UK Government - Student Loan for Maintenance

UK Maintenance Loan for living costs

You will receive a government loan of up to £10,544 per year (about 12,200 EUR) to cover your living costs whilst you are studying: rent, food, books, travel costs and day-to-day expenses. This maximum amount applies for the 2025/26 academic year if you are living outside London and not with your parents. The maximum amount is higher if you live in London (up to £13,762,, approximately 15,900 EUR) and lower if you live with your parents (up to £8,877,, approximately 10,300 EUR). Students aged 60 and over receive up to £4,461 (approximately 5,200 EUR). The money is paid directly into your bank account in three instalments, at the start of each semester.

The amount you receive depends on your household income (this is known as a means test). The full amount is paid to households with an income of up to £25,000,, and the loan amount decreases as your income rises. The loan is provided by the Student Loans Company on behalf of the UK government. You will not start repaying the loan until you have completed or withdrawn from your course and are earning more than £25,000 per year. You will then pay 9% of your income above this threshold, and the remaining balance will be written off after 40 years.

Who can apply

• Where you study: You are studying at an officially recognised university or higher education institution in the United Kingdom.
• Degree level: You are undertaking a full-time first degree (BA, BSc, BEd), an integrated Master’s programme, a university-level teacher training programme or certain degree programmes in the healthcare sector.
• Nationality and residence: You are a British national, an Irish citizen or have ‘settled status’, and you usually live in England. Other countries within the United Kingdom have their own funding bodies.
• Time in the UK: You have lived in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for at least 3 consecutive years prior to the start of your degree programme.
• First qualification: This is your first higher education qualification. For some STEM and healthcare degree programmes, exceptions apply to those who have already obtained a qualification.
• Field of study: Open to all subjects.
• Degree apprenticeships: These are not funded.

How to apply

You apply for funding online via ‘Student Finance England’ on GOV.UK, before your place at university has been confirmed. The usual deadline is in May of the year in which your course begins, and you must reapply for each academic year. Submit your application early, as processing takes around 4 weeks.

How realistic are your chances?

This is not a grant awarded on a competitive basis. It is an entitlement; in other words, if you meet the requirements regarding place of residence, nationality and course of study, you will receive the grant. The only thing that varies is the amount, which is based on your household income and place of residence and is not determined by a selection panel. Please apply for the grant in good time before the start of the semester to ensure that the money reaches you on time.