Student loans
Find out what support is available through student loans to help fund your time at university.
Tuition fee loans
If you are an eligible UK undergraduate student (whether full-time or part-time), you will be able to get a loan from the government to cover the full amount of your tuition fees. You can apply for a tuition fee loan regardless of what your household income is.
If you take out this loan, the Student Loans Company will pay your tuition fees directly to the University each year.
The tuition fee loan is repayable. However, you will not have to start paying it back until after you graduate or leave your course and, only then, if your income is over the repayment threshold. Find out more about repaying student loans.
Eligibility: full-time students
Your eligibility for a loan depends on a range of factors. Check if you are eligible for a tuition fee loan.
Please note that students on a Degree Apprenticeship programme continue to receive a salary from their employer and have their fees paid directly to the University, so they do not qualify for student loans.
Read more about tuition fee loans for full-time students on the GOV.UK website.
Eligibility: part-time students
If you are a part-time student, you may be eligible for a loan, depending on your nationality or residency status. Check if you are eligible for a tuition fee loan.
You will need to register on a Higher Education course lasting for at least one year, such as a:
- degree
- foundation degree
- Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)
- Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE).
You will also need to be studying at least 30 credits a year (25% of a full-time course).
You may not be eligible if you have already studied on a higher education course.
Read more about tuition fee loans for part-time students on the GOV.UK website.
Maintenance loans
You may be eligible to apply for a maintenance loan to help with your day-to-day living costs at university.
If you take out this loan, the Student Loans Company will pay your maintenance loan directly to you in instalments, usually at the start of each term.
The maintenance loan is repayable. However, you will not have to start paying it back until after you graduate or leave your course and, only then, if your income is over the repayment threshold. Find out more about repaying student loans.
Eligibility: full-time students
Your eligibility for a maintenance loan depends on a range of factors. Check if you are eligible for a maintenance loan.
Read more about maintenance loans for full-time students on the GOV.UK website.
Eligibility: part-time students
To qualify for a part-time maintenance loan, you must meet all of the eligibility criteria and be studying on an eligible part-time course at Leeds.
Eligible courses
Eligible courses are courses leading to a degree level (Level 6) qualification, such as a:
- bachelor’s degree (with or without honours)
- foundation degree
- Certificate of Higher Education in healthcare.
Non-eligible courses
The following part-time courses do not meet the course eligibility criteria:
- Foundation Degree Child and Family Studies
- Foundation Degree Learning and Teaching
- Foundation Degree Learning and Teaching (Special Educational Needs and Disability)
- Certification of Higher Education (CertHE) Arabic, Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies
- Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE) Business Management
Read more about maintenance loans for part-time students on the GOV.UK website.
How to apply for student loans
You can register and apply for tuition fee and maintenance loans at the website most relevant to you from the following list:
- Student Finance England
- Student Finance Wales
- Student Finance Northern Ireland
- Student Awards Agency for Scotland
If you are a part-time student, you will need to know your tuition fee charge for the coming year. Part-time fees are charged proportionally to the full-time fee of £9,250 (120 credits).
You can apply for student finance using the details of your first choice university. If any of your details change, including the University you are attending or the course you are studying, you can update your student loan application online.
Remember to apply for student finance in plenty of time to make sure your funding is in place at the start of your course.
Once you have applied and been assessed, the relevant student finance awarding body will confirm the amount of funding you will receive.
If you are having difficulty applying for your funding, please email the Funding team via funding@leeds.ac.uk.
Sharia law and student loans
Islamic Sharia law prohibits 'Riba' – the paying and receiving of interest for profit. Sometimes the inflation-only interest that is paid on student loans is seen as Riba (although not all Islamic scholars share this view). Explore more information about student loans and Sharia Law.
Independent advice
For independent advice about student loans, see the following websites:
- Leeds University Union's Student Advice Centre.
- MoneySavingExpert.com’s student finance pages.
- UK Government's student finance calculator.