Policy paper

Tuition fees and loans for foundation years

Updated 26 November 2025

Applies to England

Classroom-based subjects

From the start of the 2025 to 2026 academic year new tuition fee and tuition fee loan limits were 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 remain aligned with maximum tuition fees for undergraduate courses, as set out in Tuition fees and student support: 2026 to 2027 academic year. These subjects include:

• science
• engineering
• medical subjects
• creative and performing arts

The government laid regulations implementing these changes to tuition fee limits on 20 January 2025, which came into force on 6 March 2025.

Further guidance on tuition fees for foundation years is available.

Classroom-based foundation years at approved (fee cap) providers

The maximum tuition fee for a classroom-based foundation year, for courses offered by approved (fee cap) providers^{[footnote 1]}, depends on whether the provider has:

• a Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) award from the Office for Students (OfS)
• an access and participation plan (APP) from the OfS

Providers with TEF and an APP

The maximum tuition fee for a classroom-based foundation year for approved (fee cap) providers with a TEF award and with an APP is:

• £5,760 for standard full-time courses
• £4,315 for part-time courses

Providers without TEF and with an APP

The maximum tuition fee, for a classroom-based foundation year for approved (fee cap) providers without a TEF award and with an APP is:

• £5,605 for standard full-time courses
• £4,200 for part-time courses

Providers with TEF and without an APP

The maximum tuition fee, for a classroom-based foundation year for approved (fee cap) providers with a TEF award and without an APP is:

• £3,835 for standard full-time courses
• £2,875 for part-time courses

Providers without TEF or an APP

The maximum tuition fee, for a classroom-based foundation year for approved (fee cap) providers without a TEF award and without an APP is:

• £3,735 for standard full-time courses
• £2,800 for part-time courses

Tuition fee loans

Eligible students undertaking classroom-based foundation years for courses offered by approved (fee cap) providers^{[footnote 1]} in England can qualify for tuition fee loans to meet the full cost of their tuition.

Students who live in England and apply to study a classroom-based foundation year in another part of the UK can also qualify for tuition fee 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 apply for foundation years in classroom-based subjects offered by approved providers^{[footnote 2]}.

The maximum tuition fee loan for a classroom-based foundation year, for courses offered by approved providers^{[footnote 2]} with a TEF is:

• £3,835 for standard full-time courses
• £2,875 for part-time courses

The maximum tuition fee loan for a classroom-based foundation year, for courses offered by approved providers without a TEF is:

• £3,735 for standard full-time courses
• £2,800 for part-time courses

1. a university or college registered with the Office for Students for whom maximum fee limits apply ↩ ↩²

2. a university or college registered with the Office for Students for whom maximum fee limits do not apply ↩ ↩²