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Can I get higher education funding in England?
If you normally live in England, regardless of where you’re studying in the UK, you may be eligible for funding from Student Finance England – part of the Student Loans Company, which provides funding on behalf of the UK government. To get the funding, you and your course must be eligible for it. For more details, see Can I get higher education funding in the UK?
Where can I study?
Funding from Student Finance England is available if you’re undertaking a course at a UK institution. If you study in Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland, you can get the same funding as if you were studying in England. For students starting on or after 1 September 2012 who get their funding in England, all UK universities and colleges (including Scotland) charge tuition fees up to £9,000 a year.
From September 2012, if you begin a full-time distance learning course (eg at the Open University) you can get a loan to cover the full amount of the tuition fees, but you can’t apply for living cost loans as well.
If you’re taking a course at a UK institution that includes a placement year during which you study outside the UK, you still get funding from Student Finance England for the year abroad.
However, if you want to take your entire course at a university or college outside the UK, you can’t get the funding outlined here. See I want to study outside the UK – what higher education funding can I get?
I started my course on or after 1 September 2012 – what government support can I get?
If you started your course on or after 1 September 2012 you can get the following support from Student Finance England (the following figures are for 2013/2014):
- Tuition fee loan: each year you can borrow the cost of your course fees, up to £9,000 a year. If you’re studying at a private institution, you can only borrow up to £6,000 a year, which may not cover the cost of your course. The money is paid directly to your university or college, and you must pay back the loan when you’ve finished your course and you’re earning enough.
- Maintenance loan: each year you can get a loan to cover living costs (eg accommodation, food, books). The amount you can borrow depends on your household income (your parents’ or partner’s income plus yours). You can borrow up to £5,500 a year if you live away from home, and more if you live in London. If you live at home while you study (in London or elsewhere) you can’t borrow as much. You can borrow up to £6,535 if you spend a year of your UK course studying abroad. The money is paid directly into your bank account, and you must pay it back when you’ve finished your course and you’re earning enough.
- Maintenance grant: you can get a grant each year to help with your living costs, which you don’t have to pay back. The amount you can get depends on your household income – if that’s over £42,600 a year you don’t get anything. The maximum grant is £3,364, and the higher your grant, the less maintenance loan you can borrow. The money is paid directly into your bank account.
- Special support grant: depending on your circumstances, you may get a special support grant instead of a maintenance grant (eg if you’re a single parent, disabled, eligible to receive income support or housing benefit). You don’t need to pay it back. The amount you get is the same as the maintenance grant and depends on your household income, but it doesn’t reduce the amount of maintenance loan you can borrow, and isn’t taken into account when calculating the means-tested benefits you’re entitled to.
- Long courses loan: if you have to attend your course for longer than 30 weeks and three days a year, you’re entitled to an additional loan to cover your living costs. The amount you get depends on your household income – up to £83 for each extra week if you live away from home, and more if you live in London. If you live at home while you study (in London or elsewhere) you can’t borrow as much.
Here’s the government’s information on student finance. There’s also a calculator to help you get an idea of what you’re entitled to. Also, have a look at How and when do I repay my student loan?
I started my course before 1 September 2012 – what government support can I get?
If you started your course before 1 September 2012, you can get the same package of support that was available the year you started your course. For example, you pay the same amount of tuition fees as you always have, and therefore you can get the same tuition fee loan as before.
This still applies if you’ve taken time out from your studies or changed your course. For more information, see:
The rules concerning whether you’re eligible for funding are the same as for students starting after 31 August 2012 (see Can I get higher education funding in the UK?), except that you can’t apply for funding if you’re a student from the EU.
The funding you can get from Student Finance England is very similar to what more recent students can get, but the amounts you’re entitled to are different (the following figures are for 2013/2014):
- Tuition fee loan: each year you can borrow the cost of your course fees, up to £3,465 a year (slightly more if you’re studying in Northern Ireland). The money is paid directly to your institution, and you must pay back the loan when you’ve finished your course and you’re earning enough.
- Maintenance loan: each year you can get a loan to cover living costs (eg accommodation, food, books). The amount you can borrow depends on your household income (your parents’ or partner’s income plus yours). You can borrow up to £4,950 a year if you live away from home and more if you live in London (£4,745 a year if you started before the 2009/2010 academic year). If you live at home while you study (in London or elsewhere) you can’t borrow as much. The money is paid directly into your bank account, and you must pay it back when you’ve finished your course and you’re earning enough.
- Maintenance grant: you can get a grant each year to help with your living costs, which you don’t have to pay back. The amount you can get depends on your household income. The maximum grant is £3,080, and the higher your grant, the less maintenance loan you can borrow. The money is paid directly into your bank account.
- Special support grant: depending on your circumstances, you may get a special support grant instead of a maintenance grant (eg if you’re a single parent, disabled, eligible to receive income support or housing benefit). The amount you get is the same as the maintenance grant, but it doesn’t reduce the amount of maintenance loan you can borrow.
- Long courses loan: if you have to attend your course for longer than 30 weeks and three days a year, you’re entitled to an additional loan to cover your living costs. The amount you get depends on your household income – up to £83 for each extra week if you live away from home, and more if you live in London. If you live at home while you study (in London or elsewhere) you can’t borrow as much. If you started your course before 1 September 2008, you don’t get a separate long courses loan, but an equivalent amount is added to your maintenance loan.
If you started your course before 1 September 2006, the funding you’re entitled to is different to this. Speak to an adviser at your students’ union for more information.
Here’s the government’s information on student finance for existing students. There’s also a calculator to help you get an idea of what you’re entitled to. Also, have a look at How and when do I repay my student loan?
What other government support is available?
As well as the standard packages of government support outlined above, lots of other funding options are available, depending on your circumstances and the kind of course you’re taking.
Find out more here:
How do I apply for government funding?
You apply for funding through Student Finance England. For more information, see How do I apply for higher education funding in England?
Where else can I get funding?
As well as government funding, you may be able to get funding from your academic institution, charities or other sources.
To find out more, see Can I get higher education funding from my university or college? and other sources of funding.
Related topics
What higher education funding is available in England?
I’ve already got a UK honours degree – can I get funding for more higher education in England?
I’ve undertaken a higher education course before – can I get funding again in England?
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.