Loans for Home students
If you have Home fee status and are starting your postgraduate course in 2023/24, you may be eligible to apply for a postgraduate loan from the UK government.
The loan you can apply for and the amount you can get depends on where you normally live and whether you're studying for a master's degree or PhD. Contact your relevant student loans awarding agency for more advice and support about loans you can apply for.
Living in England
If you normally live in England you can apply for loans for postgraduate master’s courses and doctoral programmes.
If you are studying for a master's degree, you can borrow up to £12,167.
If you are studying for a PhD, you can borrow up to £28,673 if your course starts on or after 1 August 2023. You can borrow up to £27,892 if your course started between 1 August 2022 and 31 July 2023.
Living in Northern Ireland
If you normally live in Northern Ireland, you can apply for a loan for postgraduate master's, postgraduate certificate and diploma level courses. You can't apply for a loan for doctoral study.
If you are studying for a master's degree, you can borrow up to £6,500.
Living in Scotland
If you normally live in Scotland, you can apply for a loan to study a postgraduate diploma or master’s course. You can't apply for a loan for doctoral study.
If you're studying for a master's degree, you can borrow up to £11,500.
Living in Wales
If you normally live in Wales you can apply for loans for postgraduate master’s courses and doctoral programmes.
If you are studying for a master's degree, you can borrow up to £18,770.
If you are studying for a PhD, you can borrow up to £28,395 if your course starts between 1 August 2023 and 31 July 2024. You can borrow up to £27,880 if your course starts between 1 August 2022 and 31 July 2023.
Eligibility
You should check the eligibility requirements from your student loans awarding agency to make sure you are able to apply for a loan.
Master's degree loans
You might not be eligible to apply if you:
- already have a qualification higher than or equivalent to the one you're applying for
- are already getting payments for another course
- have received a postgraduate master's loan before
- are behind in your repayments for a previous student loan
Doctoral programme loans
You might not be eligible to apply if you:
- already have Research Council funding
- already have a social work bursary
- are eligible for an NHS bursary
- are already getting an Educational Psychology bursary and your course starts on or after 1 August 2020
- are already getting payments for another course
- have received a postgraduate doctoral loan before
- already have a doctoral degree or a qualification that’s equivalent or higher
- are receiving a doctorate by publication
- are behind in your repayments for a previous student loan
Please note, eligibility requirements may vary between schemes and you should contact your relevant student loans awarding agency for further information.