Can I afford to go to university?
For most students living in the UK, yes. Student Finance pays your tuition fees straight to the university and helps with living costs, so you usually pay nothing up front. You only start repaying once you finish your course and earn over £25,000 a year.
Who can get it
If you have been living in the UK for more than three years and you have proof of residency, you are eligible for both the Student Finance Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan to help support your studies.
Not sure? Check your eligibility in one minute.
Tuition Fee Loan (2026/27)
- Full-time undergraduate course: up to £9,790 a year
- Foundation year in a classroom-based subject such as business: up to £5,760
- Foundation year in a partly practical subject such as science or the arts: up to £9,790
- Paid straight to your university, so you never handle this money
Maintenance Loan for living costs (2026/27)
- Living with your parents: up to £9,118 a year
- Living away from your parents, outside London: up to £10,830 a year
- Living away from your parents, in London: up to £14,135 a year
- Aged 60 or over when the course starts: up to £4,582 a year
- Paid into your bank account at the start of each term
The Maintenance Loan depends on your household income, so you may not get the full amount. Extra help such as grants for childcare or disabilities may also be available.
How repayment works
- You repay only after you leave your course and earn over £25,000 a year
- Repayments are taken from your salary and are based on what you earn, not what you borrowed
- Any amount left is written off 40 years after you are first due to repay
Courses starting from 1 January 2027
If your course starts on or after 1 January 2027, you apply through the new Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE). Read our LLE 2027 guide.
How we help
- We check your eligibility before you apply
- We help you complete your Student Finance application
- We tell you which documents to upload and when
- We follow up if Student Finance asks for more evidence
Figures are the maximums for the 2026/27 academic year from GOV.UK. Official information: gov.uk/student-finance.
