Student finance, explained
Planning for a January 2027 start.
Student finance can help with tuition fees and living costs. This guide explains the new system for people whose course starts on or after 1 January 2027 and whose home is normally in England.
The two main loans
What the funding is for.
Paid to your provider
Tuition Fee Loan
This helps pay the course fee charged by your university, college or training provider. Student Finance England pays it directly to the provider, not into your bank account.
- The amount depends on your credits, course fee and provider.
- The current maximum is £9,790 for every 120 credits.
- It may not cover every fee charged by every provider.
Paid to you
Maintenance Loan
This helps with living costs such as rent, travel, food and study materials. It is normally paid into your bank account after your provider confirms that you have registered.
- The amount can depend on household income and where you live.
- It is normally available only when you attend in person.
- It may not cover all of your actual living costs.
A new system
What changes from January 2027.
Most eligible courses starting from 1 January 2027 use the Lifelong Learning Entitlement, usually shortened to LLE. It makes funding credit-based and can be used across eligible study over time.
Official LLE overviewThese are current government figures for courses starting from January 2027. Maximums are not promises: actual entitlement can be lower, and rates and rules may change.
Who may qualify
Finance eligibility is a separate check.
Meeting a course’s referral criteria does not automatically mean that you qualify for student finance. These are some of the main factors Student Finance England considers.
Your course and credits
The qualification must be eligible and you will normally need to study between 30 and 180 credits in a course year.
The education provider
The university, college or training provider must meet the relevant registration requirements.
Previous study
Funding you have already received can reduce the Tuition Fee Loan amount you have left under the new system.
Residency and nationality
Your status and where you have lived can affect whether you receive full support, tuition-fee-only support or neither.
Your age
Age can affect the type of support available. Different rules may apply to tuition and living-cost support.
How and where you study
Maintenance support can depend on in-person attendance, study intensity, household income and where you live while studying.
Nationality and residency rules have several exceptions. Use the government checker rather than relying on a short summary.
Repaying the loan
Repayments depend on earnings.
For courses starting from January 2027, the government says LLE loans use Plan 5 terms. You repay 9% of earnings above £25,000 a year—not 9% of everything you earn and not a fixed percentage of the total balance.
Try an income
Estimate a Plan 5 repayment
£900 across a full year
Uses the current £25,000 threshold and 9% rate for January 2027 LLE loans. Actual payroll deductions use each pay period and can differ.
How to apply
Prepare early, then apply online.
The government says applications for eligible January 2027 courses open in September 2026. You can apply without a confirmed university offer.
Official application guidanceConfirm the exact course
Check the provider, qualification, start date, yearly credit load, tuition fee and whether the course is eligible for funding.
Create your LLE account
Even if you already have a Student Finance England account, the government says you will need a new account for LLE funding.
Complete the application
You do not need a confirmed offer before applying. Use the course you are most likely to study and update details if they change.
Supply supporting information
Student Finance England may need identity, residency or household-income information before it can assess your application.
Reapply for each course year
If your course lasts longer than one year, you will normally make a new funding application for each year you want support.
Other support
Loans may not be the whole picture.
Depending on your circumstances and course, extra help may include Disabled Students’ Allowance, childcare support, Parents’ Learning Allowance, Adult Dependants’ Grant, NHS funding, bursaries, scholarships or a provider hardship fund.
Always check the source
Use GOV.UK for the final answer.
Student finance rules can change and individual cases can be complex. Novect provides general information only. Student Finance England decides eligibility, entitlement and payment.
Explore your route
Start with the course, then confirm the funding.
Browse the available subject areas or answer a short series of questions to begin the conversation.