Student finance for undergraduates

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Eligibility

Whether you qualify for student finance depends on:

  • your university or college
  • your course 
  • if you’ve studied a higher education course before
  • your age 
  • your nationality or residency status

Your university or college

This should be a university, college or other institution that offers a qualifying course.

Your course

Check with your university or college if you’re not sure whether your course qualifies for funding.

If you’re studying full-time

You may be eligible for student finance if your course is in the UK and one of the following:

  • a first degree, for example BA, BSc or BEd
  • a Foundation Degree
  • a Certificate of Higher Education
  • a Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)
  • a Higher National Certificate (HNC)
  • a Higher National Diploma (HND)
  • an Initial Teacher Training course
  • an integrated master’s degree
  • a pre-registration postgraduate healthcare course
  • a level 4 or 5 course with Higher Technical Qualification approval

If you’re studying part-time

Your course needs a ‘course intensity’ of 25% or more for you to be eligible for student finance.

You may be eligible for a Tuition Fee Loan if your course is in the UK and one of the following:

  • a first degree, for example BA, BSc or BEd
  • a Foundation Degree
  • a Certificate of Higher Education
  • a Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)
  • a Higher National Certificate (HNC)
  • a Higher National Diploma (HND)
  • an Initial Teacher Training course
  • an integrated master’s degree
  • a level 4 or 5 course with Higher Technical Qualification approval

You may be eligible for a Maintenance Loan if your course is in the UK and one of the following:

  • a first degree, for example BA, BSc or BEd
  • an Initial Teacher Training course (if it’s degree level or above)
  • an integrated master’s degree
  • a Foundation Degree in dental hygiene and dental therapy
  • a DipHE in dental hygiene and dental therapy or operating department practice
  • a level 4 or 5 course with Higher Technical Qualification approval

You are not eligible for student finance if you’re doing a degree apprenticeship.

If you’ve studied before

You’ll usually only get student finance if you’re doing your first higher education qualification - even if your previous course was self-funded. You may still be eligible for limited funding in certain circumstances and for some courses.

If you changed course, stopped your studies or are repeating a year

If you stopped your course within the first year, you’ll get funding for the same course or a new course when you go back.

You might also get funding if you:

  • suspended your course or withdrew before it finished - and you’re going back to study any course
  • are repeating a year of your course at the same university, college, or institution.

If you stopped your studies for a personal reason (for example, you were ill or pregnant) you might get funding for all of your course - you should apply online with supporting evidence. 

How to work out what funding you’ll get

If you’re eligible for Maintenance Loans or Grants, you should get them for every year of your new course.

Any Tuition Fee Loans you’re eligible for will be applied to the final years of your new course. You can calculate how many years you’ll get them for by taking the total number of years you’re applying for and adding one year. Then, take away the number of years you studied for previously. If you studied for part of a year, you should count it as a whole year.

Example

If you’re applying for a 3 year course and have studied 2 years of a different course, you’ll get a Maintenance Loan in year 1 and Tuition Fees and Maintenance Loans in years 2 and 3.

If you’ve already completed a 3 year course but didn’t gain a qualification and want to apply for another 3 year course, you’ll get Maintenance Loans in years 1 and 2. You’ll get Tuition Fees and Maintenance Loans in year 3.

If you already have a degree

You may be eligible for limited funding in certain circumstances.

You may get limited funding if you’re ‘topping up’ a higher education qualification, for example you’ve finished an HNC, HND or Foundation Degree and now want to do an Honours degree.

You may also get limited funding if you hold an Honours degree or a higher level of qualification and start a new course. This could be a part-time Honours degree, a joint Honours degree or an Integrated Master’s degree in one of the following (or 2 if it’s a joint Honours degree):

  • agriculture and related subjects
  • architecture (if it’s a MArch RIBA Part 2 course)
  • biological sciences
  • computer science
  • mathematical sciences
  • medicine and allied subjects
  • physical sciences
  • technologies
  • courses leading to qualification as a veterinary surgeon

You could also be eligible if you’re starting a healthcare course on or after 1 August 2017.

Your age

There’s no upper age limit for Tuition Fee Loans or grants. 

If you’re 60 or over

You may get limited funding for Maintenance Loans if all of the following apply:

  • you’re 60 or over on the first day of the first academic year of your 

course 

  • you’re studying full-time
  • your course started on or after 1 August 2016

The amount you can apply for depends on your household income.

Your nationality or residency status

You may be able to get help with: 

  • your tuition fees and living costs (full support)
  • tuition fees (tuition fee-only funding)  

The type of help you can get depends on your nationality and residency status.

If you’re a UK national or Irish citizen or have ‘settled status’ in the UK

You can apply for full support if you meet the university, course and age requirements. Both of the following must also apply:

  • your home is in England
  • you’ve been continuously living in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man for 3 years before the first day of your first academic year (apart from temporary absences such as holidays)

If you have a different nationality or you live outside the UK

Use the undergraduate student finance checker to find out the type of help you can get depending on your nationality and residency status. It will tell you:

  • if you can apply
  • what type of loan you can apply for
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. You are currently viewing: 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