National statistics

UK comparisons - to academic year 2022/23

Published 30 November 2023

Average Tuition Fee Loan paid

Figure 1: Average amount of full-time undergraduate Tuition Fee Loan paid on behalf of students to higher education providers by country in which they normally live prior to study (country which funds the loan) - academic years 2013-14 to 2022-23

  • Figures taken from Table 2 in the individual publications.
  • Data is effective 31st August.

To help cover the costs of tuition fees, a Tuition Fee Grant was introduced to Welsh-domiciled students studying at a public university or college in Wales from academic year 2012/13 onwards. Following the Diamond Review, changes were made to Wales’ student funding meaning that these grants were not available to new students starting their course from academic year 2018/19. This shifted the balance of full-time Tuition Fee support between full-time Tuition Fee Grants and Tuition Fee loans. This is reflective in the change in trend for average Tuition Fee Loans for 2018/19.

The data is shown below here:

Financial year England Wales Northern Ireland
2013-14 £6,140 £3,410 £3,940
2014-15 £7,480 £3,530 £4,370
2015-16 £8,020 £3,660 £4,700
2016-17 £8,170 £3,750 £4,880
2017-18 £8,340 £3,920 £5,120
2018-19 £8,430 £5,630 £5,240
2019-20 £8,560 £7,000 £5,300
2020-21 £8,710 £8,180 £5,440
2021-22 £8,620 £8,380 £5,450
2022-23 £8,230 £8,410 £5,490

Download the data for figure 1 (ODS, 6KB)

Average Maintenance Loan paid

Figure 2: Average amount of full-time Maintenance Loan paid to students by country in which they normally live prior to study (country which funds the loan) - academic years 2003-04 to 2022-23

  • Figures taken from Table 2 in the individual publications.
  • Data is effective 31st August.

From 2016/17 the student support package for England was changed with the removal of Maintenance Grants. These were replaced with increased Maintenance Loan amount 

Substantial changes were made to the student support package in 2013/14 for Scotland, which included an increase in the availability and value of loans made available to students. A minimum income commitment for Scotland domiciled students was implemented. All students, irrespective of circumstances, were eligible for a Maintenance Loan of £4,500 a year (non-income assessed).  

Following the Diamond Review, changes were made to Wales’ student funding in Academic Year 2018/19. This shifted the balance of Full Time Maintenance support between Full Time Maintenance Loans and the Welsh Government Learning Grant. This is reflective in the change in trend for Maintenance Loans for 2018/19.

The data is shown below here:

Financial year England Wales Northern Ireland Scotland
2003-04 £3,310 £3,340 £2,700 £2,430
2004-05 £3,390 £3,410 £2,740 £2,390
2005-06 £3,470 £3,480 £2,820 £2,260
2006-07 £3,590 £3,510 £3,000 £2,290
2007-08 £3,530 £3,430 £3,000 £2,330
2008-09 £3,520 £3,410 £3,060 £2,370
2009-10 £3,600 £3,450 £3,100 £2,450
2010-11 £3,640 £3,230 £3,120 £2,760
2011-12 £3,690 £3,040 £3,140 £2,960
2012-13 £3,820 £2,930 £3,120 £3,070
2013-14 £3,890 £3,310 £3,120 £4,930
2014-15 £3,930 £3,360 £3,090 £5,180
2015-16 £4,050 £3,500 £3,090 £5,150
2016-17 £4,810 £4,160 £3,090 £5,160
2017-18 £5,590 £4,770 £3,120 £5,150
2018-19 £6,270 £4,610 £3,100 £5,160
2019-20 £6,740 £4,650 £3,120 £5,170
2020-21 £7,080 £5,110 £3,120 £5,190
2021-22 £7,280 £5,720 £3,130 £5,120
2022-23 £7,130 £6,250 £3,130 £5,420

Download the data for figure 2 (ODS, 6KB)

Contact details

  • Issued by: The Student Loans Company, 100 Bothwell Street, Glasgow, G2 7JD
  • Press Office: press_office@slc.co.uk
  • Lead Official for Statistics: enterprise_data_analytics@slc.co.uk
  • Online: SLC Statistics.