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Finance after your first year: full-time students who started from September 2006
Unless your circumstances have changed, you’ll usually be able to apply for the same types of financial help as you got during your first year. You’ll need to make a separate application for each year of your course.
Started your course in September 2006 or later?
For eligible full-time students who started in September 2006 or later, the main sources of financial help are:
- Student Loan for Tuition Fees
- Student Loan for Maintenance
- Maintenance Grant or Special Support Grant
- bursaries and scholarships
Any help you get through a Student Loan doesn’t have to be paid back until you’ve finished your course and are earning at least £15,000 a year. Grants and bursaries don’t have to be repaid at all.
How to apply
Apply online for 2009/2010
You’ll need to make a separate application for each year of your course. Student Finance Direct has been replaced by a new service - Student Finance England.
If you're applying for 2009/2010, the quickest and easiest way is to do it online. But it's also possible to apply on paper for 2009/2010.
Student Loan for Maintenance
How much you can get depends on your household income, where you study, whether you live at home, and whether you’re in your final year. The maximum you can get is £4,745 for 2009/2010 if you live away from home - more if you study in London.
Unless you’re getting higher levels of help through the Maintenance Grant, you can get 75 per cent of the maximum Student Loan for Maintenance available to you regardless of your household income. Whether you get the remaining 25 per cent depends on an income assessment.
Student Loan for Tuition Fees
All eligible full-time students can get a Student Loan for Tuition Fees to cover their tuition fees in full (up to £3,225 for 2009/2010).
Student Finance England pays this direct to your university or college.
Maintenance Grant and Special Support Grant
As well as Student Loans, you may be able to get a Maintenance Grant or Special Support Grant to help with accommodation and other living costs.
If you qualify, you could get up to £2,906 for 2009/2010.
Maintenance Grant: started in 2008/2009?
If you started during the 2008/2009 academic year, see ‘Maintenance Grant: rates if you started in 2008/2009’ for a guide to how much you could get.
Maintenance Grant: started in 2006/2007 or 2007/2008?
If you started before September 2008, see ‘Maintenance Grant: rates if you started before September 2008’ for a guide to how much you could get.
Bursaries and scholarships
On top of student finance from the government, you may be able to get help from your college or university in the form of bursaries and scholarships.
Students who are eligible for the full Maintenance Grant or Special Support Grant, and who are charged maximum tuition fees, are guaranteed at least the minimum bursary.
Getting extra help
You may be able to get extra help on top of Student Loans, grants and bursaries if you’re disabled or you have a specific learning difficulty or mental health condition.
Extra help may also be available if you have a child or adult dependant.
The Access to Learning Fund can provide help for students on low incomes who get into financial difficulty.
Applying for 2008/2009?
Student finance applications close nine months after the start of the academic year. But if you’re still able to apply for the 2008/2009 academic year, you’ll need to complete the 2008/2009 version of form PR1.
To get a copy, contact your local authority – or the Student Loans Company, if they’re handling applications for your area.
More useful links
Additional links
Student finance online services
