Tuition Fee Loan Postgraduate, Tuition Fee Only funding student
2. Who can get this loan?
You don't need to work out if you're eligible - we'll do it for you
This page is intended for your information only. Make your application for student finance, we'll determine your eligibility and let you know.
The following can contribute to your eligibility for a Tuition Fee Loan.
Nationality or residency
You may be eligible for a Tuition Fee Loan if all of the following apply to you:
- you're an EU national, or the family member of an EU national
- you have pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (not required if you are an Irish citizen)
- you've been ordinarily resident in the UK, Gibraltar, European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland for the three years before the start of your course
By ordinarily resident we mean you normally live in the EEA, apart from temporary or occasional absences.
If you are an EU national and have lived in the UK and Islands for 3 years or more and have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme
Some students from the EU may be able to apply for full-time undergraduate student finance as a tuition fee and extra help student, this could mean you'll be able to get additional funding for costs related to a disability or long-term health condition.
Other eligibility requirements
You can apply for tuition fee funding if you've been living in the UK, Gibraltar, the EEA or Switzerland for the past 3 years and you have one of the following:
- pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme and you're the non-UK or non-Irish family member of a person of Northern Ireland
- Irish citizenship or UK nationality
- Resident status in Gibraltar as a UK or EU national or a family member of either
You can also apply for tuition fee funding if you've been living in the UK and Islands for the past 3 years and you're the family member of a UK national.
Find out more about postgraduate student finance available to tuition fee and extra help students.
Age
There is no upper or lower age limit for a Postgraduate Tuition Fee Loan.
Course
Your course must start on or after 1 August 2017, and must be one of the following:
- Postgraduate Master's
- Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert)
- Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip)
The course can be studied in attendance at a university or through distance learning.
If you're studying a Postgraduate Master's it must lead to a qualification such as:
- Master of Science (MSc)
- Master of Art (MA)
- Master of Philosophy (MPhil)
- Master of Research (MRes)
- Master of Law (LLM)
- Master of Letters (MLitt)
- Master of Fine Art (MFA)
- Master of Education (MED)
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Where the Master's course incorporates another postgraduate qualification of the same or lower level, the Master's course is eligible for Postgraduate Tuition Fee Loan funding. For example, a Master of Law (LLM) is an eligible course whether or not it incorporates a Legal Practice Course (LPC) (the LPC being a Postgraduate Diploma qualification).
It can be taught or research-based and studied either full time or part time but must not last longer than three academic years.
A Postgraduate Tuition Fee Loan is not available for:
- Postgraduate Doctoral degree
- Master's degrees that are undertaken as part of a Postgraduate Doctoral Degree
- postgraduate courses that are eligible for undergraduate support
Master of Architecture
If you plan to study for a Master of Architecture (MArch) qualification full time, apply for undergraduate support.
The Postgraduate Tuition Fee Loan will only be available for a March if you're either taking a part-time course or you aren't eligible for undergraduate funding for another reason.
Any other sources of funding you receive (including bursary funding) will not affect your eligibility for Postgraduate Loan.
Place of study
Your university must be in the UK (including Open University) and be publicly funded (paid for by the government).
Previous study
If you've never received postgraduate funding before
The Postgraduate Tuition Fee Loan will be available to you even if you already hold a postgraduate qualification of any level.
If you have a lower level qualification, such as a postgraduate Certificate or postgraduate Diploma which you have self-funded, and want to ‘top-up' to a Master's degree, you will be eligible for a Postgraduate Tuition Fee Loan.
If you've received postgraduate funding in the past
You won't be able to receive a Postgraduate Tuition Fee Loan if you've previously received postgraduate funding from any of the following:
- Student Finance NI
- Student Finance England
- Student Finance Wales
- Student Awards Agency for Scotland
If you were unable to complete your course due to compelling personal reasons then you may be eligible for a Postgraduate Tuition Fee Loan for a new course. You can contact our postgraduate helpline for more information.
If you only got Disabled Students' Allowance for your previous postgraduate course, you'll still be able to get a Postgraduate Tuition Fee Loan.