Student finance for part-time study

Can you get Student Finance for a part-time course

Yes, you can usually get Student Finance for a part-time undergraduate course in England, but it depends on the course, the provider, your personal eligibility and, crucially, your “course intensity”. The main products are a Tuition Fee Loan to cover fees and, for eligible students, a Maintenance Loan to help with living costs.

To qualify, the course generally must be a designated part-time course at a recognised or listed provider, and you must meet the usual personal eligibility rules (nationality/residence status, and not already holding an equivalent or higher qualification for most courses, subject to exceptions such as some second degrees in specific subjects). For 2025 to 2026 the maximum part-time Tuition Fee Loan is up to £7,145 for the academic year.

What course intensity means

Course intensity measures how much of your course you complete in an academic year compared with the equivalent full-time course. You work this out by comparing the module credits you will study that year against the credits a full-time student on the equivalent course would study.

The key threshold is 25 percent. Your course intensity must be at least 25 percent in the academic year to qualify for a Tuition Fee Loan and, where eligible, a Maintenance Loan. Below 25 percent you cannot get these loans for that year.

There is also an overall time limit. You must be able to complete the part-time course in no more than four times the length of the equivalent full-time course, up to a maximum of 16 years. So a course intensity that is too low to finish within that window can put funding at risk.

Maintenance Loan for part-time students

A part-time Maintenance Loan is available to eligible students, subject to the same 25 percent intensity requirement and to household income assessment. The amount you receive is affected by your intensity of study, where you live and study, and your household income. Not everyone qualifies for the maximum, and older eligibility rules can affect students who began courses before certain dates, so it is worth checking your specific start year.

What happens if your study intensity changes

Your entitlement is assessed for each academic year based on the credits you tell Student Finance England you will study. If your intensity changes, several things can follow.

If your intensity rises or falls but stays at 25 percent or above, your funding usually continues, but the amount of any Maintenance Loan can be recalculated because it is linked to intensity. Studying more credits in a year can increase support; studying fewer can reduce it.

If your intensity drops below 25 percent in an academic year, you will normally lose entitlement to the Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan for that year, because you no longer meet the minimum threshold. This is one of the most common problems part-time students face when they reduce their module load.

If you change the number of modules or credits after applying, you must tell Student Finance England, because your funding is based on the intensity you declared. Payments can be adjusted, and if you have already been paid more than your recalculated entitlement, you can be asked to repay the overpayment. Tuition Fee Loan instalments are paid to your provider in three instalments once they confirm your attendance and any changes, so a mid-year change can alter what is paid across those instalments.

If you suspend or withdraw, or take a break in study, that also affects payments and can trigger recovery of amounts already advanced for the part of the year not studied.

Practical steps to protect your funding

1. Confirm with your university or college the exact module credits you will study each year and the credit total for the equivalent full-time course, so you can calculate your intensity accurately before you apply.

2. Aim to keep intensity at or above 25 percent in every academic year if you want to keep the loans, and check that your overall completion time stays within four times the full-time length and within 16 years.

3. Tell Student Finance England promptly, in writing, about any change to your modules, credits or study pattern, rather than waiting until year end, so your assessment can be corrected and you avoid an unexpected overpayment demand.

4. Keep records of what you declared and any confirmation from your provider, in case there is a later dispute about intensity, payments or overpayments.

5. Check your own start-year rules, because eligibility and Maintenance Loan availability can differ depending on when you began the course and your residence and previous-study history.

Where the answer could change

The precise outcome depends on facts you have not given: your course level and provider type, your start year, whether you already hold an equivalent or higher qualification, your residence and nationality status, your household income, and exactly how far your intensity would change. If you can tell me your course, the credits involved and your intended start year, I can be more specific about the likely tuition and maintenance position and the effect of any intensity change.

For the authoritative figures and your personal position, the GOV.UK part-time student finance pages and your Student Finance England online account are the sources to rely on, and your university’s student funding office can confirm the credit values used to calculate intensity.