How Much Student Loan Can You Get? — Maximum Amounts 2026/27

Overview of Student Loan Funding

The UK student finance system provides funding through two main channels for undergraduates: tuition fee loans and maintenance loans. For postgraduates, there are separate Master's Loans and Doctoral Loans. Understanding the maximum amounts available, the factors that affect how much you receive, and how household income influences your entitlement is essential for planning your finances before and during university.

This guide covers funding administered by Student Finance England (SFE) for students domiciled in England. Students in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different funding bodies and slightly different entitlements — SAAS for Scotland, Student Finance Wales and Student Finance NI respectively. While the broad structure is similar, the specific figures and thresholds differ, so always check with your home nation's funding body.

Tuition Fee Loan — Maximum £9,790 Per Year

The tuition fee loan covers the cost of your course fees. For full-time undergraduate students at approved institutions in England, the maximum tuition fee loan for 2026/27 is £9,790 per year. This figure was frozen at £9,250 from 2017/18 to 2024/25, before increasing to £9,535 in 2025/26 and £9,790 from 2026/27.

Key points about the tuition fee loan:

• The fee loan is paid directly to your university, not to you. You will never see this money in your bank account.
• The amount you borrow matches your course fee. If your university charges less than £9,790 (some foundation years or specific courses at certain institutions charge less), you borrow only what is needed.
• The fee loan is available to all eligible students regardless of household income. There is no means-testing for tuition fee loans.
• For courses longer than a standard academic year (such as four-year integrated master's degrees or courses with a placement year), you receive the fee loan for each year of study, although the amount for the placement year is typically reduced.

Private institutions may charge different fees — some charge less than £9,790, while others charge more but you can only borrow up to the maximum of £9,790, with the student paying the excess themselves.

Maintenance Loan — How Much Can You Get?

The maintenance loan is designed to help with living costs — accommodation, food, travel, books and general expenses. Unlike the tuition fee loan, the maintenance loan is paid directly into your bank account in three instalments (one at the start of each term). The maximum amount depends on three factors: where you live while studying, whether you are in your final year, and your household income.

Maximum Maintenance Loan by Living Situation (2026/27)

The following are the maximum rates for full-time students who are not in their final year:

• Living at home: up to approximately £8,610 per year.
• Living away from home, outside London: up to approximately £10,227 per year.
• Living away from home, in London: up to approximately £13,348 per year.
• Studying overseas (e.g. on an Erasmus or study-abroad year): up to approximately £11,832 per year.

Final-year students receive a slightly lower maximum because the final year is usually shorter (ending around May/June rather than June/July). The reduction is typically a few hundred pounds.

How Household Income Affects Your Maintenance Loan

The maintenance loan is partially means-tested. Every student is entitled to a minimum base amount regardless of household income — this is approximately 56% of the maximum rate. The remaining portion is income-assessed, meaning it reduces as household income increases.

Household income refers to the combined gross income of your parents (or your partner, if you are 25 or over, married, or in a civil partnership). The thresholds work as follows:

• Household income up to £25,000: you receive the full maximum maintenance loan.
• Household income £25,001 to approximately £62,000–£70,000: the maintenance loan is reduced on a sliding scale. For every additional £1,000 of household income above £25,000, the loan is reduced by a set amount (the so-called taper).
• Household income above approximately £62,000–£70,000: you receive the minimum maintenance loan (the non-means-tested portion).

For a student living away from home outside London with a household income of £45,000, the maintenance loan would be somewhere between the minimum (around £5,700) and the maximum (£10,227). The exact figure is calculated by SFE during the application process. Students from lower-income households therefore receive significantly more funding than those from higher-income families.

An important note: the maintenance loan maximum has not kept pace with rising living costs, particularly in expensive cities. Many students find that even the full maintenance loan does not cover their accommodation and living expenses, requiring them to rely on part-time work, savings or family support to make up the shortfall.

Part-Time Students

Part-time students studying at 25% or more intensity of the equivalent full-time course are eligible for a tuition fee loan. The maximum tuition fee loan for part-time students is £6,935 per year for 2026/27 — lower than the full-time maximum of £9,790. Part-time students are also eligible for a maintenance loan, with the amount calculated based on course intensity (the proportion of the equivalent full-time course they study in a year).

For example, a part-time student studying at 50% intensity would be eligible for approximately 50% of the equivalent full-time maintenance loan. The exact calculation is performed by SFE and depends on the specifics of the course. Part-time students should apply early and confirm their course intensity with their university to ensure their application is processed correctly.

Postgraduate Amounts

Master's Loan — Up to £13,206

Postgraduate students studying a taught or research Master's degree in England can apply for a Master's Loan of up to £13,206 for courses starting in 2026/27. This is a contribution towards fees and living costs — it is not designed to cover the full cost of a Master's programme, particularly at institutions with fees exceeding £10,000.

Key features of the Master's Loan:

• Available for one-year or two-year Master's courses. For two-year courses, the total is split across both years.
• The loan is paid in three instalments per year — 33% at the start of each term — directly into the student's bank account (not to the university).
• There is no separate tuition fee loan for postgraduate study. The Master's Loan is a single, all-in amount.
• The Master's Loan is available regardless of household income — it is not means-tested.
• Interest is charged at RPI + 3% (approximately 6.2% in 2026/27) from the point of first payment.
• Repayment is at 6% of income above £21,000, with a 30-year write-off.

Doctoral Loan — Up to £31,122

Students studying for a PhD or other doctoral qualification can apply for a Doctoral Loan of up to £31,122, paid over the duration of the programme (typically three to four years). Like the Master's Loan, this is a contribution loan — many PhD students receive stipends or other funding that covers the majority of their costs, and the Doctoral Loan provides additional support.

The Doctoral Loan has the same repayment terms as the Master's Loan: 6% of income above £21,000, RPI + 3% interest, and a 30-year write-off period. Students can hold a Doctoral Loan alongside an existing undergraduate loan and/or Master's Loan. For more on how PhD students are affected, see our guide on student loans during a PhD.

Additional Support and Grants

Beyond the standard tuition fee and maintenance loans, additional support is available for students in specific circumstances:

Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA)

DSA provides extra funding for students with disabilities, long-term health conditions, mental health conditions or specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia. DSA is not a loan — it does not need to be repaid. The amount depends on individual needs and can cover specialist equipment, non-medical helpers (such as note-takers or mentors), travel costs and other support. DSA is available alongside standard student loans and does not reduce your loan entitlement.

Childcare Grant

Full-time students with dependent children may be eligible for a Childcare Grant of up to approximately £190 per week for one child or £326 per week for two or more children. This is income-assessed and is a grant, not a loan — no repayment is required.

Parents' Learning Allowance

A means-tested grant of up to approximately £1,963 per year for full-time students who have dependent children. This helps with course-related costs and is also a grant rather than a loan.

Adult Dependants' Grant

Students who financially support an adult dependant (such as a partner who is not employed) may receive up to approximately £3,438 per year. This is income-assessed and non-repayable.

NHS and Social Work Bursaries

Students on certain healthcare courses (nursing, midwifery, allied health professions) may be eligible for NHS Learning Support Fund payments of at least £5,000 per year, which are non-repayable. Social work students on postgraduate courses may receive an NHS Social Work Bursary. These are separate from and in addition to standard student loans, though eligibility criteria vary and change year to year.

How Total Borrowing Adds Up Over a Degree

To understand the full picture, let us calculate total borrowing for a few typical scenarios:

Scenario 1: Three-Year Degree, Living Away From Home Outside London, Low Household Income

Tuition fee loan: £9,790 × 3 = £29,370. Maintenance loan (maximum): £10,227 × 3 = £30,681. Total borrowed: approximately £60,051 before interest. By graduation, with interest accrued during study at around 6.2%, the balance might be £64,000 to £67,000. This is a common starting point for Plan 2 borrowers from lower-income backgrounds.

Scenario 2: Three-Year Degree, Living in London, Mid-Range Household Income (£45,000)

Tuition fee loan: £9,790 × 3 = £29,370. Maintenance loan (reduced): approximately £9,500 × 3 = £28,500. Total borrowed: approximately £57,870. With interest, the graduation balance might be around £62,000.

Scenario 3: Four-Year Degree with Placement Year, Living at Home, High Household Income

Tuition fee loan: £9,790 × 3 + £1,960 (reduced fee year) = £31,330. Maintenance loan (minimum): approximately £5,000 × 4 = £20,000. Total borrowed: approximately £51,330. With interest, graduation balance around £55,000 to £57,000.

These scenarios illustrate that total borrowing for a standard undergraduate degree in England typically falls between £45,000 and £65,000, with the exact amount depending on course length, living situation and household income. You can model repayments on any of these amounts using our student loan repayment calculator.

What Happens After You Borrow?

Once you graduate (or leave your course), repayments begin in the April following graduation. The amount you repay depends on your income, not on your balance. For Plan 2 borrowers (courses starting 2012–2023), you repay 9% of income above £29,385 per year over 30 years. For Plan 5 borrowers (courses from September 2023), you repay 9% above £25,000 over 40 years with interest capped at RPI only.

Interest begins accruing from the day your first loan payment is made, so the amount you ultimately owe at graduation is always more than the sum you borrowed. For a complete explanation of how interest compounds on your balance, see our guide on how student loan interest is calculated. To check your current outstanding amount, see how to check your student loan balance.

Tips for Maximising Your Funding

First, always apply for the full maintenance loan you are entitled to, even if you do not think you will need it all. The interest rate on a student loan is lower than most commercial borrowing, and for the majority of graduates the loan functions as a graduate tax rather than a true debt (since any unpaid balance is written off). Having extra cash available during term is safer than running short and turning to higher-interest credit.

Second, check whether you are eligible for any grants or bursaries offered by your university. Many institutions offer means-tested bursaries of £500 to £3,000 per year that do not need to be repaid. These are separate from the SFE system and are applied for through your university directly.

Third, apply early. Student finance applications for the 2026/27 academic year typically open in February or March. Applying early ensures your funding is in place by the start of term. Late applications can result in delayed payments, leaving you without your maintenance loan for the first few weeks of term. For teachers specifically, understanding how repayments interact with salary scales is covered in our guide on student loan repayments for teachers.