Student finance if you started before 1 August 2016
Printable version
1. 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:
2. 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, Maintenance Loan, Maintenance Grant or Special Support Grant.
You must be continuing a course in either of the following academic years:
- 2023 to 2024
- 2024 to 2025
Depending on your nationality or residency status, you might only be eligible for a Tuition Fee Loan.
Tuition Fee Loan
Your university or college sets your tuition fee, and the loan is paid directly to them. You have to pay it back.
| 2023 to 2024 academic year | 2024 to 2025 academic year | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time student | Up to £9,250 | Up to £9,250 |
Maintenance Loan for living costs
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.
| 2023 to 2024 academic year | 2024 to 2025 academic year | |
|---|---|---|
| Living with your parents | Up to £5,689 | Up to £5,831 |
| Living away from your parents, outside London | Up to £7,153 | Up to £7,332 |
| Living away from your parents, in London | Up to £9,980 | Up to £10,230 |
| You spend a year of a UK course studying abroad | Up to £8,498 | Up to £8,710 |
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.
| 2023 to 2024 academic year | 2024 to 2025 academic year | |
|---|---|---|
| Living with your parents | Up to £5,226 | Up to £5,357 |
| Living away from your parents, outside London | Up to £6,651 | Up to £6,817 |
| Living away from your parents, in London | Up to £9,090 | Up to £9,317 |
| You spend a year of a UK course studying abroad | Up to £7,386 | Up to £7,571 |
Maintenance Grant for living costs
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 2023 to 2024
| Full-time student – household income 2021 to 2022 | Maintenance Grant for the 2023 to 2024 academic year |
|---|---|
| £25,000 or less | £4,121 |
| £25,001 to £42,738 | £50 to £4,120 |
| Over £42,738 | No grant |
Maintenance Grant for 2024 to 2025
| Full-time student – household income 2022 to 2023 | Maintenance Grant for the 2024 to 2025 academic year |
|---|---|
| £25,000 or less | £4,224 |
| £25,001 to £42,736 | £50 to £4,223 |
| Over £42,736 | 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.
3. If your course started before 1 September 2012
If you are a full-time student who normally lives in England, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, Maintenance Loan, Maintenance Grant or Special Support Grant.
You must be continuing a course in either of the following academic years:
- 2023 to 2024
- 2024 to 2025
Depending on your nationality or residency status, you might only be eligible for a Tuition Fee Loan.
Tuition Fee Loans
You can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan of up to £3,465 if you’re a full-time student who normally lives in England.
Your university or college sets your tuition fee, and the loan is paid directly to them. You have to pay it back.
Maintenance Loan for living costs
You must be a full-time UK student, or a full-time student who normally lives in England.
You have to repay the loan. The loan depends on your household income (your parents’ or partner’s income plus yours) and where you live. It will be paid into your bank account at the start of term.
How much you can get
The maximum amount you can get depends on where you live.
| Maintenance Loan for the 2023 to 2024 academic year | Maintenance Loan for the 2024 to 2025 academic year | |
|---|---|---|
| Living at home | Up to £4,992 | Up to £5,117 |
| Living away from home, outside London | Up to £6,438 | Up to £6,599 |
| Living away from home, in London | Up to £9,009 | Up to £9,234 |
| Studying abroad for a year, as part of a UK course | Up to £7,664 | Up to £7,856 |
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.
| Maintenance Loan for the 2023 to 2024 academic year | Maintenance Loan for the 2024 to 2025 academic year | |
|---|---|---|
| Living at home | Up to £4,528 | Up to £4,641 |
| Living away from home, outside London | Up to £5,957 | Up to £6,106 |
| Living away from home, in London | Up to £8,202 | Up to £8,407 |
| Studying abroad for a year, as part of a UK course | Up to £6,665 | Up to £6,832 |
Maintenance Grant for living costs
You must be a full-time UK student, or a full-time student who normally lives in England.
You do not have to repay the grant - the grant depends on your household income (your parents’ or partner’s income plus yours) and when you start your course.
The grant is paid into your bank account at the start of term.
Maintenance Grant for 2023 to 2024
| Full-time student – household income 2021 to 2022 | Maintenance Grant for the 2023 to 2024 academic year |
|---|---|
| £25,000 or less | £3,783 |
| £25,001 to £50,713 | £50 to £3,782 |
| Over £50,713 | No grant |
Maintenance Grant for 2024 to 2025
| Full-time student – household income 2022 to 2023 | Maintenance Grant for the 2024 to 2025 academic year |
|---|---|
| £25,000 or less | £3,878 |
| £25,001 to £50,717 | £50 to £3,877 |
| Over £50,717 | No grant |