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 and a Maintenance Loan.

If your course started before 1 August 2016, find out which grants and loans you can apply for.

You might also be able to get extra financial help.

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 for living costs

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

View a printable version of the whole guide

Part of Get undergraduate student finance: step by step

  1. Step 1 Check if you're eligible

    1. Check if you're eligible for student finance

    There鈥檚 a different process if you鈥檙e a student from:

  2. Step 2 Find out how much loan you could get

    Find out the maximum tuition fee and maintenance loan you could get if you're a:

    How much maintenance loan you get depends on where you'll study and your household income.

    1. Use the student finance calculator to estimate your maintenance loan

    You'll have to pay back any loan you get.

    1. Find out how much you'll repay
    2. Find out when you'll start repaying

  3. and Check if you can get extra help

    You might be able to get extra money if you:

    You might also be able to get other financial help, for example from your university or the government.

    1. Find out about extra help

  4. Step 3 Prepare your application

    1. Check when you can apply
    2. Check what ID you'll need
    3. Check if you need to give proof of your household income

  5. Step 4 Apply online

    1. Apply online

    If you're eligible for Tuition Fee Loans, Maintenance Loans, or Maintenance Grants, you can apply online.

    You'll need to create a student finance account if you're a new student or sign into an existing account if you're a returning student.

    It can take up to 6 weeks to process your application. You might have to provide extra evidence.

  6. or Apply by post

    1. Apply by post

    If you鈥檙e eligible for tuition fee-only funding, you must complete a form and send it by post instead. You cannot apply online.

    You can also apply by post if you're unable to apply online.

    It can take up to 6 weeks to process your application. You might have to provide extra evidence.

  7. Step 5 Update your details if your circumstances change

    You must update your application if your circumstances change. For example if you:

    • change your course through clearing
    • change where you're going to live - for example with your parents instead of halls
    1. Find out how to update your application

  8. Step 6 Make sure you can be paid

    After you register at your university or college you'll usually get your maintenance loan paid directly into your bank account at the start of each term.

    Use your student finance account to:

    • update your bank details - for example if you open a student account
    • check how much you'll be paid
    • check when you'll be paid
    1. Sign in to your student finance account

  9. Step 7 Check what to do while you're studying

    You'll need to reapply for student finance for each year of your course.

    You must keep your details up to date throughout your course because some changes can affect your loan payments, for example if your household income or bank details change.

    1. Check how to update your details
    2. Find out what to do if you suspend or leave your course

  10. Step 8 Check what to do when you stop studying

    When you stop studying the Student Loans Company (SLC) will create a student loans repayment account for you.

    The log in details will be the same as for your student finance account. You should check your contact details are correct.

    1. Sign in to your student loan repayment account

    You must update your employment details if:

    • you leave the UK for more than 3 months
    • SLC asks you to update them
    1. Update your employment details

  11. Step 9 Repay your loan

    The repayment聽plan you're on will determine when you start repaying and how much you repay.

    1. Check which repayment plan you鈥檙e on
    2. Find out how much you'll repay
    3. Find out when you'll start repaying
    4. Find out how to repay