Student Loans Company - Tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and grants

What UK student finance gives you

You will receive two loans as well as a number of grants that you will never have to repay. The Tuition Fee Loan covers your tuition fees in full and is paid directly to your university. Up to 9,535 GBP per year (about 11,350 EUR) is paid for 2024/25 and up to 9,790 GBP per year (approximately 11,650 EUR) for 2025/26. The Maintenance Loan is paid into your bank account and is intended to cover rent, food, books and other living costs. The amount depends on your household income, where you are studying, and whether you live at home. You only need to repay both amounts after you have completed or withdrawn from your course, and only once your income exceeds 25,000 GBP per year, at a rate of 9% of the income above that threshold. You may also be eligible for additional support that you never have to repay, for example if you have children, are caring for an adult in need of care, have a disability or are on a low income. The government administers this scheme through the ‘Student Loans Company’.

Who can apply

• Where you study: You are enrolled at a recognised university or higher education institution in England.
• Residence: You usually live in England or meet the UK’s residence requirements. Even if you are not from the United Kingdom, you may still be eligible.
• Field of study: Every bachelor’s degree counts.
• Age: There is no age limit for the tuition fee loan.
• No parental contact: You are in the situation described in 25 and are not in contact with your parents. In this case, you can apply as a pupil with a break in contact.
• Care leaver: You spent at least 13 weeks in local authority care before you turned 16.

How to apply

You apply for funding online via Student Finance England on gov.uk. You must submit a new application for each academic year. It takes around four weeks to process your application, so make sure you apply well in advance, even if you do not yet have a confirmed place at university.

How realistic are your chances?

This is not a competitive scholarship, but the standard government funding scheme; it is therefore not a matter of outperforming other applicants. If you meet the residence and enrolment requirements, you will receive the loans. The greatest risk is missing out on the funding due to late submission of documents, as your money will only become available once your application has gone through the processing period, which takes around four weeks.