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Finance after your first year: full-time students who started before 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 before September 2006?
This page outlines what’s available if you started your course before 1 September 2006, or you otherwise qualify under the 2005/2006 rules for student finance - because, for example you started in 2006/2007 after deferring entry and taking a gap year.
For students who started before September 2006, the main sources of support are:
- Higher Education Grant and tuition fee grant
- Student Loan for Maintenance
- Fee Contribution Loan
Any help you get through a Student Loan or a Fee Contribution Loan doesn’t have to be paid back until you’ve finished your course and are earning at least £15,000 a year. Grants 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. 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Student Finance Direct has been replaced by a new service - Student Finance England.
Higher Education Grant and tuition fee grant
Students from lower income households who started in 2004/2005 or 2005/2006 can apply for a Higher Education Grant of up to £1,000 a year to help with living costs.
The tuition fee grant is money paid by the government to your university or college to help cover your tuition fees. It may cover all or part of your tuition fees, depending on your income and that of your household.
Fee Contribution Loan
All eligible full-time higher education students can take out a Fee Contribution Loan for any fees not covered by the tuition fee grant.
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 if you live away from home is £4,745 for 2009/2010 - more if you study in London.
You can get 75 per cent of the maximum regardless of your household income - students from lower income households can apply for the remaining 25 per cent.
Getting extra help
You may be able to get extra help on top of Student Loans and grants 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 form PR1.
To get a copy of the 2008/2009 version of form PR1, 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
