If your course started between 1 September 2012 and 1 August 2016

If you are a full-time student who normally lives in England, you can apply for: a Tuition Fee Loan to help pay your course tuition fees a Maintenance Loan to help with your living costs a Maintenance Grant or Special Support Grant for extra help with living costs You must be continuing a course in either of the following academic years: 2025 to 2026 2026 to 2027 Depending on your nationality or residency status, you might only be eligible for a Tuition Fee Loan . Tuition Fee Loan If you’re a full-time student, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. You can get up to: £9,535 for the academic year 2025 to 2026 £9,790 for the academic year 2026 to 2027 Your university or college sets your tuition fee, and the loan is paid directly to them. You have to pay it back. Maintenance Loan Students aged 60 and over cannot apply. You may have to give details of your household income - this can affect how much you get. The loan is paid directly into your bank account at the start of each term. You have to pay the loan back. 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 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 must report any changes to your living arrangements, including if you’re no longer studying abroad in your online account , so you get the correct amount of student finance. How much you can get The maximum amount you can get depends on where you live. 2025 to 2026 academic year 2026 to 2027 academic year Living with your parents Up to £6,012 Up to £6,175 Living away from your parents, outside London Up to £7,559 Up to £7,764 Living away from your parents, in London Up to £10,547 Up to £10,833 You spend a year of a UK course studying abroad Up to £8,980 Up to £9,223 If you’re in your final year of study You’ll get less money in your final year because SLC stops paying you after the last day of term. 2025 to 2026 academic year 2026 to 2027 academic year Living with your parents Up to £5,523 Up to £5,673 Living away from your parents, outside London Up to £7,028 Up to £7,218 Living away from your parents, in London Up to £9,606 Up to £9,866 You spend a year of a UK course studying abroad Up to £7,806 Up to £8,018 Maintenance Grant You have to give details of your household income and your course start date. The grant is paid into your bank account at the start of each term. You do not have to pay it back, but any funds you get will reduce the Maintenance Loan you can get. Maintenance Grant for 2025 to 2026 Full-time student – household income 2023 to 2024 Maintenance Grant for the 2025 to 2026 academic year £25,000 or less £4,355 £25,001 to £42,737 £50 to £4,354 Over £42,737 No grant Maintenance Grant for 2026 to 2027 Full-time student – household income 2024 to 2025 Maintenance Grant for the 2026 to 2027 academic year £25,000 or less £4,473 £25,001 to £42,737 £50 to £4,472 Over £42,737 No grant Special Support Grant You may get a Special Support Grant instead of a Maintenance Grant if you get or qualify for: Income Support income-related Employment and Support Allowance Housing Benefit the housing element of Universal Credit The amount you get is the same as the Maintenance Grant, but it will not reduce the Maintenance Loan you can get. You may get the Special Support Grant if, for example, you’re a lone parent or have certain disabilities. You’ll be told if you can get the grant when you apply for student finance.

Student finance if you started before 1 August 2016

What you can get

The student finance you can apply for depends on your:

course and when it started
income
nationality and residency

There are different rules for courses that started on or after 1 August 2016.

If you’re not from England

There’s a different process if you’re:

a student from Scotland
a student from Wales
a student from Northern Ireland
a student from Jersey
a student from Guernsey
a student from Isle of Man

View a printable version of the whole guide

Student finance if you started before 1 August 2016

What you can get

If you’re not from England

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Student finance if you started before 1 August 2016

What you can get

If you’re not from England

Is this page useful?

Help us improve GOV.UK

Help us improve GOV.UK