Undergraduate student loans

A Tuition Fee Loan is available from the UK government via the Student Loans Company (SLC) to UK undergraduate students, giving you the opportunity to borrow up to the full cost of your tuition fees. The latest information on tuition fee rates can be found on our tuition fee for undergraduates webpage. If you take out a Tuition Fee Loan the money is paid directly to the University to pay your tuition fees. 

When planning for university you need to think about how you will meet your living expenses, for example the cost of your accommodation, travel, food, bills, study materials and other day-to-day spending. To cover these costs, the government provides support in the form of a Maintenance Loan, which is paid directly to the student in instalments.

This loan is only available to UK undergraduate students. A certain percentage of the loan (around 44%-47%, depending on where you choose to live during term time) is available without any means-testing. The remaining percentage of your maintenance loan will be means-tested based on your household income. This will be your parents’ or guardians' income if you’re under 25 and depend on them financially, or your income if you are over 25 or an estranged student. If you are living with your partner then their income may also be included. For the 2025/26 academic year, the 2023/2024 tax-year income will be used.

• Up to £10,554 in total will be available if you are living away from home and outside London.
• Up to £8,877 in total will be available if you are living at home.

For further details, visit the gov.uk website. You can also use the student finance calculator to estimate your Maintenance Loan.

In early 2025, you should apply for your funding online via the gov.uk student finance page. You should ensure that you apply to the relevant SLC agency for the area in which you normally reside.

To ensure that the first instalment of your funding enters your account at the start of the academic year, you must apply by late May in the case of new students and late June in the case of continuing students. Please check the SFE Facebook page to confirm the exact deadline dates.

To receive all the money you are entitled to and at the earliest opportunity, it's really important that you supply all the evidence requested by the relevant deadlines and give consent to share your financial details with the University. This will enable us to determine your eligibility for a Chamberlain Award.

You’ll usually only be entitled to receive student finance if you’re doing your first higher education qualification, even if your previous course was self-funded or you studied abroad. There are some exceptions to this rule, with certain subject areas permitting limited access to funding for a second degree. You can learn more on the government website.

From the date you take out loan(s) you will be charged interest at the rate of inflation (RPI). 

For further information about interest rates on student loans, please visit the repayment web pages on the gov.uk website.

If you start an undergraduate course after 1 August 2023, you will likely be on repayment plan 5. Students on plan 5 will not start repaying their student loan until April 2026 at the earliest. 

The earliest you’ll start repaying is the April after you leave your course, or the April 4 years after the course started if you’re studying part-time and your course is longer than 4 years.

You’ll only start making repayments if your income is over the repayment threshold, which for Plan 5 is £25,000 (or £2,083 a month). You’ll repay 9% of your income over the repayment threshold.

The example given on the government website is as follows: 

Your annual income is £28,000 and you are paid a regularly monthly wage. This means that each month your income is £2,333 (£28,000 divided by 12). This is over the Plan 5 monthly threshold of £2,083. 

Your income is £250 over the threshold (£2,333 minus £2,083). You will pay back approximately £22 (9% of £250) each month. 

If your income falls below the repayment threshold, repayments will automatically stop until you begin earning over the threshold again. You can also make additional voluntary payment to the Student Loans Company (SLC) at any time.

Unless you are self employed, repayment are deducted automatically from your pay through the tax system (PAYE). If you have not paid off your loan after 40 years (repayment plan 5), outstanding repayments will be written off. For further information on the repayment process, please visit the repayment web pages on the gov.uk website.

If you live in Wales a tuition fee loan is available which will be paid directly to your university or college. Maintenance support is available for living costs. Welsh maintenance support has both a loan and grant aspect. Students from lower-income backgrounds will be given a higher proportion of grant than loan. Please visit Student Finance Wales for more information.

If you live in Northern Ireland a tuition fee loan will be available for full-time Northern Irish students studying in the rest of the UK. Loans and grants for living costs will also be available. Please visit Student Finance NI for more information.

If you live in Scotland a tuition fee loan will be available. Bursaries and loans may also be available to cover your living costs; for full details please visit the SAAS website.

EU students who started their studies in 2021/22 or later are not eligible for SLC funding unless they have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme. Irish citizens do not need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme. Please visit the government website for more details.

If you are an international student, you will not be eligible for any financial assistance from the UK government. You will need to contact your home country to determine if there is any financial support available. Additionally, please visit our international fees and funding web page for further information about the scholarships offered by the University.