07 Mar 2022

Student finance usually consists of a Tuition Fee Loan and a Maintenance Loan to cover, or at least partially help with, your university costs. You can apply for student loans up to 9 months after the start date of your course. How you apply will depend on if you have studied before and your nationality.

All full-time undergraduate students are eligible for student finance, provided they meet some basic criteria:

• Residency – you’re a UK national or have settled status, normally live in your home country, and have been living in the UK, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man for three years before the beginning of your course.
• Your university or college – you’re studying at a recognised publicly-funded university or college (or a private institution studying a course approved for public funding).
• Your course – you’re studying a recognised full-time course e.g. a first degree, a foundation degree, a Higher National Diploma (HND), or an initial Teacher Training course.
• It’s your first higher education course – you can still get some funding if you’ve studied a HE course before, but it will be limited and you’ll have to make up any shortfall.

You will need to apply for student finance for every year of your course, not just your first year, to guarantee you’ll get the support you’re entitled to throughout the entirety of your studies.

Most full-time and part-time students can apply to Student Finance England online. You will need to set up a student finance online account, log in and then complete the online application.

You might be asked for your household income, this will include;

• your parents’ income, if you’re under 25 and live with them or depend on them financially
• the combined income of one of your parents and their partner, if you’re under 25 and live with them or depend on them financially
• your partner’s income, if you’re over 25 and live with them (even if they spend most of their time abroad)
• income you get from your own savings, investments or property, for example dividends or rent

Once you have submitted your income, your parent or partner will be asked to confirm the details. They can support your finance application by using the government website.

Finally, you may also need to provide proof of identity. You should include your valid UK passport details in your application the first time you apply by filling out the passport details form, not sending the passport itself.

Be aware that it can take up to six weeks to process student finance applications, so make sure to apply early. Still apply if you have a conditional offer as you can amend or cancel your application if your plans change!