Tuition fees and loans for foundation years: 2025 to 2026 academic year
Published 4 November 2024
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2024
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tuition-fees-and-student-support-2025-to-2026-academic-year/tuition-fees-and-loans-for-foundation-years-2025-to-2026-academic-year
Changes for classroom-based subjects
From the start of the 2025 to 2026 academic year new tuition fee and tuition fee loan limits are being introduced for foundation years in some subjects.
Students will pay a reduced tuition fee if they are doing a foundation year at an English higher education provider in a classroom-based subject, such as:
- business
- social science
- humanities
These students will also receive a reduced tuition fee loan.
Other subjects
Maximum tuition fees and tuition fee loans for foundation years in non-classroom-based subjects will increase by 3.1% to £9,535 from the start of the 2025 to 2026 academic year. These subjects include:
- science
- engineering
- medical subjects
- creative and performing arts
The government intends to lay regulations implementing these changes for the 2025 to 2026 academic year later in 2024 and early in 2025.
These regulations will be subject to Parliamentary procedure.
Classroom-based foundation years at approved (fee cap) providers
The maximum tuition fee in the 2025 to 2026 academic year, for a classroom-based foundation year, for courses offered by approved (fee cap) providers[footnote 1] will be:
- £5,760 for standard full-time courses
- £4,315 for part-time courses
Eligible students undertaking classroom-based foundation years for courses offered by approved (fee cap) providers[footnote 1] in England will qualify for tuition fee loans to meet the full cost of their tuition in the 2025 to 2026 academic year.
Students who live in England and apply to study a classroom-based foundation year in another part of the UK will also qualify for tuition fees loans of up to £5,760.
Students should check with their provider to understand whether this loan will cover the full cost of their tuition fees.
Classroom-based foundation years at approved providers
Lower maximum fee loans will apply for foundation years in classroom-based subjects offered by approved providers[footnote 2] starting in the 2025 to 2026 academic year.
The maximum tuition fee loan in the 2025 to 2026 academic year for a classroom-based foundation year for courses offered by approved providers[footnote 2] will be:
- £3,835 for standard full-time courses
- £2,875 for part-time courses