Part-time undergraduate students - Student Finance

What you get

As a part-time undergraduate at De Montfort University in Leicester, you can borrow two government loans through Student Finance England. A Tuition Fee Loan of up to about EUR 8,700 (7,335 GBP) for 2026/27 is paid straight to the university to cover your fees. On top of that you can get a Maintenance Loan towards living costs, paid into your bank account two weeks after each term starts. The Maintenance Loan amount depends on your course intensity, where you live and your household income. Both are loans, not grants. You repay them once you earn above the income threshold, at 9% of what you earn over it, plus interest from the first payment.

Who can apply

• Where you study: A recognised UK university or college, such as De Montfort University.
• Study mode: Part time, with a course intensity of at least 25%. That means you study at least a quarter of the credits a full-time student on the same course would.
• Course type: A first degree (BA, BSc, BEd), foundation degree, CertHE, DipHE, HNC, HND, teacher training, integrated master's, or an approved Level 4/5 course. The Maintenance Loan covers a narrower list, mainly first degrees, teacher training and certain health courses.
• First degree: Usually only your first higher education qualification. There are limited exceptions for top-up courses or some second courses in science and health.
• Residence: You live in England and have lived in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man for the three years before your course starts.
• Nationality: UK or Irish citizen, or you have settled status.
• Age: Any age can get a Tuition Fee Loan. You cannot get a Maintenance Loan if you are 60 or over on the first day of your first academic year.
• Not eligible: Degree apprenticeships. Distance-learning students can only get the Maintenance Loan if a disability stops them attending in person.

How to apply

You apply online at Student Finance England on gov.uk, and processing takes about four weeks. You must reapply each academic year. Note that a course starting on or after 1 January 2027 falls under a new system called the Lifelong Learning Entitlement instead.

How realistic are your chances?

This is government student finance, not a competitive scholarship. There is no selection panel: if you meet the eligibility rules, you get it. The main things to check are your course intensity of at least 25%, that this is your first degree, and your residence and nationality status. Apply early, since first payments are not made on your first day and the earliest 2026/27 payment date is 5 October 2026.