Student finance applications for 2022/23 are now open – here’s how to apply

Applications for university loans for the 2022/23 academic year are now open for students in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, and will shortly open for those in Scotland. Both new students and those returning to university can apply. But the process can take up to eight weeks, so make sure you submit yours as soon as possible.
Below is a breakdown of everything you need to know. For more information, see our Student Loans guide. You can also read our report on sweeping reforms to the student loan system in England, which were announced by the Government last month.
England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales all have different application deadlines - don't miss yours
Both current and new students across the UK can apply for tuition fee loans to cover their fees, and maintenance loans to help with living costs. You can even apply if you are unsure what course you will be doing or what university you’ll be attending - though applications for students in Scotland do not open until 4 April.
Different student loan application deadlines also apply depending on where you live (regardless of where you study), so make sure you're aware of the dates below. Miss the deadline and you risk not being accepted for your student loan(s) in time for your course start date - though with all of the devolved nations students have nine months after their course start date to apply for student finance.
Country you live in | Deadline for new students | Deadline for returning students |
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England | 20 May 2022 | 24 June 2022 |
Northern Ireland | 8 April 2022 | 24 June 2022 |
Scotland | 30 June 2022 | |
Wales | 27 May 2022 | 17 June 2022 |
(1) To ensure you get your funding before your course start date.
How to apply for student finance
Before applying, calculate how much money you could be eligible for based on your parents', guardians' or partner's income. You can do so by inputting details your details into our student finance calculator.
Once ready to apply, make sure you have your National Insurance number and your passport details to hand, as you’ll be asked to input these during the loan application process. You’ll also need information on your parents' or guardians' income, and they will be asked to confirm these details.
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To apply for your maintenance and/or tuition fee loan for the first time: go to the Gov.uk website and follow the instructions. If you're applying from Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales, you'll be directed to different websites as the application process differs.
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If you’re a continuing student re-applying for a maintenance and/or tuition fee loan: you can log into your student finance account, which differs depending on which country you're applying from, and follow the instructions to apply for loans. The process should be simpler if you've already applied previously.
Once you’ve applied, you can check the process of your application by logging into your student finance account. You can also see if there are any outstanding actions required to support your application.
If you’re a parent or guardian, you can also find more information on how to support your child during their application process on Gov.uk.