If you started but didn’t complete a previous course, the support you can receive for any new course may be reduced, but this will depend on your reason for leaving the previous course.

If you couldn’t complete a previous course because of compelling personal circumstances (for example, you had to leave the course because of illness or caring responsibilities) then the restrictions on previous study do not apply. Your local authority or Student Finance England will expect some evidence to support your application in this case.

Otherwise, in order to determine the number of years of full support remaining, you should add one year to the ordinary length of your new course, then subtract from this total the number of years you previously received public support for higher education. You should include any years where you left the course before the end of that year.

For these remaining years you’ll be able to apply for a fee loan, a maintenance grant or special support grant, loan for living costs and supplementary grants. Otherwise, you’ll be able to apply for a loan for living costs and supplementary grants only.

Any remaining years of full funding will be applied to the last year of your course first, then worked back – so if your course is longer than the number of years of full funding to which you’re entitled, it will be the earlier years in which you won’t receive full support.

If the number of years of previous study is the same as, or exceeds, the number of years in your new course plus one year, you won’t receive either tuition fee loans or maintenance or special support grants for any part of your course. You’ll only receive loans for living costs if you don’t already hold an honours degree from a UK institution. 

End-on courses
If you’ve completed a sub-degree higher education course, such as an HNC, HND, diploma of higher education or foundation degree course, but didn’t move directly into an ‘end-on’ degree course at the time and now intend to do so, you can apply for a tuition fee loan and funding for living costs for the duration of your end-on course. You may have an extra year if necessary, but this depends on the number of years’ support you’ve already received for your sub-degree course. Check with your local authority or Student Finance England if you’re unsure.