Funding your studies
Can I afford to study in the UK?
Short answer: usually yes. Most UK and EU-settled students pay nothing up-front thanks to Student Finance England. Below: what you can borrow, what it costs to repay, and where scholarships close the gap.
How much can you borrow in 2026/27?
Student Finance England (SFE) provides two separate loans. Your tuition-fee loan is paid direct to the university. Your maintenance loan lands in your bank account each term to cover rent, food and living costs.
Figures correct for 2026/27. Maintenance loan is household-income assessed — you won't necessarily get the maximum. We model your realistic borrowing figure during your consultation.
Repayment: what you'll actually pay back
- You only repay when you earn more than £25,000/year per year.
- You repay 9% of your income above the threshold — not 9% of the whole salary.
- Interest is capped at 6% from Sept 2026 (previously up to RPI + 3%).
- Any balance left 40 years after you start repaying is written off — regardless of how much is still owed.
- Repayment comes out of your payslip automatically, like income tax or National Insurance — you don't have to send anything anywhere.
Am I eligible?
- ✓You're 18+ on the day your course starts (Foundation Year exceptions apply for mature applicants)
- ✓You hold UK/EU Settled or Pre-Settled Status, OR are a UK national
- ✓You've been ordinarily resident in the UK/EEA for 3 years before your course start date
- ✓Your course is an SFE-approved programme at an SFE-approved institution
- ✓You haven't previously received an SFE award for another full undergraduate degree
Not sure if your situation fits? Residency exceptions exist for refugees, asylum seekers, partners of British citizens and children of EU workers. Book a free eligibility check and we'll check the fine print with you.
The application process, step by step
- 1Confirm your eligibility
Your AEN advisor will pre-check your status, residency and course against SFE criteria — usually in the same consultation where we match you to a programme.
- 2Receive your unconditional offer
SFE won't approve funding until you have an unconditional offer from the university. We handle the application end-to-end to get you there.
- 3Apply on gov.uk/student-finance
Create a student finance account, submit your application, and upload ID + residency evidence. We walk you through the exact screens and checklists.
- 4Receive your funding decision
SFE typically decides within 6 weeks of a complete application. You'll get a breakdown of your tuition-fee loan, maintenance loan and any grants.
- 5Confirm at enrolment
Your university marks you as "in attendance" during enrolment week. SFE then releases the first tuition-fee instalment direct to the university, and your first maintenance payment lands in your bank account.
Talk to an advisor
We model your realistic borrowing and handle the SFE application alongside your course application — at no cost to you.