Find out about maintenance and tuition fee loans including details about eligibility, how to apply and what to do if your situation changes.

Your eligibility for a loan depends on a range of factors, and the application process may also vary depending on where you live. We refer mainly to Student Finance England, as most UK University of Leeds students are English, but you will find links on this page for all four UK student finance bodies.

Get full information about student loans from the national student finance body which applies to you:

Eligibility

Several factors are taken into account when assessing your eligibility. These include:

  • where you live
  • your university or college
  • your course
  • whether you've studied before
  • your age
  • your household income

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 do not qualify for student loans. The full eligibility criteria are available from Student Finance England.

If you or your sponsors (usually your parents) feel that you have been incorrectly assessed you can ask Student Finance England for a reassessment.

How to apply

You can register and apply online at the website most relevant to you from the following list:

Once you have applied and been assessed you will receive a declaration form in the post. Sign and return the form to receive your funding.

When to apply

You can apply using your first choices. If your details change then you can change these online. The latest date you can apply is nine months after the start of the academic year (which begins 1 September at Leeds).

Registering a change of details

At any point in the academic year you can log into your Student Finance account to:

  • change your course
  • change your university or college
  • change your personal details
  • increase your tuition fee loan or maintenance loan amount

Up to 1 September you can log into your Student Finance account to change your course details or your tuition fee loan amount. Even if you applied for Student Finance on paper, you can still change your details online. You do not have to wait for your initial application to be processed. You will need to use the login details Student Finance England sent you.

Change of financial situation

If your financial situation changes, for example if your parent loses their job, they could be reassessed by your national student finance body.

Resits

If you have to resit an exam or resubmit coursework and as part of that process you are officially allowed to attend teaching and all other associated elements of that course module then you are known as an 'internal student'. As an internal student, if you are having problems getting a student loan, a member of the funding team can investigate on your behalf if you email them at funding@leeds.ac.uk. For them to do so, you will need to set up a password with 

If you have to resit an exam or resubmit coursework and are not attending the University for teaching or for any other aspect of that module then you are known as an External Student. You are not eligible for a Student Loan if you are an External Student.