UK Government - Maintenance Loans

Maintenance Loan for living costs

You will receive a government loan of up to about EUR 12,100 per year to cover your living costs whilst you are studying full-time in England. The amount you can borrow depends on where you live during your studies:

• Living with parents: up to 8,877 GBP (approx. 10,300 EUR) for 2025/26.
• Residing outside London: up to 10,544 GBP (approx. 12,200 EUR).
• Living away from home in London: up to 13,762 GBP (approx. 16,000 EUR).
• A year abroad as part of a British degree programme: up to 12,076 GBP (approx. 14,000 EUR).

The money is paid directly into your bank account at the start of each semester. This is a loan, not a grant. You do not need to start repaying it until your income exceeds a certain threshold, and any outstanding balance after a set number of years will be written off. The loan is provided by ‘Student Finance England’, a UK government body.

Who can apply

• Study level: You are a full-time undergraduate student.
• Where you study: You are studying at a university in England, for example at the University of Chester.
• Field of study: Any subject.
• Where you live: There are no rules regarding nationality, but where you live in the UK does matter. If you live in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, you should submit your application to the relevant regional body (Student Finance Wales, SAAS or Student Finance NI), although the amounts may vary.
• Household income: The amount you actually receive depends on your household income; you may therefore receive less than the maximum amount.
• Distance learning: If you are studying via distance learning, you can only receive this loan if you are unable to attend classes in person due to a disability.

If you have children, are paying for childcare, need to care for adult relatives or have a disability, you may be eligible for further support in addition to the loan. From 2026/27, former care home residents (young people who grew up in foster care or care homes) can borrow the maximum amount without their household income being taken into account.

How to apply

Check whether you are eligible and submit your application online via Student Finance England. When doing so, provide details of your household income and the start date of your course. Processing takes around four weeks, and you must submit a new application for each academic year.

How realistic are your chances?

This is a standard government loan, not a competitive scholarship, so there are no places to be awarded. If you are studying a full-time undergraduate degree in England and meet the residence requirements, you are eligible for it. The key factor is the amount of the loan, which decreases as your household income rises. Apply for the loan well in advance, as it takes around four weeks to process before the start of your term.