Student finance for undergraduates

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Continuing full-time students

What you鈥檙e eligible for depends on when your course starts.

If your course starts on or after 1 August 2016, you can apply for:

  • a Tuition Fee Loan to help pay your course tuition fees
  • a Maintenance Loan to help with your living costs

If your course started before 1 August 2016, find out what student finance you can apply for.

You might also be able to get extra financial help, for example if you鈥檙e on a low income, are disabled or have children.

Tuition Fee Loan

Your university or college sets your tuition fee, and the loan is paid directly to them. You have to pay it back.

If you鈥檙e a full-time student, you can get up to 拢9,535.

Maintenance Loan

You may have to give details of your household income and your course start date.

The loan is paid directly into your bank account at the start of term. You have to pay the loan back.

If you鈥檙e a distance learning student, you can only apply for a Maintenance Loan if you cannot attend your course in person because of a disability.

You may not get the full amount, so you may have to find other ways to fund the rest of your living costs. This could include, for example, part-time work, local authority assistance, bursaries, scholarships, or family contributions.

You can use the student finance calculator to estimate how much Maintenance Loan you鈥檒l get - it will also tell you if you鈥檙e eligible for extra grants or allowances. You鈥檒l need to know if you鈥檙e聽eligible for a loan聽before you use the calculator.

You must report any changes to your living arrangements in your online account, so you get the correct amount of student finance. You might need evidence of any changes.

How much you can get

The maximum amount you can get depends on where you live.

2024 to 2025 academic year 2025 to 2026 academic year
Living with your parents Up to 拢8,610 Up to 拢8,877
Living away from your parents, outside London Up to 拢10,227 Up to 拢10,544
Living away from your parents, in London Up to 拢13,348 Up to 拢13,762
You spend a year of a UK course studying abroad Up to 拢11,713 Up to 拢12,076
If you鈥檙e 60 or over on the first day of the first academic year of your course Up to聽 拢4,327 Up to 拢4,461

If you鈥檙e in your final year of study

You鈥檒l get less money in your final year because SLC stops paying you after the last day of term.

2024 to 2025 academic year 2025 to 2026 academic year
Living with your parents Up to 拢8,102 Up to 拢8,353
Living away from your parents, outside London Up to 拢9,672 Up to 拢9,972
Living away from your parents, in London Up to 拢12,367 Up to 拢12,750
You spend a year of a UK course studying abroad Up to 拢10,485 Up to 拢10,810
If you鈥檙e 60 or over on the first day of the first academic year of your course Up to 拢4,327 Up 拢4,461

Further information

Find out more about how you鈥檙e assessed and paid.

2024 to 2025 academic year

Student loans: a guide to terms and conditions 2024 to 2025

How you鈥檙e assessed and paid - 2024 to 2025 guide

2025 to 2026 academic year

Student loans: a guide to terms and conditions 2025 to 2026

How you鈥檙e assessed and paid - 2025 to 2026 guide