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Help with higher education

The idea of combining studying with family life – and surviving financially while you do this – can be daunting for single parents. But there is financial support out there for students in higher education. 

This means courses like:

  • Foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate degrees
  • Degree-level apprenticeships
  • Diplomas
  • Teacher training
  • Other professional courses

These usually take place at a university or adult education college. You can find useful guidance on how to find and apply for higher education courses on gov.uk.  

This page takes you through the financial support you might be able to get as a higher education student. It also looks at how this might affect any benefits or tax credits you’re getting.

Note: The advice here is for people with UK citizenship or residency who qualify for home tuition fees. You can read more about eligibility based on your immigration status on .GOV.UK under the heading Your nationality or residency status. If you’re from another country, see the UK Council for International Affairs for information.

Student finance

Grants and loans for students

Other funding options

If you’re training to be a doctor, dentist, social worker or teacher

Possible changes to key benefits

Jacquie’s story

Hear what one woman learned through studying as a single parent.

Student finance

You may be able to get a loan, grant or bursary from Student Finance England or Student Finance Wales to help towards your tuition fees and living costs while you’re studying. You’ll be eligible for extra help as a single parent, and also if you’re disabled or earning below a certain amount. 

It’s good to apply for student finance as early as possible to make sure you get your money before the start of your course. You don’t need to wait until your place is confirmed. 

It takes up to 6 weeks to process most applications. And most student finance is paid in instalments at the start of each term.

You can make a late application up to 9 months after the start of the academic year.

Do I qualify for student finance?

Your eligibility will depend on things like your university or college, course, age and nationality. They’ll also look at whether:

  • You’re studying full or part time – part-time students only qualify if they complete at least 25% of the full-time course each year.
  • You’ve studied before – you usually only get help if this is your first higher education qualification. There are some exceptions, so it’s worth checking.

More about who qualifies for student finance

Do I have to repay student finance?

Most student finance is a loan, so it does have to be repaid. If you get a grant or bursary, these don’t. 

You’ll start repaying your student finance loan when you’ve finished your studies and are earning over £25,000 a year in England or £27,295 a year in Wales. These amounts go up each April.

Grants and loans for students

Depending on where you live and whether you’re studying full or part-time, you might be able to get various grants and loans.

If you’re from England

Full-time undergraduate students

Tuition Fee Loan

This loan is paid directly to your university or college to cover your tuition fees. You can get up to £9,250 a year.

Maintenance Loan

This is paid directly into your bank account to help with living costs. The amount you get depends on your household income.

The maximum amount available in 2023/24 is:

  • £7,153 a year for people studying outside of London
  • £9,981 for people studying in London

You’ll get slightly less in your final year.

You can use the student finance calculator on gov.uk to estimate how much you’ll get.

As a single parent, you’ll also be entitled to the ‘special support loan’.

Special Support Loan

As a single parent, you may get an extra loan of £4,221.

When you apply for student finance, they’ll let you know if you can also get this support. Visit Student Finance to find out more.

Part-time undergraduate students

Tuition Fee Loan

This loan is paid directly to your university or college to cover your tuition fees. You can get up to £6,935 a year.

Maintenance Loan

To get a maintenance loan, your part-time course has to cover at least 25% of the full-time equivalent each year. Check with your university or college if you’re not sure.

This loan is paid directly into your bank account to help with living costs. The amount you get depends on your household income.

More on part-time student finance (gov.uk)

Special Support Loan

As a single parent, you may get an extra loan if you qualify for:

  • Income Support
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Housing Benefit
  • The housing element of Universal Credit

When you apply for student finance, they’ll let you know if you can also get this support. Visit Student Finance to find out more.

If you’re from Wales

Full-time undergraduate students

Tuition Fee Loan

The loan is paid directly to your university or college to cover your tuition fees. In Wales, these have been capped at £9,000 a year. In other parts of the UK, tuition fees are £9,250.

Maintenance funding

Maintenance funding is paid directly into your bank account to help with living costs. It’s part loan (which has to be paid back) and part grant (which doesn’t have to be paid back). How much of each you get will depend on your household income.

The maximum funding available in 2023/24 is:

  • £11,720 a year for students studying outside of London
  • £14,635 a year for students studying in London
Special Support

This is a bigger Maintenance Loan available to single parents and other types of people (including disabled people and carers) who might need more help with costs. More about Special Support.

Student Finance Wales has more about finance for full-time undergraduate students in Wales.

Part-time undergraduate students

Tuition Fee Loan

This loan is paid directly to your university or college to cover your tuition fees. You can get up to £2,625 in Wales. If you’re studying anywhere else in the UK, the maximum loan is £6,935.

Maintenance funding

Maintenance funding is paid directly into your bank account to help with living costs. It’s part loan (which has to be paid back) and part grant (which doesn’t have to be paid back). 

How much of each you get will depend on your household income and how much of the full-time course you complete each year through your part-time studies. The amount available for 2022/23 was £5,929. 

Student Finance Wales has more about finance for part-time undergraduate students in Wales.

Postgraduate students

Prospects has more information about ways to pay for postgraduate studies.

I live in England

If you live in England and are starting a master’s degree, you could get a Master’s Loan of up to £12,167 in 2023/24. If your course lasts more than a year, the loan will be spread equally across each year of your course. You can get this loan regardless of your income or savings.

I live in Wales

If you live in Wales, you can apply for Postgraduate Master’s Finance. You could get up to £18,770 in 2023/24 as a combination of a grant and a loan. How much you get depends on the income of your household.

I’m studying for a PhD

If you’re studying for a PhD, you can get a Doctoral Loan of up to £28,673 in 2023/24. This is spread evenly across your studies.

Other funding options

Childcare grant

This is for full-time students with children under 15 (or under 17 with special educational needs). You can get 85% of your childcare costs covered through this grant – and you don’t have to pay it back.

More about childcare grants.

Parents’ Learning Allowance

This helps with extra costs you may have as a student with children. If you’re in England, you have to be studying full time to get this allowance. In Wales, you can be studying full or part-time. 

How much you get depends on your household income. It could be up to £1,915 a year in England or £1,896 a year in Wales (2023/24 figures). You don’t have to pay this back, and it doesn’t affect benefits or tax credits.

More about Parents’ Learning Allowance.

Adult Dependants’ Grant

If you’re studying full time and an adult depends on you financially, for example an elderly or disabled relative, you may be able to get this grant. The maximum available is £3,354 a year in England and £3,322 in Wales (in 2023/24). You don’t have to repay this money.

More about Adult Dependants’ Grants.

You can read more about extra help for students on gov.uk in England and Careers Wales in Wales.

University bursaries and grants

Your university may have bursaries and grants available for students with specific needs. These don’t have to be repaid. Whether you can get one will depend on your income and other circumstances. 

Most universities have a hardship fund to help students who are struggling financially. You might be able to apply for funding to cover extra childcare costs, one-off emergency costs or exceptional costs. The student support department of your university is a good place to ask.

Disabled Students’ Allowance

If you have a mental health problem, long-term illness or other disability, you may be able to get this allowance. You can use it to pay for the cost of study-related equipment (like a computer), a non-medical helper (like a sign language interpreter or note taker) and other disability-related support.

The type of support you get will depends on your needs, not your income. You could get up to £26,291 a year (2023/24 academic year) in England or £33,146 in Wales. And this doesn’t have to be paid back.

You can find out more and how to apply on gov.uk in England and Student Finance Wales in Wales.

If you’re training to be a doctor, dentist, social worker, teacher or another type of healthcare professional.

There are special types of funding if you’re training for one of these professions.

Training to be a doctor or dentist

You can get a yearly payment (a bursary) from the NHS to help with your study and living costs. If you get an NHS bursary, your tuition fees are paid in full. 

NHS bursaries are sometimes counted as income and can affect means-tested benefits. So it’s a good idea to call our helpline for a benefit check before you start your course.

As a single parent, you’ll also be eligible for extra grants and help with childcare costs. And if you’re disabled, you can get an extra allowance.

More about NHS bursaries

Training to be a social worker

You can get a social work bursary to help with living costs and tuition fees. This doesn’t have to be paid back. You can also apply to Student Finance for a childcare grant, Parents’ Learning Allowance and Adult Dependants’ Grant. 

In Wales, you can apply for different bursaries, allowances and grants through Social Care Wales.

Social work bursaries are sometimes counted as income and can affect means-tested benefits. So it’s a good idea to call our helpline for a benefit check before you start your course.

Training to be a teacher

The financial support you can get will depend on the type of teacher training you do.

For courses like a Bachelor of Education (BEd) and Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), the support is the same as other full-time undergraduate student finance.

You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary – money that you don’t need to pay back – depending on what you’re training to teach. If you’re a graduate wanting to train as an early years teacher, you can get a grant to cover your course fees.

If you choose an employment-based teacher training scheme, where you’re placed in a school and get paid, you won’t have to pay tuition fees. So you won’t be eligible for student finance.

To find out more on teacher training, bursaries and student finance, visit Get Into Teaching (England) or Educators Wales (Wales).

Training to be another type of healthcare professional

If you’re training to become a midwife, nurse, dental hygienist or other type of healthcare professional, you might be able to get support from the NHS Learning Support Fund. This includes a grant of £5000 each academic year and another £2000 to help with costs of children under 15 (or 17 with special educational needs).

More about the Learning Support Fund.

How student financial support can affect benefits

When you start studying, you have to tell the offices that pay your benefits and tax credits that you’re a student and about changes to your income. 

You can combine benefits and student support while you’re studying, but applying for student support might reduce your benefits. 

What kind of student support will affect my benefits?

Certain types of student financial support are counted as income for means-tested benefits like Universal Credit, Income Support, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance and Housing Benefit.

Turn2Us has more information on how student support can affect your benefits. This can be complicated to work out, so call our helpline for a benefit check.

Possible changes to key benefits

Universal Credit

As a single parent, you can still get Universal Credit while you’re studying.

If you’re studying part-time, you will still be required to keep up with  your work-related requirements. Some of your study hours may count towards the hours of your work-related requirements – speak to your work coach about this.

Some types of student finance, like maintenance loans or grants, will reduce your Universal Credit payments. So if you’re thinking about higher education, call our helpline for a benefit check before you start your course.

You can read more about Universal Credit and students on gov.uk.

Jobseeker’s Allowance

If you’re a full-time student, you can only get Jobseeker’s Allowance during the summer holidays. You have to be available for and looking for work.

You might be able to study part-time and still claim Jobseeker’s Allowance. You will have to be looking for and available for work. And you have to show that your course doesn’t affect the hours you said you’re available for work. You might have to be willing to give up your course if a job becomes available.

Most types of student finance, like maintenance loans or grants, will reduce your Jobseeker’s Allowance payments. So if you’re thinking about higher education, call our helpline for a benefit check before you start your course.

Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

There are 2 types of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). Contribution-based (or new-style) ESA shouldn’t be affected if you become a student.

If you’re on Income-related ESA and are studying full time, you can only keep claiming this if you also get Personal Independence Payment or Disability Living Allowance. If you’re studying part-time, you can continue to get Income-related ESA. 

Most types of student finance, like maintenance loans or grants, will reduce your ESA payments. So if you’re thinking about higher education, call our helpline for a benefit check before you start your course.

Council Tax

Full-time students don’t usually have to pay council tax. Tell your local council that you’re a student to get the exemption.

If you’re a part-time student and claiming benefits or on a low income, you can apply to your council for a Council Tax Reduction.

Carer’s Allowance

You can only claim Carer’s Allowance if you’re studying part-time for less than 21 hours a week. This includes individual study time as well as classes and lectures.

Tax Credits

Apart from the Adult Dependents’ Grant, student finance isn’t taken into account when calculating tax credits. So unless you have other income, you should get the maximum amount of Child Tax Credit. You might want to call our helpline for a benefit check before you start your course.

If you study and work, you have to work 16 hours a week or more to keep getting Working Tax Credit. If you get the childcare element of Working Tax Credit, you can get a childcare grant as well.

Income Support

While studying does not stop you being eligible, your student finance will usually mean that your income is too high to receive Income Support.  

If you’re currently receiving Income Support and are thinking about starting Higher Education, you can ring our Helpline for advice on your options and for us to complete a benefit check to see what benefits you’re entitled to.

Housing Benefit

As a single parent, you can keep getting Housing Benefit while you study. But any student support you get will usually reduce your Housing Benefit.  You might want to call our helpline for a benefit check before you start your course.

Date last updated: 20 November 2023

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