Student Finance, Loans and Grants

Student Finance is the single biggest piece of money you will ever receive in one go as a student, and most people apply for it without knowing what they are signing up for. Maintenance loan amounts, tuition fees, repayment thresholds and eligibility rules all change year by year. This pillar pulls together everything you need: from how to apply, to calculating what you will actually get, to grants and scholarships that are not loans and never need to be repaid.

The one-page explanation

Student Finance England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each run separate schemes with different rules. The biggest split is tuition: Scottish students studying in Scotland pay no tuition; everyone else pays up to the English cap. Maintenance loans are means-tested against household income and scale with where you live during term. Repayment kicks in the April after you graduate, at a fixed percentage of anything you earn above the Plan 2 or Plan 5 threshold.

Work out your repayment. Drop your salary into the UK Student Loan Repayment Calculator and you will see your monthly deduction, total cost, and how long until the balance is written off.

What this pillar covers

Apply Student Finance walks through the online application, the single biggest source of missed first-term loan payments every year. Maintenance Loan Breakdown shows how the maximum figure is built, and why most households get less than the sticker amount. Grants, Scholarships and Bursaries lists the non-repayable money most applicants forget to apply for. Finance Eligibility covers borderline cases (part-time, mature, EU-settled, second-degree). The Tuition and Maintenance Loan guide explains what each loan actually pays for.

What changes year by year

Maximum maintenance loan figures, the Plan 2 and Plan 5 repayment thresholds and the interest rate for borrowers already in repayment all change in April and September. Every guide in this pillar is on a 90-day refresh cadence so the numbers match the current SFE tables. If you are reading this before 15 May, apply now, SFE gets through April and early-May applications well before term; June and July applicants regularly miss first-term payments.

Applying and eligibility

Student Finance Overview
Securing funding forms the biggest administrative task before you start university. The UK government provides student finance to cover your course costs and your living expenses. You receive...
How to Apply for Student Finance
Applying for Student Finance can seem daunting, but this guide simplifies the process for 2026. Learn when and how to apply, what documents you'll need, and how to ensure your funding arrives before term starts.
Student Finance Eligibility
Skip if obvious. Your passport and your address history dictate your funding status, and student Finance England requires you to meet specific residency criteria to qualify for home...
Student Finance 2026/27 Applications Are Open: What to Sort Before the 15 May Deadline
Student Finance England reopened its 2026/27 window on 23 March 2026. The practical deadline for English students to guarantee money on time is 15 May 2026. Here is exactly what changed, how much you can borrow, and what to sort today.

Tuition and maintenance loans

Tuition and Maintenance Loans Explained
You must meet specific residency requirements to qualify for home fee status. You usually need to have lived in the UK, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of...
Maintenance Loan Breakdown
This article breaks down the 2026/27 Maintenance Loan, detailing maximum payouts for students living away from home, including higher amounts for London. Learn how household income affects your eligibility and the £25,000 repayment threshold.
Maintenance Loan Calculator
Use our Maintenance Loan Calculator to estimate your 2026/27 student finance. Understand how household income impacts your loan amount and key application dates.
Weekend Student Maintenance Loans: The U-Turn Explained, and What to Do If You Are One of the 22,000
The government U-turned on demands for 22,000 weekend students to repay maintenance loans early, but those students still lose future funding. Here is what changed at the 15 affected universities and what to do this week.

Grants, scholarships and repayment

Grants Scholarships and Bursaries
Pay attention here. Free money exists to help you pay for university. Unlike your maintenance loan, you never repay grants, scholarships or bursaries. Universities, government departments and private...
Student Loan Repayment Explained
When do student loan repayments start in the UK? Understand the 2026 repayment thresholds for Plan 2 and Plan 5, monthly deductions, and what happens if you never earn enough.
Student Loan Repayment Plans
Let us be honest. Opening that annual statement from the Student Loans Company (SLC) can feel overwhelming. The numbers are large, the interest seems confusing, and the rules...
Student Loan Interest Rate 2026: What Plan 2 Borrowers Need to Know
If you took out a Plan 2 student loan anywhere in England or Wales, your interest rate sits at 6.2 percent right now. That rate is not fixed....