What is Student Finance England?
Student Finance England (SFE) is the government body that funds undergraduate study for eligible UK students. SFE provides two main products: a Tuition Fee Loan paid directly to the university, and a Maintenance Loan paid to you in three termly instalments to cover living costs.
Similar agencies exist for Wales (Student Finance Wales), Scotland (SAAS) and Northern Ireland (Student Finance NI) with different fee caps and rules.
Tuition Fee Loan 2026/27
For courses starting in September 2026, the maximum Tuition Fee Loan in England is £9,535 per year for full-time study at most publicly-funded universities. Private providers and accelerated degrees have different caps.
- •Full-time at a publicly-funded university: up to £9,535.
- •Full-time at a private provider: up to £6,935.
- •Part-time at a publicly-funded university: up to £7,145.
- •Accelerated two-year degree: up to £11,440.
Maintenance Loan 2026/27
The Maintenance Loan is means-tested against household income. Students living away from home outside London receive between £6,853 (highest household income) and £10,544 (lowest household income). Students living in London receive up to £13,762.
If you are 25 or over, an estranged student, or have dependants, your income — not your parents' — is used to calculate entitlement.
Extra grants and bursaries
On top of the standard loans, you may qualify for non-repayable support depending on your circumstances:
- •Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) — covers specialist equipment, non-medical helpers and travel costs.
- •Childcare Grant — up to 85% of registered childcare costs for parents.
- •Parents' Learning Allowance — up to £2,058/year.
- •Adult Dependants' Grant — up to £3,623/year.
- •NHS Bursary — for eligible Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions students.
- •University-specific bursaries and scholarships — check each institution directly.
Repayment — Plan 5
Students starting on or after 1 August 2023 in England are on Plan 5. You repay 9% of everything you earn over £25,000/year, with any remaining balance written off 40 years after the first April you became eligible to repay.
Repayments are taken automatically through PAYE once you are employed and earn above the threshold — you do not need to set anything up.
How to apply
Apply at gov.uk/student-finance using your Government Gateway account. Applications open in February for the September intake — apply by late May to guarantee funds are in place for Freshers' week.
You do not need a confirmed university place to apply; you can update your course choice in the portal up until enrolment.