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You can get student finance to help towards your living costs while you’re at university or college. Content provided by Student Finance England.

Part-time student finance applications for academic year 2024 to 2025 are now open, apply now!

Student finance can help pay for things such as rent, food, books, travel, and other costs.

Any loan you borrow has to be paid back, but not until the April four years after the start of your course, or the April after you finish or leave your course, whichever comes first, and only when your income is over the repayment threshold.


What's available?

If you’re starting a part-time course on or after 1 August 2018, you can apply for a Maintenance Loan to help with your living costs.

How much you can get depends on where you live and study, your course intensity, and your household income. Student Finance England's guide to how you're assessed and paid explains how they work out what you can get.

It’s important you let us know if there are any changes to your living arrangements as it will affect your student finance. This is so we can make sure you get the right amount of student finance. You can update any changes in your online account.

The following tables show the minimum amount you can get based on where you live while studying, and your course intensity. You could get more depending on your household income.

For the 2024/25 academic year

Study intensity Living with parents Studying in London, and not living with parents Studying outside London, and not living with parents Overseas
100% £3,790 £6,647 £4,767 £5,662
75% to 100% £2,842 £4,985 £3,575 £4,246
66.6% to 75% £2,524 £4,426 £3,174 £3,770
50% to 66.6% £1,895 £3,323 £2,383 £2,831
33.3% to 50% £1,262 £2,213 £1,587 £1,885
25% to 33.3% £947 £1,661 £1,191 £1,415

 

For the 2023/24 academic year

Study intensity Living with parents Studying in London, and not living with parents Studying outside London, and not living with parents Overseas
100% £3,698 £6,485 £4,651 £5,524
75% to 100% £2,773 £4,863 £3,488 £4,143
66.6% to 75% £2,462 £4,319 £3,097 £3,678
50% to 66.6% £1,849    £3,242  £2,325  £2,762
33.3% to 50% £1,231 £2,159 £1,548 £1,839
25% to 33.3% £924 £1,621 £1,162 £1,381

 

You must be studying at a course intensity of at least 25% to get a Maintenance Loan.

You’ll also need to know the number of module credits you will gain in the academic year when you apply. If you’re not sure of your module credits or course intensity, you should check with your university or college.

Eligibility

Whether you can get student finance depends on your:

  • personal circumstances
  • course
  • course intensity

How to apply

When you apply for student finance, you'll need to agree to Student Finance England's terms and conditions.
The easiest way to apply for student finance is online at www.gov.uk/studentfinance as soon as the application service opens. If you’re a continuing student, Student Finance England will send you an email to let you know when it’s time to reapply.

How to change an application

You must tell Student Finance England about any change in your circumstances which might affect your student finance.

The most common examples are:

  • you’ve changed university or college
  • you’ve changed your course (but stayed at the same university)
  • you’ve left your course
  • your name or contact details have changed

Before your initial course start date, you can tell Student Finance England about any changes by filling in a ‘Change of Circumstances’ form, which you can download from www.gov.uk/apply-for-student-finance/change-an-application.

After your course start date, you’ll need to ask your university or college to tell us about any of the following changes:

  • your tuition fee amount
  • your course details
  • your course intensity
  • you repeat a year
  • you leave higher education
  • suspend your studies

How it's paid

You need to register at your university or college before Student Finance England can make your first payment. You’ll usually do this in the first week of your course, and you may have to take your Student Finance Entitlement letter with you.

Student Finance England will pay any Maintenance Loan you can get directly into your bank account, in three instalments, usually two weeks after the start of each term. If you’re eligible for a course grant, they’ll pay this into your bank account in one lump sum.

You can find your expected payment dates in your online account, but some banks take longer to clear funds. If your money isn’t in your account in three working days, you should contact your bank – they should be able to let you know when your money will arrive.