Financial support for further and higher education

Student finance generally describes the government-backed loans you can get to cover tuition fees and living costs.

If you’re looking for information on these loans, visit UCAS:

• Student finance in EnglandOpens in a new window
• Student finance in ScotlandOpens in a new window
• Student finance in WalesOpens in a new window
• Student finance in Northern IrelandOpens in a new window

But you might also qualify for extra financial support while you study, such as grants, bursaries, funds or other loans.

The support you can get usually depends on where you live, not where you study. For example, if you live in England but study in Scotland, you should check the support available in England.

You can see what support or additional funding is available in the nation where you normally live using the sections in this guide.

If you’re not sure which student finance system applies to you, ask your college or university for help.

Rules and deadlines vary, so check what you’re entitled to and apply as early as you can.

From late October 2026, students in England can apply for Lifelong learning entitlement (LLE) funding for courses and modules starting from January 2027 onwards.

The LLE gives you a flexible loan allowance worth up to £39,160 to study full qualifications or individual modules at college or university.

The loans need to be repaid, but you can use your LLE allowance throughout your life – from age 18 to 60.

If you’re currently studying a course that starts before 1 January 2027, you’ll stay under the old student finance rules.

But if you’re a new or returning student, you’ll need to apply for LLE funding to study:

• most undergraduate courses
• some postgraduate-level qualifications (such as PGCEs and integrated masters)
• some further education courses previously funded by Advanced Learner Loans.

You’ll have to apply separately for each course or module you want to be funded by your LLE allowance.

For more information, see Student finance: how to apply for courses starting in 2027Opens in a new window on GOV.UK.

The benefits you might be able to claim if you’re in further education depends on if you’re studying full-time or part-time, but it’s worth checking if you’re eligible for extra money to support you while studying.

Your college or university will have a student support service, get in touch with them to see if there’s any extra help available. You might be able to claim a grant or get help with applying for funding or benefits.

You might qualify for additional student finance to help cover things like living expenses, learning costs and travel.

Unlike other student loans, some of this money does not need to be paid back, including:

• Childcare GrantOpens in a new window
• Parents’ Learning AllowanceOpens in a new window

Discover all the support available for parents throughout the UK in our guide Grants and benefits if you’re studying and have a baby.

If another adult depends on you financially, you could get up to £3,545 a year (2026/27) with an Adult Dependants’ Grant to support your undergraduate study.

You do not need to pay this back unless you change or leave your course, but it does affect any income-related benefits you get.

Find out if you’re eligible for an Adult Dependants’ GrantOpens in a new window on GOV.UK.

If you have a disability, mental or physical health problem or learning difficulty like dyslexia, you could be eligible for the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA).

As an undergraduate or postgraduate student, you can get up to £27,783 a year (2026/27) to cover your study-related costs, such as:

• specialist equipment, like a computer
• non-medical helpers, such as a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter
• printing costs.

This extra support is based on your needs rather than your household income and does not have to be paid back.

You can check eligibility and apply for the Disabled Students’ AllowanceOpens in a new window on GOV.UK or find out more in our guide Support to help you study when ill or disabled.

If you have no contact with your parents and support yourself financially, you could be eligible for extra help.

If you’re under 25 when your course starts, you’re usually classed as a ‘dependant’ student. This means you need to give details of your parents’ income, so your student loan can be worked out.

If you cannot give these details, for example because you do not have a relationship with your parents, you’ll usually only get the minimum amount of support.

But you might be able to apply to study as an independent student instead. This way, your application for student finance will be based on your own income, not theirs, so you may get more funding.

See if you qualify for finance for independent studentsOpens in a new window on the UCAS website.

You might be able to get help with more than just your course costs, such as day-to-day living costs and childcare. There are different types of financial support available, depending on your circumstances. This includes help with course fees, living costs, childcare, disability-related costs or emergency financial support.

The different types of help include:

• student loans to help pay tuition fees or living costs
• bursaries and grants, which usually don’t have to be repaid
• childcare support if you’re studying and have children
• hardship funds if you’re experiencing financial difficulties during your course
• disability support to help with the additional costs of studying if you have a disability or long-term health condition.

An Advanced Learner Loan helps eligible adult learners pay the tuition fees for certain further education courses in England. It’s designed to make it easier for people to gain new qualifications or develop their skills without paying course fees upfront.

You’re eligible for an Advanced Learner Loan to help paying course fees if you’re:

• age 19 or over on the first day of your course
• studying a Level 3, 4, 5 or 6 qualifications, such as A levels
• studying at an approved college or training provider in England.

If you’re studying a Level 3 course, you may be able to get a grant from the Adult Skills Fund (ASF)Opens in a new window instead. You do not need to repay an ASF grant, so ask your college or training provider about grants before applying for a loan.

The minimum Advanced Learner Loan is £300. You can borrow the full cost of your course or pay some of it yourself.

You can:

• take up to 4 loans in total (up to 8 loans if you’re studying A levels)
• have more than one loan at the same time.

If you’re studying an Access to Higher Education course, you can only take out one loan.

If your course starts on or after 1 January 2027, Advanced Learner Loans for Level 4, 5 and 6 courses are being replaced by the Lifelong learning entitlement (LLE). You can still apply for funding, but you’ll need to apply through the LLE instead.

If you’re not sure which type of student finance you need, ask your college or training provider before you apply.

Find out more about applying for the Lifelong learning entitlementOpens in a new window at GOV.UK.

If you started your course on or after 1 August 2023, you’ll be on Repayment Plan 5.

This means you don’t have to pay any of your loan back until you’ve started earning over £25,000 a year. Repayments are set at 9% of your income above the minimum of £25,000 a year (£2083 a month or £480 a week).

During your course and up to the April after you leave, you’ll be charged interest at the Retail Price Index (RPI). This is currently 4.1%. After that, interest is linked to your earnings. Payments will stop if you earn below the repayment threshold for that pay period.

If you leave or change course after 2 weeks or more, you’ll have to repay any money that was paid to your college or training provider.

Any outstanding balance is automatically written off 40 years after your scheduled qualification end date.

If you use your loan to complete an Access to Higher Education course, the balance is written off once you go on to complete a higher education qualification. But any repayments you’ve made will not be refunded.

Find out more about eligibility and how to apply for Advanced Learner LoansOpens in a new window on GOV.UK.

To qualify, you must be studying on a course funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency and be:

• 19 or over (20 or over to get funding for childcare costs)
• studying for a qualification at Level 3 or below
• in financial hardship – your learning provider might ask for proof that you’re on a low income.

You can check with your provider to see if you can access Learner Support for your course. Your college might have additional requirements such as maintaining attendance rate. You can check this by searching on your college website or calling them.

You do not qualify for Learner Support if you’re already getting student finance, such as a student loan, or are on a Community Learning course. If you have an Advanced Learner Loan, you might be able to get assistance from your provider through the Advanced Learner Loans Bursary Fund.

If your application is approved, this can help you pay for things like childcare and equipment.

Learn more about how to apply for the Bursary FundOpens in a new window on GOV.UK.

The amount you get varies depending on your course. Your course provider will be able to tell you how much you could get. It might help towards your travel costs or childcare, for example.

You need to be 20 years old to get help with childcare costs – if you’re 19 or under you might qualify for a Care to Learn grant for help with childcare costs (see below). You apply for Learner Support through your course provider.

The money can then be:

• paid directly to you, so you won’t need to pay it back, or
• loaned to you, which means you will have to pay it back, depending on the purpose.

Find out more about receiving Learner SupportOpens in a new window on GOV.UK 

Care to Learn gives you financial help with childcare costs while you’re studying.

To qualify, you need to:

• be aged under 20 years old when your course starts
• be living and studying in England
• using a childcare provider that’s registered with Ofsted, which can be a childminder, preschool group, day nursery or an out of school club.

Full eligibility detailsOpens in a new window are on GOV.UK.

In 2026/27, you’ll get a maximum of £180 per child per week if you live outside London, and £195 if you live in London.

For more information and details of what else is available if you have a baby, read our guide Grants and benefits if you’re studying and have a baby.

There are funding options available for use in exceptional circumstances to help you pay for term-time accommodation costs, if:

• your course is far away from your home, and
• you cannot study the same or a similar Level 2 or Level 3 course locally.

The Residential Bursary Fund might help if you’re studying at a specialist institution, like one specialising in animal management. For other cases, the Residential Support Scheme might help if a course is not available locally to you.

To qualify for either you’ll need to be aged 16 to 18 years old on 31 August 2026 for the 2026/27 academic year and meet residency criteria. Your college can check this for you.

If you’re 19 years old you might still qualify, but you need to:

• be continuing a course you started when you were aged 16 to 18 years old, or
• have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

To qualify for the Residential Bursary Fund, you also need to be:

• at a specialist institution that’s too far to travel to every day
• studying full time.

The amount you get paid will depend on your household income.

Find out more about the Residential Bursary FundOpens in a new window on GOV.UK.

To qualify for funding from the Residential Support Scheme you must also be:

• not receiving housing benefit
• in a household with an income below £30,993
• be studying for your first Level 2 or 3 qualification – A level, diploma or national vocation qualification
• on a full-time course in England that’s funded by the government, is not available locally to you and is more than either 15 miles or a 2-hour round trip from your home.

The amount you get varies on your household income and where you’re studying.

Find out more about the Residential Bursary Fund or Residential Support SchemeOpens in a new window on GOV.UK.

To apply, you must show ‘talent and a likelihood to succeed in the industry’ and be:

• age 16 to 23 (for dance) or 18 to 23 (for acting) at the start of the academic year
• studying a Trinity College London Diploma course, and
• attending a dance and drama school who offer DaDA funding to new students.

Qualifying courses are:

• Level 6 Diploma in Professional Acting (3 years)
• Level 5 Diploma in Professional Acting (1 year)
• Level 5 Diploma in Professional Dance (Classical Ballet or Contemporary Dance) (2 years)
• Level 6 Diploma in Professional Dance (3 years)
• Level 6 Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre (3 years).

Apply directly to the school you want to go to and tell them you want to apply for DaDA funding.

The amount you get varies depending on your household income.

Find out how to apply and the list of schools offering Dance and Drama Award fundingOpens in a new window on GOV.UK.

This is money you do not have to pay back and can be used for things like books and transport.

To qualify for this bursary you need to:

• have been aged 16 and under 19 on 31 August 2026 for the 2026/27 academic year
• be at a school or publicly funded college in England, not a university
• be on a training course or unpaid work experience
• be studying full time.

If you’re over 19, you need to be continuing a course you started when you were aged 16-18, or have an education, health and care plan (EHCP).

The funding is either given as a bursary for those in defined vulnerable groups or as a discretionary bursary. A vulnerable bursary is paid at a maximum of £1,200 for students who:

• have recently left local authority care, or
• are financially supporting themselves and in receipt of specific benefits.

Find eligibility details for the 16 to 19 Bursary FundOpens in a new window on GOV.UK, or check your course provider’s site for the discretionary bursary.

In addition to funding for your tuition fees and living costs through your college or Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS), extra financial support is available if you’re:

• a care-experiencedOpens in a new window student
• a student with a disability or additional support needsOpens in a new window
• a parent needing help with childcareOpens in a new window
• a student with an adult dependantOpens in a new window
• in financial hardship (discretionary funding, also called hardship or emergency fundsOpens in a new window).

Exactly what’s available depends on whether you’re studying Further education (FE) or Higher education (HE).

If you’re studying a course below HNC or HND level (SCQF Level 6 and below), support is normally provided through your college.

Depending on your circumstances, you might be able to get:

• a bursary for living costs
• help with study expenses
• travel costs
• childcare support
• hardship funding
• extra support if you have a disability or additional learning needs.

Check the Student Information Scotland websiteOpens in a new window and speak to your college funding team.

If you’re studying at Higher Education level (SCQF Level 7 and above), including HNC and HND, you can apply for funding through SAAS.

Depending on your circumstances, you might be able to get:

• tuition fee support
• student loans
• bursaries
• grants
• Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA), if you have a disability or additional learning needs.

Find the full list of all the HE support available in ScotlandOpens in a new window on the SAAS website.

There are lots of different loans and grants you can access to help you fund your studies if you live in Wales. 

Find out if you qualify and how to applyOpens in a new window on the Student Finance Wales wesite:

• Childcare Grant
• Parents’ Learning Allowance
• Adult Dependants’ Grant
• Disabled Students Allowance
• Travel Grant
• Special Support
• Healthcare, medicine, dentistry and social work student bursaries.

To qualify for EMA, you need to:

• have been age 16, 17 or 18 on 31 August 2026
• be studying an eligible course up to Level 3, such as GCSEs or A levels
• be attending a participating school or college, and
• be a UK or Irish citizen (or have settled status), have lived in the UK for last 3 years and will live in Wales when your course starts.

EMA pays up to £80 every 2 weeks (2026/27).

How much you get depends on your household income. You qualify if your household income is:

• below £24,570 for households with one child in full-time education
• under £27,273 for households with more than one child in full-time education.

Find more details on how to apply for Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) in WalesOpens in a new window on Student Finance Wales.

This grant is for students from families on low incomes. To qualify you must be:

• age 19 or over
• be studying an eligible course at a participating college
• be studying a course that lasts at least 275 hours
• getting a qualification up to Level 3 – including GCSE, A and AS levels, BTEC, GNVQs, NVQs or Basic Skills.

The grant, which does not need to be paid back, is up to £1,919 for full-time students and up to £959 for part-time students in 2026/27. The exact amount depends on your household income.

Find more information on how to apply for a Welsh Government Learning GrantOpens in a new window on Student Finance Wales.

If you’re facing difficulties or hardship, your college might be able to give you a grant or loan to help you access or remain in further or higher education.

The Welsh Government allocates FCFs to colleges in Wales in the form of grants or loans, and can be used for things like childcare, transport costs or course equipment.

Eligibility varies from college to college, but often it’s for students with children and lone parents, care leavers or those on a low income living in poorer areas. Speak to your college for more information.

You’ll qualify for EMA if you’re taking an eligible course and your household income is:

• below £20,500 for households with one child in full-time education, or
• under £22,500, for households with more than one child in full-time education.

EMA pays up to £60 every two weeks to students aged 16-19.

Find more details on how to apply for Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) in Northern IrelandOpens in a new window on nidirect.

The Education Authority has a limited budget for funding students on approved courses up to Level 3. You might be eligible if you’re age 19 or over and are required to pay fees but you need help to pay them.

It’s a grant so does not need to be paid back.

In 2026/27, you might be able to get a grant of up to:

• £2,092 if you’re living away from home, or
• £1,674 if you’re living in your parent’s home.

How much you’re given will depend on your household income.

You’ll get your grant in 3 instalments, one at the start of each term. Your attendance might be monitored and could affect your grant.

Find out more about Further Education Support in Northern IrelandOpens in a new window on Education Authority.

Care to learn is a grant for help with childcare costs. It does not have to be paid back.

You need to be:

• age 16 to 19 at the start of your course
• studying at a further education college
• the main carer of your child or children.

Read more about Care to Learn in Northern IrelandOpens in a new window on nidirect.

Every college in Northern Ireland has a Hardship fund. This for the students with financial problems. The exact criteria for eligibility varies from college to college.

There’s a list of further education collegesOpens in a new window on nidirect.