England 2016/17 - grants and loans

Loans

1st cycle and short-cycle full-time: 2016/17 entrants do not receive a need-based grant but may obtain a higher level of loan for living costs. The maximum for students living in the family home is GBP 6 904. For students living away from home the maximum is GBP 8 200 outside London and GBP 10 702 in London. The loan repayment is income-contingent and set at 9 % of earnings above the threshold of GBP 21 000; interest rates are Retail Price Index plus 3 %. Special support grants are available for students who have dependent children or who have certain disabilities. Many institutions also offer other bursaries and scholarships aimed at students from under- represented groups.

Continuing 1st cycle full-time students who entered prior to 2016/17 may still apply for a maintenance grant of up to GBP 3 387 plus a lower level of maintenance loan. The grant awarded depends on household income. In 2014/15, 57.5 % of applicants eligible for support (grant and/or loan) were awarded either a full (42.8%) or partial (14.7%) grant.

1st cycle part-time: students studying a course of at least 25 % intensity, or in short cycle programmes, can apply for a loan to cover the tuition fee, which may be repaid after graduation. Loans for living costs are not available.

2nd cycle postgraduate taught: from 2016/17, a loan of up to GBP 10 000 is available for postgraduate Masters study. The same amount is provided for one year or for longer master programmes. 2nd cycle postgraduate non- taught – individual institutions can provide a merit based grant, which tends to follow the minimum stipend recommended by Research Councils UK, GBP 14 296 for 2016/17.