University Fees, Finance & Funding
Loans & Grants
Tuition Fee Loan
Universities and colleges can charge up to £9,535 a year for full-time courses. You can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover tuition fees.
More information on the changes to tuition fees for 2025-26 can be found here.
There is also more information available on the types of funding available to you here.
Maintenance Loan
A Maintenance Loan helps with living costs such as rent and bills and course-related expenses. Part of the Maintenance Loan depends on your household income – that’s the income of your parents (if under 25) or your husband, wife or partner.
What are Dependants’ Grants?
A Maintenance Loan helps with living costs such as rent and bills and course-related expenses. Part of the Maintenance Loan depends on your household income – that’s the income of your parents (if under 25) or your husband, wife or partner.
Parents Learning Allowance
This helps with course-related costs if you have dependent children.
Childcare Grant
You can apply for help to pay your childcare costs. You could get up to 85% of your weekly costs. If you, your husband, wife, or partner get the childcare element of Working Tax Credit or Universal Credit, or Tax-Free Childcare from HM Revenue and Customs, you won’t be able to get a Childcare Grant as well, but you can choose to get Childcare Grant instead.
Adult Dependants’ Grant
You can apply for an Adult Dependants’ Grant if you have a partner or another adult who depends on you financially. Grown up children don’t count as adult dependants. You cannot get an Adult Dependants’ Grant if the dependent adult is also a student getting student finance.
What Is Disabled Students Allowance?
Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) is a grant to help pay the extra essential costs you may have as a direct result of your disability, including a long-term health condition, mental health condition, or specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia or dyspraxia. You don’t have to pay this back.
What Is DSA For?
DSA can help cover essential extra costs you might have during your course as a direct result of your disability, such as: human support, travel costs, assistive technology and training in how to use the technology effectively. DSA doesn’t depend on household income – what you get depends on your individual needs.
How Do I Apply For Student Finance?
The quickest and easiest way to apply is online at www.gov.uk/student-finance. Apply as soon as the application service opens to make sure you have your money sorted for the start of your course. If your application is late, your money might be too. If you are applying for Student Finance that is dependent on your household income, they will need some information from your parents or partner too.
Repaying Your Loans
Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans have to be repaid but not until you have finished or left your course and your income is over the repayment threshold.Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans have to be repaid but not until you have finished or left your course and your income is over the repayment threshold.