Press release

Students can apply now for 20/21 student finance

Students invited to apply now for student finance as the application service launches for 20/21

From:
Student Loans Company
Published
17 February 2020
Image of a student with the words apply now next to her

Full-time undergraduate students in England are being encouraged to apply now for student finance, as the application service launches for the 20/21 academic year.

The easiest way to apply is online and students should do so as soon as possible to ensure their finances are in place before the start of term.

Last year over 800,000 applications were received within the first four months of the service opening, with 250,000 being submitted within the first month.

Information is available to help guide students with their applications, and next week (24-28 February) Student Finance England will host Student Money Week - an online event dedicated to providing information to students and their parents.

Derek Ross, SLC Executive Director of Operations, said:

“The launch of the application service is one of the biggest dates in the student finance calendar. It means that students can get on with the important job of getting their student finances sorted.

“The application takes 30 minutes to complete online and for most students the process will be straightforward. However, we know that some individuals require extra support and our team of expert staff are ready to help them.”

SLC has compiled the following ‘top tips’ to help students with different circumstances get their student finances sorted in plenty of time for the new academic year.

All students should:

  • Apply Early

Apply as early as possible to make sure your finances are in place before your studies start. The deadline to apply is 22 May for new students and 19 June for returning students. Even if you don’t know what course you are doing, you should still apply now, just enter your first choice and you can update the application later if required.

  • Keep contact details up-to-date

Make sure you have provided us with an up-to-date e-mail address so we can contact you about your application if we need to.

  • Have your important documents at hand

Have your National Insurance Number and passport details to hand before you start your application as you will be asked for this information when you apply.

If you have studied before

  • If you have studied before it could affect your eligibility – even if your previous course was self-funded. Make sure to submit your application early so your entitlement can be confirmed.
  • If you are returning to study after a break, you should use the online account you had originally rather than create a new one. You can use the online search function or contact us for help to locate it.

If you are estranged from your parents

  • If you have had no contact with your parents for over a year you may be able to apply as an estranged student. Applications from estranged students are dealt with by our dedicated team of specially trained, customer advisors to ensure that the process is sensitive to their circumstances. The evidence requirements are different too. Read this guide to find out more.

If you need extra funding

  • There may be circumstances where you are able to access some extra money, for example if you are disabled, have children or are studying for a medical, social work or teaching course. Find out more about what is available.

If you’re not from the UK

Students can access more information and guidance about applying for student finance on GOV.UK, The Student Room and by following Student Finance England at facebook.com/SFEngland, twitter.com/SF_England or youtube/SFEFILM

Updates to this page

Published 17 February 2020

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