If you’re a postgraduate student, the following details don’t apply to you unless you’re getting government funding, eg you’re studying for a Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE). See What funding is available for postgraduates studying in the UK? for more information.
What am I entitled to?
The funding you can get if you need to repeat a year depends on where you get your funding:
- England, Wales and Northern Ireland: if you get your funding from Student Finance England, Wales or NI, you usually get support for the length of your course plus one extra year (or the part-time equivalent) should you need it. So if you need to repeat a year of your course (or part of a year) you get support as normal for that time. However, if you need to repeat any further years, you only get support if you can prove to your funding provider (eg Student Finance England) that compelling personal reasons, such as illness or caring responsibilities, caused you to repeat. If you can’t do this, you should still be entitled to a loan for living costs for the repeat year, plus any relevant supplementary grants.
- Scotland: if you get your funding from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS), from the start of the 2013/2014 academic year you can get up to one year’s extra full funding if you need it on top of the minimum length of your course. However, if you’ve already used this extra year to cover your funding shortfall when changing courses, you can’t use it to repeat a year. Up until the start of the 2013/2014 academic year you can only get support for the shortest time it takes to complete your course, but if you need extra time to complete it you can still apply for a loan for living costs and any supplementary grants that may apply to you. SAAS may make an exception to this rule if you have a medical or strong compassionate reason.
What about my bursary from my university or college?
If you get a bursary from your university or college, you should check with them about their policy on paying bursaries for repeat years.
What about repeating a year part-time?
The funding you get if you need to repeat a year (or part of a year) of a full-time course on a part-time basis depends on where you get your funding:
- England, Wales and Northern Ireland: if you get your funding from Student Finance England, Wales or NI you’re still eligible for the same financial support you were granted when you first enrolled on the full-time course.
- Scotland: if you get your funding from SAAS, from the start of the 2013/2014 academic year you can get up to one year’s extra full funding if you need it on top of the minimum length of your course, as long as you’re still registered with your institution as a full-time student. Up until the start of the 2013/2014 academic year you can only apply for the standard student loan and any supplementary grants that apply to you. You can’t claim any tuition fees, bursary or additional loan.
However, no matter who provides your funding, if you transfer onto an official part-time course your funding is reassessed and you may no longer be eligible for the same support for your subsequent years of study (see I’m changing my course – how does this affect my higher education funding?).
Related topics
Can I get higher education funding in the UK?
This information was updated in March 2013. NUS provides this information in good faith and has taken care to make sure it’s accurate. However, student finance issues can be complicated, and rules change frequently. You should contact the advice centre in your students' union, college or university for support if you’re uncertain or need more help.