0843 557 3705
Student Finance is a Government loan used to cover the costs of higher education. If you need assistance with applying for student finance or managing your loan repayments, call the Student Finance helpline on 0843 557 3705.
Student Finance Contact Numbers
| Department | Contact Number |
|---|---|
| Applications | 0843 557 3705 |
| Head Office | 0843 557 3705 |
| Repayments | 0843 557 3705 |
Student Finance Helpline Opening Hours
| Days | Opening Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday- Friday | 8am-8pm |
| Saturday | 9am-4pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Student Finance Head Office Address
| Department | Address |
|---|---|
| Head Office | Student Finance England Memphis Building Lingfield Point PO Box 226 Darlington DL1 9GA |
Why would I contact the Student Finance helpline?
- To get assistance in filling out your student finance application.
- To find out how much you could get.
- To change your bank/address details.
- To get help with your loan repayments.
- To make a complaint about student finance.
Student Finance England
Student Finance is a loan that you borrow to cover the costs of paying for higher education, including tuition fees and living costs. People with difficult circumstances such as a low income or living with a disability may be eligible for extra help. From the day the loan is taken out, it collates interest but you only pay the loan back once you begin earning over a certain amount.
Tuition fee loan
A loan for university tuition fees is paid directly to the university. For the 2017/18 academic year, the maximum tuition fee loan is £9,250 a year. If you intend to study at a private university or college such as the University of Buckingham, BPP University, Regent’s University London, Arden University or the University of Law, you will only be able to get up to £6,165 in tuition fees.
Maintenance loan
You can get a maintenance loan to cover the cost of living whilst you study. The maintenance loan is paid directly to you and is designed to cover things like your rent, textbooks and food whilst you are studying away from home. The amount you get depends on your household income- if your parents earn over a certain amount, you won’t get the maximum amount of loan. If you’re living at home, you could get up to £7,097. If you are living away from home but not in London, you can get up to £8,430. If you live away from home but in London, you could get up to £11,002. Lastly, if you spend up to a year studying abroad as part of your course you could get up to £9,654.
Part-time students will qualify for a tuition fee loan if their course is considered to be over 25% intensity- aka the amount of the course that you complete each year in comparison to the full-time course.
Student Finance Wales
To apply for student finance in Wales, you’ll need to be a UK resident, be living in Wales or have lived in the UK for over three years. You can also apply if you are an EU national. You also have to be studying an undergraduate course (postgraduate courses aren’t funded by Student Finance Wales) at a publicly funded university. You will start repaying the loan when you earn over £21,000.
Student Finance Calculator
If you’re going to be starting a new course and you wish to find out how much student finance you will get, you can use the Government’s student finance calculator. If you know your household income, you will be able to get a better, more accurate result. The calculator will show the loan amount that you’re eligible for, plus any grants for being disabled or having children.
Student Finance Forms
You do need to fill out forms for your student finance application. To find out which types of forms that you need to fill out, you can visit the Student Finance website and fill out a questionnaire which will tell you. It depends whether you are from the UK or you are an EU/international student and whether you are a new student or continuing your course. Forms that you complete should be sent to:
Student Finance England
PO Box 210
Darlington
DL1 9HJ
It takes around six weeks to process your application for student finance.
Student Finance Deadlines
You don’t have to have an unconditional place at university to apply for your student finance, so it’s best to apply as early as possible. The deadline for your application is always 9 months after the first day of the academic year for your course.
- If your first day is the 1st September, the deadline is the 31st May.
- If your first day is the 1st January, the deadline is the 31st September.
- If your first day is the 1st April, the deadline is the 31st December.
- If your first day is the 1st July, the deadline is the 31st March.
Student Finance Payment Dates
Your maintenance loan is paid at the start of each term- the date will vary depending on the university’s start dates and Student Finance England don’t tend to list them publicly. However, when you get your student finance confirmation letter, you should receive a payment schedule. Before you can get your first payment, you need to register at the university, usually in the first week of your course and you will need to take with you, your letter of entitlement from Student Finance England. Once it has been confirmed by the university that you’re registered, student finance will process the payment. The maintenance loan payment can take up to three working days to reach your account. The tuition fee loan is paid directly to the university, so you don’t need to worry about it.
About Student Finance
Student Finance in the UK is provided by the Government through the Student Loans Company, who in turn are responsible for both Student Finance England and Student Finance Wales. Loans are available for the majority of undergraduate courses, some post-graduate teaching courses and research/ Master’s degrees, with the latter only becoming available in 2016. There are four Student Finance offices: two in Glasgow, one in Darlington and one in Colwyn Bay, Wales.
For more about Student Finance and loans, call the Student Finance Helpline number on this page.