Form

Postgraduate Master's Loan notes - 2020 to 2021

Updated 7 July 2021

Applies to England

1. About these notes

Use these notes to help you complete your ‘Postgraduate Master’s Loan Application form’.

You can also apply online at www.gov.uk/masters-loan/apply

2. How to use these notes

If there is a book icon next to a question on your Postgraduate Master’s Loan Application form it means there’s additional information in these notes to help you.

This could be information about how to complete a question or section or an instruction to send specific supporting documents.

These notes are in sections the same way as the questions in the application form.

Read these notes - if you don’t answer a question or section correctly or you don’t include the documents we need this will delay any payments.

3. Alternative formats

All of our forms and guides are available in Braille, large print format or audio. If you need these, you can request them by emailing your name, address and details of the format you require to: brailleandlargefonts@slc.co.uk or call 0141 243 3686 (this number is only for alternative format requests).

4. Section 1 - Your details

4.1 Change of name

If your name has changed since your passport or birth certificate was issued you need to prove that your name has legally changed.

You need to send us one of the following:

• your change of name deed; or

• your marriage certificate or civil partnership documentation; or

• your divorce certificate or dissolution order.

4.2 Your nationality

If you have been granted leave to remain as a Stateless person, you can answer ‘None’ or ‘Stateless’ in the Nationality box.

4.3 UK National Insurance number

Any payment of your loan will be withheld until you provide your UK National Insurance number, unless you’re a European Union student.

If you’ve never been given a National Insurance number, leave the National Insurance number box blank. We’ll contact you if you need to take any action to obtain a National Insurance number. If in the meantime you get a National Insurance number, let us know as soon as possible.

5. Section 2 - Your previous study

5.1 Qualifications gained

If you have a:

• Doctoral degree; or

• Master’s degree; or

• Integrated Master’s degree; or

• an overseas equivalent of any of the above

you are not eligible to receive a Postgraduate Master’s Loan.

If you have a:

• Postgraduate Diploma; or

• Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE); or

• Postgraduate Certificate; or

• Honorary Masters; or

• an overseas equivalent of any of the above

you may be eligible to receive a Postgraduate Master’s Loan.

We don’t need any proof of your qualifications right now, but we may ask for these in the future.

6. Section 3 - Your postgraduate master’s course

6.1 Study type and duration

Postgraduate Master’s students can study their course over a varying number of years. All full-time course will be split over 1 – 2 years, however, part-time courses can last up to 4 years.

This will mainly affect how much funding you receive each year, as the total amount you choose to borrow will be split over the duration of your course.

The following courses are eligible for funding from us:

• a full-time course lasting one or two academic years;

• a part-time course lasting two academic years which has a one year full-time equivalent course;

• a part-time course lasting three or four academic years which has a two year full-time equivalent course; or

• a part-time course lasting two or three academic years which has no full-time equivalent course.

If you’re doing a part-time course which is a two year full-time equivalent and you haven’t decided how many years you want to study over, you can choose the ‘undecided’ option. This means we’ll set your payments to the same as a 3 year course. You need to let us know if your course details change.

6.2 NHS bursary

Students are not eligible for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan if they’re able to apply for or are getting an NHS bursary. If you’re unsure if you can apply for this, you need to speak to your university

6.3 Social work bursary

Students are not eligible for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan if they’re in receipt of a social work bursary. If you’re unsure if you can apply for this, you need to speak to your university.

If you have applied for this and been rejected you need to send your rejection letter with your application. We can’t accept your application without this.

6.4 Distance Learning course

If you are studying in a different country from where you live you can only get a Postgraduate Master’s Loan if you study less than 50% of your course in that country.

If you’re not studying distance learning due to you or a family member being in the armed forces you must be living in England on the first day of your course to be eligible for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan.

Are you studying on a distance learning course because you or a member of your family are in the armed forces?

You may be eligible for support to study a distance learning course if you or your family member is currently serving both in and outside of the UK in one of the following:

• The Naval Service (Royal Navy and Royal Marines)

• The Army

• The Royal Air Force

• The Royal Military Police

• The Ghurkas

The following family members will be eligible students:

• a spouse or civil partner living with a member of the UK Armed Forces serving in the UK or overseas

• a dependant parent living with either;

  • a child who is a member of the UK Armed Forces serving in the UK or overseas

  • the child’s spouse or civil partner who is a member of the UK Armed Forces serving in the UK or overseas

If you are studying in a different country from where you or your family member are posted you can only get a Postgraduate Master’s Loan if you study less than half of your course in that country.

What you need to send

You need to send a letter confirming your name and your address, or British Forces Post Office address.

If your family member is in the Armed Forces, you need to send a letter confirming the following:

• their name

• their address or British Forces Post Office (BFPO) address

• your name

• their relationship to you

The letter you send must be stamped, signed and dated by the Armed Forces Unit Records Officer. We can’t accept a photocopy. We recommend that you use your BFPO address for all correspondence.

7. Section 4 - Your residency information

7.1 If you don’t have a UK passport or your UK passport has expired.

If it has expired, or is about to expire, you need to send:

• your original birth or adoption certificate

7.2 EU nationals

You need to prove your EU nationality, send us one of the following:

• your valid passport

• your valid National Identity card

All evidence items you send must be originals.

7.3 Family members of EU nationals

You need to prove your family member’s EU nationality, send us:

• your valid EU family member’s passport

• your valid National Identity card

You also need to prove your EU national family member’s relationship to you, send us:

• a birth or marriage certificate

All evidence items you send must be originals.

7.4 Child of a Swiss national

To get a Postgraduate Loan as the child of a Swiss national, your Swiss national parent must be living/have lived in the UK on the first day of the academic year.

The first day of your academic year is:

• 1 September, where your course begins on or after 1 August and before 1 January

• 1 January, where your course begins on or after 1 January and before 1 April

• 1 April, where your course begins on or after 1 April and before 1 July

• 1 July, where your course begins on or after 1 July and before 1 August

You need to prove your identity, send us one of the following:

• your valid passport ; or

• your valid National Identity card; or

• your birth certificate

You also need to prove your parent’s Swiss nationality, send us one of the following:

• your Swiss national parent’s valid passport; or

• National Identity card

And evidence of their UK residency, send us:

• a signed letter to confirm your Swiss national parent is living/was living in the UK on the first day of the academic year and one of the following showing both their name and their UK address:

• latest bank statement (paper copies only); or

• latest payslip (showing home address); or

• tenancy agreement/mortgage statement; or

• utility bill (dated within last 3 months); or

• Local Authority correspondence (on headed paper); or

• Government Department correspondence.

All evidence items you send must be originals

7.5 European Economic Area (EEA) national or Swiss national

You need to send:

• a completed Postgraduate Master’s Loan UK Employment Status form.

The Postgraduate Loan UK Employment Status form is available to download at www.gov.uk/masters-loan/apply

Complete and return this additional form with any supporting documents along with your main application form to ensure that your funding can be in place as soon as possible.

If you can’t return your additional form with your main application form, get it to us as soon as possible. We won’t be able to confirm if you can get a Postgraduate Master’s Loan without this additional completed form.

7.6 Family member of a European Economic Area (EEA) national or Swiss national

You need to send:

• a completed Postgraduate Master’s Loan UK Employment Status form

The ‘Postgraduate Master’s Loan UK Employment Status form’ is available to download at www.gov.uk/masters-loan/apply

Complete and return this additional form with any supporting documents along with your main application form to ensure that your funding can be in place as soon as possible.

If you can’t return your additional form with your main application form, get it to us as soon as possible. We won’t be able to confirm if you can get a Postgraduate Master’s Loan without this additional completed form.

7.7 Child of a Turkish worker who is working in the UK

To apply for a loan as the child of a Turkish worker, your Turkish parent must be working in the UK on the first day of your course.

You must also be living in the UK on the first day of the first academic year of your course and have lived in the UK, EEA, Turkey or Switzerland for 3 years before the start of your course.

You need to prove your identity, send us:

• your original valid passport

You also need to send proof of your Turkish parent’s nationality, send us one of the following:

• their original valid passport; or

• their valid National Identity card

And proof of your relationship, send us:

• a birth or marriage certificate

You also need to send proof of your Turkish parent’s employment in the UK, for example send us:

• a contract of employment

All evidence items you send must be originals.

7.8 Settled status

‘Settled status’ means that you can live in the UK permanently without the Home Office placing any restrictions on how long you may remain.

You are free from any restriction if any of the following apply:

• You are a British citizen

• You have a right of ‘permanent residence’ in the UK

• You have been granted ‘indefinite leave to remain’

• You have a right of abode in the UK

Further information about the right of permanent residence and other immigration issues can be found at www.homeoffice.gov.uk

You need to prove your current status, send us one of the following:

• your valid UK passport or a letter from the Home Office which confirms your immigration status; or

• your valid Biometric Residence Permit.

We will only use your Biometric Residence Permit to validate your identity, no other data from it will be used or stored.

All evidence items you send must be originals.

7.9 Refugee status

If you or your:

• husband, wife, civil partner; or

• parent(s), step-parent has successfully applied for refugee status in the UK under the terms of the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and you, or they, have been granted refugee status, the Home Office will have sent you, or them, a letter and an immigration status document confirming this.

If you are claiming student finance as the child or step-child of a refugee, you will only be considered a ‘child’ if you were under the age of 18 at the time of your parent’s application to the Home Office.

If you are claiming student finance as the husband, wife or civil partner of a refugee, you must have been their husband, wife or civil partner at the time of their application for asylum.

If you have been granted refugee status, send us:

• a Home Office letter that confirms your status and an immigration status document, for example:

• your original passport; or

• your valid Biometric Residence Permit.

We will only use your Biometric Residence Permit to validate your identity, no other data from it will be used or stored.

If your family member has been granted refugee status, send us:

• a Home Office letter confirming their status and an immigration status document showing their refugee status, for example:

• their original passport; or

• their valid Biometric Residence Permit.

We will only use your Biometric Residence Permit to validate your identity, no other data from it will be used or stored.

You also need to send us proof of your relationship, send us:

• a birth or marriage certificate.

All evidence items you send must be originals.

7.10 Humanitarian Protection

If you or your:

• husband, wife, civil partner

• parent(s), step-parent has been granted ‘Humanitarian Protection’ the Home Office will have sent you, or them, a letter and an immigration status document confirming this.

If you are claiming student finance as the child or step-child of a person granted Humanitarian Protection, you will only be considered a ‘child’ if you were under the age of 18 at the time of your parent’s application to the Home Office.

If you are claiming student finance as the husband, wife or civil partner of someone who has been granted Humanitarian Protection, you must have been their husband, wife or civil partner at the time of their application for asylum.

If you have been granted Humanitarian Protection, send us:

• a Home Office letter that confirms your status and an immigration status document, for example:

• your original passport; or

• your valid Biometric Residence Permit.

We will only use your Biometric Residence Permit to validate your identity, no other data from it will be used or stored.

If your family member has been granted Humanitarian Protection, send us:

• a Home Office letter confirming their status and an immigration status document showing their status, for example:

• their original passport; or

• their valid Biometric Residence Permit.

We will only use your Biometric Residence Permit to validate your identity, no other data from it will be used or stored.

You also need to send us proof of your relationship, send us:

• a birth or marriage certificate.

All evidence items you send must be originals.

7.11 Stateless Persons

If you have been granted leave to remain as a Stateless Person, send us:

• a Home Office letter and a Biometric Residence Permit

We will only use your Biometric Residence Permit to validate your identity, no other data from it will be used or stored.

If your family member has been granted leave to remain as a Stateless Person, send us:

• evidence to confirm your relationship to the person who has been granted Stateless Person status

All evidence items you send must be originals.

7.12 Section 67

If you have been granted leave to remain in the UK under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016, send us:

• a Home Office letter and a Biometric Residence Permit.

We will only use your Biometric Residence Permit to validate your identity, no other data from it will be used or stored.

If your family member has been granted leave to remain in the UK under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016, send us:

• evidence to confirm your relationship to the person who has been granted this status.

All evidence items you send must be originals.

7.13 Indefinite leave to remain in the UK as a victim of domestic violence or abuse (DVILR)

If you have been granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK as a victim of domestic violence or abuse, you will have received a letter from the Home Office confirming this.

Please send the Home Office letter and your Biometric Residence Permit.

We will only use your Biometric Residence Permit to validate your identity, no other data from it will be used or stored.

7.14 Calais leave

If you have been granted ‘Calais leave’ in the UK, or are the dependent child of someone who has, you, or they, will have received an Immigration Status document from the Home Office confirming this.

Please send the Biometric Residence Permit of the person who has been granted Calais leave. You should also send evidence of your relationship to the person who has been granted Calais leave if it is not you.

If you are claiming student finance as the dependent child or step-child of a person granted Calais leave, you will only be considered a ‘child’ if you were under the age of 18 at the time of your parent’s application to the Home Office.

We will only use your Biometric Residence Permit to validate your identity, no other data from it will be used or stored.

7.15 Long Residence requirements

To be eligible for support under the Long Residence category you must have lawful ordinary residence in the UK for the three year period before the first day of the first academic year of your course and must be ordinarily resident in England. This means that you must have held a form of leave to remain issued by the Home Office for the whole of the three year period before the first day of the first academic year of your course.

If you are under 18 on the first day of the first academic year of your course, you must also have lived in the UK for at least seven years.

If you are 18 or over on the first day of the first academic year of your course, you must also have lived in the UK for at least half of your life or 20 years.

In addition, you will also need to be:

• ordinarily resident in England on the first day of the first academic year of your course;

• have been ordinarily and lawfully resident in the UK and Islands throughout the 3 year period preceding the first day of the first academic year of your course; and

• in the 3 years referred to above, not have moved to the UK and Islands wholly or mainly for the purposes of education.

Examples of some of the evidence items you could send are:

• application for leave to remain, or asylum, or listed as a dependent on such a claim

• Council Tax records

• wage slips

• P60 / P45

• Child Tax Credits and Child Benefit letters (in your parent’s name, with you named on the award)

• original school/college exam certificates

• a letter from a teacher (on headed paper, signed with day specific dates of attendance DD/MM/YYYY)

You also need to confirm your status in the UK. Examples of some of the evidence items you could send are:

• a Home Office letter confirming your status in the UK and the reason for this status being granted. The letter must clearly show the date on which you were granted your status, and the date on which this status will expire (if applicable)

• your immigration status document

• your passport showing the relevant vignette

• your valid Biometric Residence Permit card

We will only use your Biometric Residence Permit to validate your identity, no other data from it will be used or stored.

All evidence items you send must be originals.

8. Section 8 - Loan Declaration

8.1 Power of Attorney

If you cannot sign the form it must be signed on your behalf by your Power of Attorney. The Power of Attorney letter must be sent with the application before a signature from that Power of Attorney will be accepted.