Students Finance NI - Loans and Grants

What Student Finance NI pays you

This is the state-funded student finance scheme for Northern Ireland, administered by Student Finance NI (SFNI). It consists of several components. Some of these you will have to repay, whilst others are yours to keep. The Tuition Fee Loan covers your tuition fees and is paid directly to your higher education institution: up to approximately 5,850 EUR (4,985 GBP) if you are studying in Northern Ireland, up to approximately 11,500 EUR (9,790 GBP) in other parts of the United Kingdom, or up to 2,500 EUR of the tuition fee if you are studying in the Republic of Ireland. The Maintenance Loan helps with living costs and amounts to between approximately 7,600 EUR and 13,700 EUR per year (approximately 6,471 to 11,699 GBP), depending on where you live and your household income. In addition, there are grants that you never have to repay: a Maintenance Grant or Special Support Grant of up to around 4,190 EUR (3,569 GBP) if your household earns less than 41,065 GBP, as well as additional support if you have a disability, children in childcare or an adult who is financially dependent on you. You must reapply each academic year.

Who can apply

• Where you live: On the first day of your first year of study, you will usually be living in Northern Ireland. You will also have lived in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man during the three years prior to starting your studies.
• Status: You are a British or Irish citizen with the right of indefinite leave to remain, an EU citizen with ‘settled’ or ‘pre-settled’ status, or you have refugee status, stateless person status or humanitarian protection status.
• Level: You are starting a full-time course at the first cycle, such as a Bachelor’s degree, an HND or a PGCE. If you already hold a higher education qualification, you are generally not eligible for further funding, apart from a few professional exceptions such as medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, architecture, social work or teacher training.
• Where you study: Your university or higher education institution is publicly funded and is located in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland.
• Field of study: Any topic is fine.
• Age: To be eligible for the maintenance grant, you must fall under category 60 at the start of your studies.

How to apply

You can apply for funding online at studentfinanceni.co.uk; you can do this even before you have finally secured your place at university. You should submit your application for the coming academic year by 30 April. The final deadline is nine months after the start of your course. If part of your funding depends on household income, your parents or partner must declare their income separately via the same system.

How realistic are your chances?

This is not a means-tested grant. The grant is awarded on the basis of eligibility criteria; therefore, if you meet the requirements regarding residence, status and course of study, you will receive the grant. The loans are not dependent on your grades or your income. The grants and additional support are based on your household income and your personal circumstances. Apply for the funding by the deadline in April to ensure the money is available to you when your studies begin.