Support towards living costs

Student Loans
Grants
Applying

Student Loans for Maintenance

To help with living costs such as accommodation, food, clothes, travel and so on, students can apply for a Maintenance Loan. A Maintenance Loan is available each academic year to UK students on eligible courses aged under 60 at the start of their course and studying their first undergraduate degree.

The maximum student loan available for 2012/13 is £4,475 (Welsh domiciled students) and up to £5,500 (English domiciled students) if you live away from home. For Welsh domiciled students the maximum is £3,673 if you live at your parents' home.

The loan rates are based on where you live and study, your household income and the amount of maintenance grant you are entitled to.

The student loan will be paid directly into your bank or building society account in three instalments - one at the start of each term.

This loan will be repayable after you have left university/completed your course and are earning over £21,000

Maintenance Grant

For students from England and Wales there are non-repayable, means tested grants available to help support you. The level of the grant depends on your household income and where you live- for 2012/13 students in England may get a grant of up to £3,250 and students in Wales may get a grant of up to £5,000.

You may apply for the grant in addition to the student maintenance loan and other forms of support - and this time you don't have to pay the grant back.

How much you get will depend on your household income and where you normally live.

In 2012/13 students from Wales will receive the full Assembly Learning Grant of £5,000 grant where the household income is below £18,370 and a partial grant where the household income is between £18,370 and £50,020.

In 2012/13 students from England will receive the full Maintenance Grant of £3,250 grant where the household income is below £25,000 and a partial grant where the household income is between £25,000 and £42,600.

Grants will be paid directly into your bank or building society account in three instalments - one at the start of each term.

Applying for your loans and grants

You can apply for your tuition fee, maintenance loan and maintenance grant at the same time on the Application for Student Finance (PN1) form.

Welsh students can apply for their student funding on line at www.studentfinancewales.co.uk or download a PN1 from the end of February / March from the same site.

English student must complete their funding applications on line at: www.studentfinance.direct.gov.uk from the end of February / March 2011.