It can help pay for things such as rent, food, books, travel, and other expenses. Any loan you borrow needs to be paid back, but not until you’ve finished or left your course, and your income is over the repayment threshold.
The following information is for full-time students – find out about help with living costs for part-time students.
What's available?
Everyone who is eligible for student finance can get at least some Maintenance Loan, but you can apply for more that’s based on your household income.
If you started your course before 1 August 2016, you might also be able to get one of the following:
Students are who are eligible to receive State Benefits, who are entitled to receive the means-tested element of funding, may be eligible for an increased amount of maintenance loan. If eligible, their maintenance loan will be made up of the Maintenance element and the Special Support (SSL) element.
Student finance in your final year of study
In your final year of uni or college, you'll get less Maintenance Loan than you had in other years. This is because student finance usually covers the breaks between each year, but you're no longer entitled to it once your course has ended.
Maintenance Loan
How much you can get depends on when you started your course, where you live, and your household income.
It’s important you let us know if there are any changes to your living arrangements as it will affect your student finance. This is so we can make sure you get the right amount of student finance. You can update any changes in your online account.
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Courses starting from 1 August 2016
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Courses starting between 1 September 2012 and 31 July 2016
Long Course Loan
If your course lasts longer than 30 weeks and three days, you might be able to get a Long Course Loan as well as your Maintenance Loan.
How much you can get depends on your household income, and where you’re living while studying. You’ll be able to get a Long Course Loan if you’re getting the extra Maintenance Loan that’s based on your household income.
You don’t need to complete a separate application – Student Finance England will work out whether you can get a Long Course Loan when you apply for your main student finance.
They’ll pay your Long Course Loan to you at the same time they pay your Maintenance Loan.
This table shows the maximum weekly amount you can get:
| Where you're living while studying | Maximum amount per additional week | |
|---|---|---|
| 2020/21 | 2021/22 | |
| Living with parents | £65 | £67 |
| Living outside of London, away from home | £99 | £102 |
| Living in London, away from home | £127 | £131 |
| Living abroad | £137 | £141 |
It’s important you let us know if there are any changes to your living arrangements as it will affect your student finance. This is so we can make sure you get the right amount of student finance. You can update any changes in your online account.
Maintenance Grant
The amount of Maintenance Grant you can get depends on your household income and when you started your course.
A Special Support Grant replaces the maintenance grant in certain circumstances.
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Courses starting between 1 September 2012 and 31 July 2016
Special Support Grant
The Special Support Grant replaces the Maintenance Grant in certain circumstances. Student Finance England works out entitlement to the Special Support Grant in the same way as the Maintenance Grant.
If you started your course between 1 September 2012 and 31 July 2016, the full grant available is:
- £3,081 for the 2020/21 academic year
- £3,919 for the 2021/22 academic year
You may get a Special Support Grant if any of the following apply while you’re on your course:
- You’re a single parent, or single foster parent, of a child or young person under 20 who is in full-time education below higher education level, or on an approved training course.
- You have a partner who is also a full-time student, and one or both of you is responsible for a child or young person under 20 who is in full-time education below higher education level, or on an approved training course.
- You have a disability and qualify for the Disability Living Allowance, Disability Premium, or Severe Disability Premium.
- You qualify for Personal Independence Payment or Armed Forces Independence Payment.
- You’re deaf and qualify for a Disabled Students’ Allowance.
- You have been treated as incapable of work for a continuous period of at least 28 weeks.
- You have a disability and qualify for income-related Employment and Support Allowance.
- You’re waiting to go back to a course, having taken agreed time out from that course due to an illness or caring responsibility that has now ended.
- You’re aged over 60.
If you’re claiming an income-related benefit, Jobcentre Plus and your local authority’s benefit section won’t take account of the Special Support Grant when working out your income.
How to apply
New students
The quickest and easiest way to apply is online at www.gov.uk/studentfinance as soon as the application service opens.
- Set up a student finance account
When you register, you’ll be given a unique Customer Reference Number, and will need to create a password and secret answer. You should keep these safe, as you’ll need them to sign in to your account to check the progress of your application, and reapply for student finance next year. - Fill in and submit your application
The first time you apply, you’ll be asked for proof of identity. You can easily do this by providing your valid UK passport details. If you don’t have a UK passport, you may have to send evidence.
If you want to apply for student finance that depends on your household income, Student Finance England will ask your parents or partner for their National Insurance number, and their personal income details. - Send any evidence you're asked for
Student Finance England may contact you, or your parents/partner, to ask for evidence to support your application. If you’ve had no contact with your parents for over a year, you might be able to apply as an ‘independent student’.
Continuing students
To reapply for student finance, sign in to your student finance account, and apply online as soon as the application service opens.
If you’re applying for the first time, you can do this online at www.gov.uk/studentfinance.
How it's paid
You need to register at your uni or college before Student Finance England can make your first payment.
You’ll usually do this in the first week of your course, and you may have to take along your student finance entitlement letter.
Student Finance England pays any Maintenance Loan and/or Maintenance Grant you can get directly into your bank account, in three instalments, usually at the start of each term.
You can find your expected payment dates in your online account, but some banks take longer to clear funds. If your money isn’t in your account in three working days, you should contact your bank – they should be able to let you know when your money will arrive.