University Level Student Finance

Fees

You do not need to pay these up front and may be eligible for a fees loan which will be paid direct to the college.

In addition to the fees loan, you may apply for extra financial support.

For a quick estimate of what support you might expect to receive try the student finance calculator.

Maintenance Loan for Full Time Courses

This is to help with living costs.

The maximum amount you can borrow depends upon where you live and part of the loan depends on household income.

Living at home – up to £8,610 for the year.

Living away from home – up to £10,227 for the year.

Adult Dependants' Grants (ADG) – Full Time Only

You can apply for an Adult Dependants' Grant if you have a partner or another adult who depends on you financially. 

You can get up to £3,438 a year depending on your household income, which is your income plus the income of your dependants (including your husband, wife or partner). 

Your personal circumstances, for example if you’re married or have children and what other grants you’re receiving, for example Childcare Grant.

Parents' Learning Allowance (PLA) – Full Time Only

This helps with course-related costs if you have dependent children.

You could get between £50 and £1,963 a year depending on your income and the income of your husband, wife or partner and any dependant.

Childcare Grant (CCG) – Full Time Only

You can apply for help to pay your childcare costs.

You could get up to 85% of your weekly costs – a maximum of £193.62 per week for one child, or £331.95 per week if you have two or more children. 

If either you or your partner get the childcare element of Working Tax Credit or Universal Credit, or Tax-Free Childcare from HM Revenue & Customs, you won’t be able to get Childcare Grant as well, but you can choose to get it instead.

Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA)

DSA is support to cover the study-related costs you have because of a mental health problem, long-term illness or any other disability. 

This can be on its own or in addition to any student finance you get. 

The type of support and how much you get depends on your individual needs - not your household income.

You do not need to pay back DSA.

You’ll have to repay anything you borrow, but it works a bit differently than you might expect. 

How much you repay each month depends on your income, not how much you borrowed.

You won’t have to repay anything until you’re earning over a certain amount, which is currently £25,000 a year. 

If you earn less than that, you won’t have to repay anything. 

If you’re earning more than that, they work out your repayments at 9% of your income over that amount.

Interest starts being added to your loan from when you get your first payment until your loan is repaid in full or cancelled. 

The interest rate applied to your loan is updated once a year in September, meaning it may increase or decrease. 

The interest rate will be based on the Retail Price Index.

See here for further information.

Visit here for more information and details on how to apply.

Don't wait until you have a place confirmed before applying for finance.

You can change any details later if you need to.

You can find a range of tools, videos and guides to help you apply quickly and successfully by visiting here.

The Access to Learning Fund (ALF) provides scholarships for FULL and PART time students (subject to conditions & funds being available). 

Any help you receive from the fund is usually non-repayable. 

Please contact the Support Funds Team on 0191 490 4627 or email [email protected] for more information.