Your University News

Funding updates and opportunities

Tuition fees and student loans update

Last year, the government confirmed that university tuition fees would rise in line with inflation from the 2026/27 academic year, with small increases planned for 2026/27 and 2027/28. This means that the tuition fee for the next academic year at York St John will increase by 2.71% to £9,790 for standard full-time courses. If you have already applied for student finance and stated the 2025/26 fee (£9575), you will need to revisit your student finance portal and amend the fee amount. Contact the Student Hub with any questions. 

The Scholarship Hub

As a YSJ student, you can access free and practical budgeting advice through the financial wellbeing platform Blackbullion. This now includes access to The Scholarship Hub designed to help you find and apply for scholarships and funding opportunities to help with your education costs. Sign up and log in using your YSJ email. 

Win £150 to fill your fridge

York St John has also teamed up with financial wellbeing platform Blackbullion to offer you the chance to win up to £150 in supermarket vouchers. To take part: log in to Blackbullion, complete your financial wellbeing score and share your favourite low-cost meal by emailing hello@blackbullion.com. You can also send your recipe via DM to @Blackbullion on Instagram. 

Find more funding opportunities

YSJ students can now access the Alternative Guide to Postgraduate Funding Online to search for funding from charities, trusts and foundations. It’s free to use. Create an account with your YSJ email. Watch this short video about how to use the alternative funding guide. 

Scholarship Plus

If you’re part of the Scholarship Plus scheme – we'd like your feedback! Look out for an email with more information on how you can shape the future of the programme including taking part in paid opportunities. You do not need to have attended any sessions to get involved. 

Student Finance applications for 2026/27 are open

If you’re an undergraduate student, you’ll need to reapply each year through your online student finance account before the deadline. Log in via your relevant funding body (England, Wales or Northern Ireland) to get started and make sure your funding is in place for next year. 

Study support

Postgraduate students have your say

You’ve been invited to take part in the Postgraduate Teaching Experience Survey (PTES) or the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES). It’s your chance to share what’s working and what could be better. It takes 10 to 15 minutes, and you’ll be entered into a prize draw (up to £100 in vouchers for PTES, or 1 of 12 x £50 vouchers for PRES). Check your inbox for your personalised link and take part. 

Alumni Career webinars

For the past few years, our Alumni team has been interviewing graduates to learn more about what they’ve done since graduation and what advice they have for students thinking about their next steps. With webinars from physiotherapists, marketers, teachers, comedians and more, over 30 alumni have shared their advice for free. Check out their webinars by looking through their profiles on the Alumination blog. 

24/7 Library Access during the assessment period

To support you during the busy assessment period, all floors of the Fountains Library are open 24/7 until Friday 19 June. Please remember to bring your student ID for overnight access and be considerate of others using the space. 

Passport reminder for international students

If your passport is ever lost, stolen or is due to expire, it's important that you apply for a new one as soon as possible. If you are an international student, you must have a valid passport during your entire stay in the UK. If you have obtained a new passport, please update the new information on your e:Vision account. 

Opportunities

Did you apply to YSJ through Clearing?

Tell us your story and help us reach future students. If we feature your story, you’ll receive a £20 gift voucher as a thank you. Share your Clearing story.

Apply for £250 to fund your idea

Do you have an idea or ambition to start your own business? Whether you're exploring freelance work as an artist or have a start-up or social enterprise idea - apply for our Kickstart Programme Fund to help you get started.  

Time for a Spring Clean? 

We’re supporting the British Heart Foundation’s #PackForGood campaign. Help lifesaving research by donating your unwanted items to one of our drop-off locations: at St Anthony's House, The Grange, St John Central, Limes Court and City Residence.  Please do not put duvets, pillows, broken items, and knives in the donation bins. 

Take on the Dragon Boat Challenge

We’re looking for staff and students to join the Alumni and Fundraising team at the York Rotary Dragon Boat Challenge on Sunday 12 July. It’s a fun, active day out on the water, perfect for getting outdoors, meeting new people and doing something a little different. Each team member will aim to raise £200, helping fund scholarships that support YSJ students. Complete the expression of interest form and tell us why you’d love to take part.  

Take on the York 10K

More of a runner than a rower? There’s still time to join our York 10K team on Sunday 2 August. Sign up for a discounted place (£15), raise at least £150 for student scholarships, and get support with your fundraising along the way. 

Graduating this year?

Each year we celebrate your outstanding achievements through our graduation prizes. Nominations for the Institute for Social Justice Student Prize are now open until Monday 15 June. This £250 cash prize is awarded to an undergraduate student, graduating in November 2026, who has shown their commitment to social or ecological justice issues through their curriculum, or through other opportunities they have taken part in at YSJ. The winner will also be invited to profile their work through university channels. The application process is straightforward. Find more information about Graduation prizes and how to nominate yourself. 

Class of 2026 yearbook

If you’re due to complete your postgraduate degree by December 2026, remember to join the official Class of 2026 yearbook! Organised by the Alumni team, you can upload photos, write a message for your friends, and answer questions about your time as a student. Once you’ve started your profile, you can come back to complete your profile later. Plus, it’s free to take part and there’s no obligation to pre-order a copy. Don’t wait too long, the deadline to submit your profile is Friday 5 June. If you have any questions, please email alumni@yorksj.ac.uk for more information. 

Students’ Union merchandise

Grab your York St John merch before the end of term. Shop hoodies, ties and hedgehogs at the SU InfoPoint, open from 10.00am to 4.00pm, Monday to Friday.  

What's on

Careers with North Yorkshire Police (7 May)

Come along to the Future You Space, in Holgate (HG013), from 10.00am to 12.00pm. North Yorkshire Police will be giving a talk at 11.00am to expand on the roles available within their organisation, and offer more information about their career opportunities. Register to attend via Handshake.   

‘Something In Space’ Fine Art exhibition (7 to 13 May)

Take a look at the end-of-year exhibition from 1st and 2nd year Fine Art students, showcasing work across painting, sculpture, performance, film and more. The exhibition opens on Thursday 7 May, 4.30pm to 6.00pm in Phoenix (Vessel, PH004, PH011 and Project Spaces). The exhibition will remain open until Wednesday 13 May if you can’t make the opening night. 

Postgraduate Open Day (9 May)

Explore your postgraduate study options, meet academic staff, talk to current postgraduates and find out more about life as a postgraduate student in York. Our teams from across the University will be available to answer your questions about courses, funding, and the support we offer, and to help you discover how postgraduate study could shape your future. Attend the Postgraduate Open Day.  

Ascension Day at York Minster (14 May)

Join the York St John University Chaplaincy for the Ascension Day at York Minster. Meet at the York Minster South Door to climb up the Minster tower for free. Staff and students are also welcome to attend the morning service in the Lady Chapel, starting at 7.30am and then a free cooked breakfast back at YSJ. Only the first 50 people to arrive will be able to climb the tower due to space restrictions.

9 to 5: The Musical (14 and 15 May)

Second-year Musical Theatre and Music students will perform Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5: The Musical next week. YSJ staff and students can book a free ticket for the show at 2.30pm on Thursday 14 May. Expect a fun, high-energy show with live music, following three office workers taking on their boss. General admission tickets can also be purchased for more dates and times via Eventbrite. 

YSJ Awards ceremony (20 May)

Every year, the Students’ Union celebrates the fantastic YSJ community at the YSJ Awards. Join us from 6.00pm, in the Creative Centre, as the winners are announced. Book your free tickets for the YSJ Awards Ceremony. 

Ebor Lecture (20 May)

Join this year’s Ebor Lecture with Alison Phipps, UNESCO Chair in Refugee Integration through Education, Language and the Arts (University of Glasgow). The lecture will explore global humanitarian issues, including recent conflicts in Gaza, Sudan and Tigray. The event is free and takes place at York Minster and online, at 7.00pm, with a drinks reception for in-person attendees. Booking via Eventbrite is required.

Pint of Science Festival (18 to 20 May)

3 nights of talks and events across York, exploring topics from AI in healthcare to space mining (and everything in between). Hear from local researchers, including York St John academics and students. Book your tickets via the Pint of Science website.  

Home from Home (22 May)

Join us in the Dharmic Prayer Room (YSJ Chapel), from 4.00pm to 6.00pm, for free home-cooked food. Make friends and chat!   

Find more Student Events via our website.