Loans and Grants - Part-time undergraduate (UK and EU students)

Part-time undergraduate students: may be able to get a loan if their part-time course has a course intensity of 25% or more. ‘Course intensity’ measures how much of your course you complete each year compared to an equivalent full-time course. You’ll be asked how many credits you’ll study when you apply for the loan.

UK and EU students are entitled to

  • Fee Loan - A non-means tested tuition fee loan to the value of fees charged
  • Maintenance Loan - If your course starts on or after 1 August 2018 you can apply for a Maintenance Loan (A variable means tested living cost loan)

See links below for more info

Tuition Fees Loan

If you are a part-time, undergraduate EU or UK student, you can apply for a tuition fee loan to cover the cost of your tuition fees. If you are unsure as to whether you qualify, please check the information on the UKCISA  and SFE Eligibility website.

The tuition fee loan is paid directly to the RVC on your behalf. If you have not applied for the full amount of your tuition fees loan, or are not eligible for a loan for the full amount of your fees. You will be expected to make payment for your full tuition fee, please see Policies & Payment.

How much is the Loan?

Eligible part-time students from September 2012 onwards and part-time new entrants are entitled to apply for a non means-tested Tuition Fee Loan of up to a maximum of £6,935 in 2018/19 to meet the full costs of their course.

How is the Tuition Fee Loan Paid?

Tuition fee loans are paid in 3 instalments during the academic year directly to the RVC. It will be paid in the following instalments;

When payment is made to the RVC How much is paid  
 At the start of term 1  25% of the total amount borrowed
 At the start of term 2  25% of the total amount borrowed
 At the start of term 3  50% of the total amount borrowed

Example for fees being charged at £6,935 will be paid to the RVC in the following payments:

Payment % of total amount borrowed Amount paid
1 25% £1,733
2 25% £1,733
3 50% £3,467
  Total amount paid £6,935


Application 

  • UK and EU part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, apply here
  • You may have to give details of your household income to Student Finance England  
  • For further details on what funding could be available to you, try the Student Finance calculator

Repayments

A part-time Tuition Fee Loans is subject to repayment and will accrue interest from the day the first payment is made to the RVC. Students enter repayment the April after they graduate but they’ll only start to repay when their income is over the repayment threshold.  For more information please check our Repayments page below.

IMPORTANT 

Undergraduate students who have previously completed an honours degree at either a UK or an overseas institution will be ineligible for a tuition fees loan and maintenance loan.

Source: Practitioner.slc.co.uk  

Part-Time Maintenance Loan for new entrants in 2018/19

Part-time students starting a course on or after 1 August 2018 can apply for a Maintenance Loan to help with their day-to-day living costs, such as rent or food. A portion of the loan is not means tested, so is available to all eligible students regardless of household income. It’s paid directly to the student, into your bank account. To be eligible for the Maintenance Loan, you must qualify as a UK student for student support purposes. Check the UKCISA and SFE Eligibility website for detailed information on how this is assessed. 

Part-time maximum loan for living costs entitlement by location rate and intensity of study.

Location rates Intensity of study

Main Rate*

(£)

Non-Income

Assessed* (£)

Income

Assessed* (£)

Student living

at home

100% (full-time

equivalent rate)

7,324 3,224 4,100
75% 5,493 2,418 3,075
66.6% 4,878 2,147 2,731
50% 3,662 1,612 2,050
33.3% 2,439 1,074 1,365
25% 1,831 806 1,025

Student studying

outside London

 100% (FTE) 8,700 4,054 4,646
75% 6,525 3,041 3,485
66.6% 5,794 2,700 3,094
50% 4,350 2,027 2,323
33.3% 2,897 1,350 1,547
25% 2,175 1,014 1,162

Student studying

in London

 100% (FTE) 11,354 5,654 5,700
75% 8,516 4,241 4,275
66.6% 7,562 3,766 3,796
50% 5,677 2,827 2,850
33.3% 3,781 1,883 1,898
25% 2,839 1,414 1,425

Student studying

Overseas

 100% (FTE) 9,963 4,816 5,147
75% 7,472 3,612 3,860
66.6% 6,635 3,207 3,428
50% 4,982 2,408 2,574
33.3% 3,318 1,604 1,714
25% 2,491 1,204 1,287
Source: Practitioner.slc.co.uk 

For Illustrative Levels of Income(Rates for 100% intensity of study) please see link.

Part-Time Maintenance Grant

This is only applicable to part-time continuing students!

Courses that started before 1 September 2012

Continuing part-time students who started their course before 1 September 2012 can’t get a Tuition Fee Loan, but they can apply for a Course Grant and a Fee Grant instead.

Source: Practitioner.slc.co.uk 

Repayments

Loans will be repayable once you graduates are earning above £21,000. This is expected to change to £25,000 a year from 6 April 2018!

Unlike full-time undergraduate students, part-time students may ‘enter repayment’ while still on their course as they reach their statutory repayment due date either the April following the student’s withdrawal from or completion of their part-time course or the April after four years have elapsed since the first day of the first academic year of their course, whichever is soonest.

You will only start to repay your student loans once your income is above the earnings threshold. Your tuition fee loan and maintenance loan will be added together and paid back in the same way, with the same rate of interest applied. Repayments will be deducted from your salary. You can pay back all or some of your loans at any point without having to pay an early repayment charge. Any amount outstanding after 30 years will be written off.

You will pay back 9% of your income above £21,000. For example; your salary is £25,000 per year, which is £4,000 above £21,000.

You would therefore be required to pay back 9% of £4,000, which is £360 per year. This works out as £30 per month.

Example Repayments

Annual income
Amount of salary 
from which 9% will
be deducted
Monthly repayment
£21,000 or less        
No repayments
No repayments
£25,000
£4,000
£30.00
£30,000
£9,000
£67.50
£35,000
£14,000
£105.00
£40,000
£19,000
£142.50
£45,000
£24,000
£180.00
Source: Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS)

If your income drops below the threshold, all repayments will stop automatically.

Read Repayment Quick Start Guide for more information on repaying.

Interest

You’re charged interest on your loan from the time you get your first payment until the time that the loans are repaid in full or cancelled.

Graduates earning between £21,000 and £41,000 will be charged interest on a sliding scale up to a maximum of inflation plus 3%.

Graduates earning above £41,000 will be charged interest at the full rate of inflation plus 3%.

For detailed information please see Repaying your student loan.

Further information

UK students 

UK undergraduate students can apply for tuition fees loan and maintenance costs / living costs loan

If you want help with paying your fees and living costs you should apply to the following

For information please see How to determine whether you will pay tuition fees at the home or overseas rate.

EU students 

EU undergraduate students may be able to get a Tuition Fee Loan and help with living costs 

  • EU students starting their studies in 2017 will still be eligible for student loans for the duration of their degree. Read the UK Government statement 
  • If you want help with paying your fees and living costs you should apply to  Student Finance
  • You will not be eligible for this loan if you are a national of a country that is part of the EEA, but not the EU.

Other useful links 

Points to note

  • As is the case currently, tuition fees will not have to be paid up front.
  • Financial support will be available for UK students from a low income background.
  • Student loans (to cover fees and maintenance) will be available for all students, regardless of family income.
  • Student loans will continue to be available for all students, who will only start to pay the loan back once they are earning over £21,000.
  • Any outstanding repayments will be written off after 30 years

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