occupied by one student and their families the Gas and Electric are metered and charged for monthly.

  • Undergraduate students have a 37 or 38 week tenancy depending upon the University’s term dates 
  • The standard length of a Postgraduate Tenancy is 49 weeks but can be adjusted to course length. It will be for a minimum of 42 weeks.

The College has agreed with the JCR that any damage to the College building that is not wear and tear and cannot be attributed to an individual will be divided amongst the Undergraduates living in College.

The damage is reported to Council towards the end of term and the JCR Committee should have details.

Transfers between rooms have a standard charge of £25.00

Information about the insurance cover provided can be found under the insurance section.

Bursaries, Grants, Loans and Funding

Once you have arrived and signed in with your Tutor at Girton, the Student Loan Company (SLC) is informed and the loan should shortly be released to you.

You can also check the status of your loan by logging into your online Student Finance account.

The SLC maintenance loan is available for UK undergraduate students and some postgraduate students paying home fees. It needs to be applied for each academic year and is means tested based on your household’s income.

Undergraduate Cambridge Bursaries are paid directly into students' bank accounts early each term

In the first instance you need to talk to your Tutor or Financial Welfare Officer, who will be aware of any Student Support that you may be eligible for. They will have the forms etc. needed to apply. Please note that the Finance Office does not deal with the application process for grants.

Other

Students and Fellows can buy tickets for Formal Hall and any special occasion dinners (if invited) through UPAY.

If you have any problems, contact the Catering Office: catering@girton.cam.ac.uk

Although this is not an exhaustive or recommended list of banks, the Finance Division has developed a bank directory to help students and the wider academic community make informed choices about their banking provider. The directory provides practical details about overdraft facilities, ID requirements and information for overseas students. 

Bank letters can be requested from the Student Services Office by email to either tutorial@girton.cam.ac.uk for undergrads, or postgraduate.office@girton.cam.ac.uk for postgraduates.  

As well as the advice that College and University can provide, there are many other useful guides available.

The first link is to University support and the Student Advice Service. At Girton College, you can also contact the Financial Welfare Officer: