Apply for a Masters Loan in the UK

Getting ready to apply for a postgraduate loan? Got questions about what you'll need and when you'll need it? Not actually sure which loan to apply for? This page is here to help you go through the application process without any hassle.

We've put together some general information on the application process for a postgraduate loan, plus specific tips and things to bear in mind for the different UK systems.

Applying for a postgraduate loan is actually quite simple. They aren't based on your financial circumstances (unless you’re applying for Welsh postgraduate finance) and most of the information you'll need to provide relates to your residency, or the course you wish to study.

There are a few things to do before you begin though:

#1 Find a Masters!

Before you can apply for a loan for a Masters course, you'll need a Masters course to apply for a loan for.

The application services will ask for details of your intended degree and university. This will be checked against a database of eligible courses.

Note that you don't have to have applied for a Masters before you apply for a loan (but you will need to be registered on one before you receive any payments). You can also change your mind about your degree or university later.

So, the first thing to do is to find your ideal Masters course. And it just so happens you're already in the best place to start looking.

#2 Work out which postgraduate loan you should apply for

There are four different loan schemes for Masters-level courses in the UK and it's important that you apply for the right one!

If you're a UK student living in the UK you should apply for a loan from the country you're 'ordinarily resident' in. This is normally going to be the country you lived in before you went to university and / or the country you received your undergraduate student loan from.

Note that, for UK-resident students, the country you apply for a loan from doesn't have to be the one you plan to study in. All of the loans are 'portable'. This means you can use them to study at any UK university.

Basically, the application rules work like this:

If you still aren't sure which loan to apply for, the best thing to do is contact the most relevant student finance body and check your eligibility.

The four UK student finance bodies are:

• Student Finance England (for English-resident UK students and EU students studying in England).
• Student Finance Wales (for Welsh-resident UK students and EU students studying in Wales).
• Student Finance Northern Ireland (for Northern Irish-resident UK students and EU students studying in Northern Ireland).
• Student Awards Agency Scotland (for Scottish-resident UK students and EU students studying in Scotland).

#3 Decide how to apply

There are normally two ways to apply for a postgraduate loan:

• You can apply online using a new or existing student finance account.
• You can apply by post, using forms downloaded from your loan provider.

If you have previously had an undergraduate loan (and your residency status has not changed) you should apply to the same student finance body, using an existing account. Doing this online will normally be faster.

If your residency status has changed, your postgraduate loan will be paid by a new student finance provider. If so you may not be able to create a second student finance account and should apply by post instead.

EU students can apply online or by post, but are more likely to require additional supporting documents.

So, now you (hopefully) know which loan to apply for and how. Let's take a quick look at the application schemes for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The English postgraduate loans were launched in 2016, making this the longest-running of the four UK schemes. Applications go through Student Finance England, using a similar system to undergraduate student finance.

How do I apply?

Apply online by logging in to the Student Finance England service, or by post, after downloading an application form.

When can I apply?

Applications for the following academic year usually open in May. Applications are now open for courses beginning in 2023-24. Loans are also still available for students who began a Masters in 2022-23, provided you apply before the deadline. Speaking of which. . .

What's the postgraduate loan deadline?

You need to apply at least nine months from the start of your final year. So, if you're studying a one-year Masters that begins on 1 September 2023, you need to apply by 1 June 2024. Similarly, if you're studying a part-time, one-year Masters that began on 1 September 2023 you'll have a deadline of 1 June 2025.

SFE aim to deal with most applications in four to six weeks. They may take longer if additional information and evidence is required.

What will I need?

You'll need to provide the following during your application for an English postgraduate loan:

• Your intended university and course details. You don't need to have applied or been accepted yet (and you can change your mind later) but you will need to select an eligible course from the SFE database as you apply.
• Details of your passport. If you don't have a passport you can send details of an equivalent document such as a birth certificate or adoption certificate.
• Your address history. The application system will need to confirm that you meet the residency criteria for an English postgraduate loan.
• Your bank details. You'll need a UK bank account to receive loan payments. If you don't have one yet you can provide this information later.

Some applications may also require other information and evidence in order to confirm your eligibility.

Things to bear in mind

The following are worth being aware of as you apply for an English postgraduate loan:

• You should use your existing Student Finance England account (if you have one)
• If you have an account with another student finance agency, you will normally need to apply for an English postgraduate loan by post (you can't have more than one student finance account)
• You only need to apply once (even if your course lasts more than a year)
• You can still apply if you're studying a Masters that began before 2023, but the amount you can borrow will be lower: £11,836 for 2022-23 courses and £11,570 for 2021-22 courses.
• You have to nominate an eligible course - and this means a full postgraduate Masters degree: Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma courses won't show up in the SFE database

Scotland first launched its postgraduate loans in 2017 and applications are handled by Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS).

How do I apply?

You should apply directly to SAAS using their online system. If you have a recent account with them (created since 2016-17) you should use this to apply. If not, you'll need to register for one.

When can I apply?

Now, if you’re studying a Masters in the 2023-24 academic year. Applications for Scottish postgraduate loans usually open in April / May for courses beginning in September.

What's the deadline for Masters loans in Scotland?

You'll need to apply by the end of 31 March 2024 for courses beginning in the 2023-24 academic year. The end of June is usually the best time to finish your application if you want your loan to be processed before you start a course in the autumn term.

What will I need?

You'll need to provide the following information when applying for a Scottish postgraduate loan:

• Information on your course and university. You should be able to select this from a list of suitable options. If you can't see the programme you want to study, check the eligibility criteria.
• Your personal details including your date of birth, nationality and NI number (if you have one). This information will be used to check your personal eligibility.
• Your residency history. This will confirm where you are ordinarily resident and where you have been living during the previous three years.
• The funding type(s) you are applying for. Scotland offers separate tuition fee and living-cost loans, which work slightly differently.
• Your bank details. You'll need a UK bank account if you're applying for a living-cost loan.

The application system will also ask for other information, including named contacts and details of where you will be living during your course.

Things to bear in mind

Scottish postgraduate loans work a little differently to those in other parts of the UK – the following tips are worth keeping in mind as you apply:

• Scotland offers two loans with separate criteria: all eligible students can apply for a £7,000 tuition fee loan; Scottish resident UK students aged under 61 on full-time courses can also apply for a £4,500 living-cost loan. From the start of the 2024-25 academic year, students can borrow an extra £2,400 increasing the maximum loan amount to £13,900
• If you want a tuition fee loan for a course that lasts longer than 12 months, you'll need to reapply each year
• You need to apply for your loan online, not by post
• Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees are eligible for Scottish postgraduate loans – including research Masters
• You can use the loan to study elsewhere in the UK, but only if an equivalent course isn't offered in Scotland (SAAS may query this)

Wales introduced its Masters loans in 2017, provided by Student Finance Wales (SFW). However, this system changed substantially in 2019 with the introduction of combined grants and loans for postgraduate study.

How do I apply?

You can apply by logging into your Student Finance Wales account, or by downloading an application form (PDF) to apply by post.

When can I apply?

Applications for Welsh postgraduate funding are open now for courses beginning in 2023-24.

If you begun a Masters in a previous year, you can also apply (as long as the deadline hasn’t passed). However, you’ll only be able to apply for a loan through the previous postgraduate finance system, and not a combined loan / grant.

What's the deadline for postgraduate finance applications in Wales?

It's the same as England: you need to apply at least nine months from the start of your final year. So, if you're studying a one-year Masters that begins on 1 September 2024, apply by 1 June 2025.

What will I need?

Requirements for Welsh Masters funding are essentially the same as the English system. You'll need to give details of:

• Your course and university. You don't need to have applied or been accepted yet (and you can change your mind later) but you will need to select an eligible course as you apply.
• Details of your passport. If you don't have a passport you can send details of an equivalent document such as a birth or adoption certificate.
• Your address history. The application system will need to confirm that you meet the residency criteria for Welsh postgraduate finance.
• Your bank details. You'll need a UK bank account to receive loan payments. If you don't have one yet you can provide this information later.
• Your National Insurance number (if you have one).

Some applications may also require other information and evidence in order to confirm your eligibility.

Things to bear in mind

As you've probably gathered by now, the Welsh postgraduate funding system is quite different to the rest of the UK! It's worth keeping the following in mind as you apply:

• You’ll need to provide details of your household income if you’re applying for the means-tested element of the funding. Depending on your circumstances, this could mean the income of your parents / partner, or your own unearned income. Find out more about how household income is calculated.
• If you already have a Student Finance Wales account, you should use this for your postgraduate funding application; if you have another student finance account you should apply to SFW by post
• You only need to apply for a Welsh postgraduate loan at the beginning of your course
• You can change the amount you want to borrow even after your course has started

Northern Ireland introduced postgraduate loans in 2017, provided by Student Finance Northern Ireland (SFNI).

These loans only provide £6,500 for tuition fees, but, in many other ways, they're the most flexible of the four UK schemes.

How do I apply?

You can apply online at the SFNI website or by posting an application form (PDF).

When can I apply?

Applications for 2023-24 are open now. You can borrow up to £6,500 towards your postgraduate tuition fees (the same as in previous years).

What's the deadline?

You'll need to apply in each year of your course, within nine months of the start of the academic year. So, if your course begins on 1 September 2024, you need to apply by 1 June 2025. This is the same as the Masters loans for England and Wales.

What will I need?

You'll need to provide the following information with your application:

• Your course and university details – most Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma and Masters courses are eligible, and you should be able to find yours in the SFNI database
• Details of your tuition fee amount (you can't borrow any more than this)
• Your personal information, including your nationality, residency status and address
• Your bank details – you'll need a UK account to receive loan payments

You may also be asked to give some other details, including providing the address of a named contact and confirming whether you want your loan amount to be adjustable later in your course.

Things to bear in mind

• You'll need to reapply in each year of your course
• If you already have an SFNI account, you should use it for this application; if you have an account with another UK student finance agency, you should apply for your postgraduate loan by post
• You don't actually have to be studying a full 180-credit Masters – the system may ask you if this is the case, but saying 'no' won't make you ineligible
• There is no age limit for the Northern Irish postgraduate loans(!)
• You can apply for up to one loan, even if you already have a postgraduate qualification (provided you didn't have a loan for it, of course)

We'll be honest: in most cases, the best people to solve problems with your specific application will be the student finance provider you're applying to.

That said, we can help with a few common questions:

What do I do if I can't find my course?

Check you've entered the details correctly and confirm it's eligible (bear in mind that some of the loans have slightly different criteria – check our guides if you aren't sure).

If you still can't find your course, it's probably a good idea to contact the university and the relevant student finance agency.

Do I have to be accepted on to a course before I apply?

No. You don't need to prove that you've been accepted for a postgraduate course before you apply. However, you will need to nominate an eligible course during your application. You'll also need to be studying one (confirmed by your university) before you can receive any loan payments!

How do I apply for Disabled Students' Allowance?

In most cases, you begin your application for postgraduate DSA using the same system (assuming you're eligible). There will be a point when you're asked if you also want to apply for DSA – follow the steps there.

What if I don't have a UK bank account?

You'll need to open a suitable UK bank account before you can receive loan payments, but you may be able to apply without having done so yet.

Will my credit score be checked?

No. Your credit rating doesn't matter when you apply for a postgraduate student loan. However, you will need to make sure you don't owe any outstanding repayments to the Student Loans Company (repayments you were eligible to make, but didn't).

How can I be certain I'll get my loan on time?

The best advice is the most obvious: apply early!

You should also try to provide as much information as possible – and be as accurate as possible. It goes without saying that applications will take longer if your details need to be queried, or extra evidence has to be requested.