Student finance for undergraduates

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New full-time students

You can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan if your course starts on or after 1 August 2016.

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’re a full-time student, you can get up to £9,250.

If you’re studying an accelerated degree course, you could get up to £11,100.

Maintenance Loan for living costs

You 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 each term. You have to pay the loan back.

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

How much you can get

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

2023 to 2024 academic year 2024 to 2025 academic year
Living with your parents Up to £8,400 Up to £8,610
Living away from your parents, outside London Up to £9,978 Up to £10,227
Living away from your parents, in London Up to £13,022 Up to £13,348
You spend a year of a UK course studying abroad Up to £11,427 Up to £11,713
If you’re 60 or over on the first day of the first academic year of your course Up to £4,221 Up to £4,327

If your course lasts longer than 30 weeks and 3 days, you could get extra money included as part of your maintenance loan. This is called a Long Course Loan.

You can use the student finance calculator to estimate how much Maintenance Loan you’ll get - it will also tell you if you’re eligible for extra grants or allowances. You’ll need to know if you’re eligible for a Loan before you use the calculator.

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 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.

Extra help with travel costs

You might get a grant to cover some travel expenses if you normally live in England but study away from home. If you’re a medical or dental student you might also qualify for help with the costs of attending clinical placements in the UK.

Further information

2023 to 2024 academic year

Student loans: a guide to terms and conditions 2023 to 2024

How you’re assessed and paid - 2023 to 2024 guide

2024 to 2025 academic year

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

How you’re assessed and paid - 2024 to 2025 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’s a different process if you’re 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’re 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 plan you're on will determine when you start repaying and how much you repay.

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