Placement costs and finance

How much can you earn on your placement year

The majority of placement years are paid and will attract a salary starting at £17,000 per annum. The amount you could earn can vary significantly depending on the industry and location.

Some sectors, such as the charity sector and statutory services, may offer unpaid placements. The University doesn’t advertise unpaid placements, but we’ll approve unpaid placements found by the student on a case by case basis*.

If you are considering undertaking an unpaid placement its essential that you carefully consider how you support yourself financially. Your role should also be clearly defined to ensure that you'll be gaining worthwhile experience.

*with the exception of the College of Business and Law whose placement learning module requires students to be in paid employment.

Tuition fees and living cost funding

You may be eligible for a tuition fee loan and reduced living cost loan. Please take a look at our funding guidance for full-time undergraduate students. You should also check the application procedure with your student funding body.

If you have any questions about fees and funding, please make an appointment with a UWE Bristol Money Adviser. For support with budgeting and gaining financial confidence we recommend the website Blackbullion. 

There's no specific funding available for placement students, although the University does have a UWE Bristol Employability Bursary, Turing Scheme, Placement Costs Loan, Financial Assistance Schemes, Student Support Fund and the UWE Bursary. You can speak with a Money Adviser from the Student Money Service team to discuss your financial circumstances and budget planning in more detail.

Placement year costs

Most students don't pay extra for their placement, and the cost of the placement module is deducted from your final year fees.

You can check how much your course fees will be using our tuition fee search.

Will I have to pay council tax while on a placement?

You won't have to pay council tax during your placement year. This is because you are officially registered as a full-time student with UWE Bristol.

You must provide the local authority with your exemption certificate so you don't have to pay. You can download a council tax exemption certificate from MYUWE (login required).

Will I pay tax on the money I earn?

You may have to pay income tax and National Insurance on your earnings, depending on your salary level. Tax and NI will be deducted monthly from your salary in accordance with your personal tax code. Take your P45 and/or P60 (if you have them from previous jobs) with you when you start your placement to make sure you’re paying tax at the right rate.