Student Finance for Part-Time Students UK 2026/27: The Complete Guide

 

Can Part-Time Students Get Student Finance?

This is one of the most common questions we hear, and the answer surprises a lot of people. Yes, part-time students in England are eligible for student finance, including both a Tuition Fee Loan and a Maintenance Loan. The system changed significantly in 2018/19, when Maintenance Loans were extended to part-time students for the first time. Before that, part-time students could only borrow for tuition fees.

If you are considering studying part-time because you need to work, look after a family, or prefer a more flexible pace, the funding exists to support you. The amounts differ from full-time student finance, but the basic principle is the same: you pay nothing upfront, and repayment only begins when you are earning above £25,000 per year.

For a practical overview of how part-time degrees actually work, including online courses, evening programmes, and degree apprenticeships, see our separate guide: Part-Time Degree for Working Adults UK. This page focuses entirely on the financial side: what you can borrow, how much, and how to apply.

Part-Time Tuition Fee Loan Explained

The Tuition Fee Loan for part-time students in England covers your course fees up to a maximum of £7,335 per year for 2026/27. This is lower than the full-time maximum of £9,790, but it covers the full tuition at most publicly funded universities. Part-time courses are typically charged at a proportionally lower rate than their full-time equivalents.

The Tuition Fee Loan is not means-tested. Your household income does not affect how much you can borrow. The loan is paid directly to your university, so you never handle the money yourself.

If your course fees are lower than £7,335, you will only receive a loan for the amount of your actual fees. If you are studying at a private university or college where fees exceed the cap, you would need to fund the difference yourself.

Part-Time Maintenance Loan: How It Is Calculated

Your Maintenance Loan as a part-time student is calculated as a proportion of the full-time Maintenance Loan, based on your course intensity. The formula is straightforward: if your course runs at 50% intensity (half the credits per year compared to a full-time student), you receive 50% of the Maintenance Loan that a full-time student in the same circumstances would receive.

Course Intensity	Maintenance Loan (Living at Home)	Maintenance Loan (Away, in London)
100% (full-time)	Up to £9,118	Up to £14,135
75%	Up to ~£6,839	Up to ~£10,601
50%	Up to ~£4,559	Up to ~£7,068
25% (minimum)	Up to ~£2,280	Up to ~£3,534

These are approximate figures based on the proportional calculation. Your exact Maintenance Loan depends on your household income, living situation, and the precise course intensity your university reports to Student Finance England. The Maintenance Loan is means-tested, so lower-income households receive higher amounts.

Key limitation for distance learners: if you are studying a distance learning course, you can only access a Maintenance Loan if you are studying remotely because of a disability. Otherwise, distance learners are limited to the Tuition Fee Loan only.

What Is Course Intensity and Why It Matters

Course intensity is the percentage of a full-time equivalent course you are studying in any given year. Your university calculates this based on the number of credits you are taking compared to a full-time student on the same course.

A full-time undergraduate course is typically 120 credits per year. If you are studying 60 credits per year, your course intensity is 50%. Studying 30 credits gives you an intensity of 25%.

The minimum intensity for student finance eligibility is 25%. Below that threshold, you cannot access Tuition Fee Loans or Maintenance Loans. Above 25%, your funding scales proportionally with your intensity.

Your university reports your course intensity to Student Finance England directly. However, if your intensity changes during the year (for example, if you drop a module), you must inform Student Finance England immediately. Changes in intensity will affect your funding, and failing to report them can lead to overpayments that need to be returned.

Extra Funding Available to Part-Time Students

Part-time students are eligible for several additional sources of funding beyond tuition fee and maintenance loans. Many of these are non-repayable.

Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA). Available to part-time students studying at 25% intensity or above. DSA covers the additional costs you face because of a disability, long-term health condition, or specific learning difficulty. It is not means-tested and does not need to be repaid. Our full DSA guide explains eligibility and how to apply.

Childcare Grant. Part-time students with dependent children can receive help with childcare costs of up to 85% (up to £193.62 per week for one child, or £332.10 for two or more children). This is non-repayable.

Parents’ Learning Allowance. An additional grant of up to £2,024 per year for course-related costs such as books and travel, available to part-time students with dependent children. See our Parents’ Guide to Student Finance 2026/27 for full details on family-related support.

Adult Dependants’ Grant. If you have a partner or another adult who depends on you financially, you could receive up to £3,438 per year. This is non-repayable.

University bursaries. Many universities offer bursaries to part-time students from lower-income households. The eligibility criteria and amounts vary between institutions. Make sure you consent to sharing your household income data with your university on your student finance application, otherwise the university cannot assess you automatically. Our guide to University Bursaries and Scholarships UK 2026/27 covers how to find and apply for these.

Who Qualifies for Part-Time Student Finance?

The eligibility criteria for part-time student finance are almost identical to full-time. You must meet all of the following conditions.

Residency. You must be ordinarily resident in England and have been living in the UK for at least three years before your course starts.

Immigration status. You must hold a qualifying status. This includes UK nationals, Irish nationals, those with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, refugees, and people with certain types of leave to remain. Our guides for refugees and asylum seekers and international students explain the eligibility rules in more detail.

Course level. Your course must lead to a Level 4 qualification or above (such as a Certificate of Higher Education, foundation degree, HND, or bachelor’s degree) at an approved UK institution.

Minimum intensity. Your course must run at a minimum of 25% of full-time intensity.

Previous qualifications. You must not already hold a degree at the same level or higher, with some exceptions for healthcare courses. If you already have a degree and are considering further study, our guide on student finance for a second degree explains which situations still qualify for funding.

There is no upper age limit for the Tuition Fee Loan, though the Maintenance Loan typically requires you to be under 60 at the start of your academic year. For a full breakdown of all eligibility rules, see our Student Finance Eligibility Guide for 2026/27.

How to Apply

The application process for part-time student finance is essentially the same as for full-time students. You apply online through the Student Finance England website. You will need your National Insurance number, proof of identity (UK passport or birth certificate), your course and university details, and your household income information (or your parents’/partner’s details if applicable).

Applications for 2026/27 courses are open now. Even if you have not yet confirmed your university place, you can start your application and update the details later. Our step-by-step guide to applying for Student Finance England walks through the entire process.

Processing times are typically four to six weeks for a clean application. Applying early gives you the best chance of having your funding in place by the time your course starts. If you have already missed the standard deadline, our missed deadline guide explains your late application options.

Repayment: Exactly the Same as Full-Time

Whether you studied full-time or part-time, the repayment rules are identical. There is no penalty, no different rate, and no different threshold for part-time borrowers.

If you started your course from August 2023 onwards, you are on Plan 5. The repayment threshold is £25,000 per year. You repay 9% of everything you earn above that threshold. If you earn below £25,000, you repay nothing. After 40 years, any remaining balance is written off.

Annual Salary	Monthly Repayment
£25,000 or below	£0
£28,000	~£22
£31,000	~£45
£35,000	~£75

Repayment is deducted automatically from your salary, like a tax. There are no debt collectors, no impact on your credit score, and no risk of default. For a deeper look at how the repayment system works, including what happens if you go abroad or become self-employed, see our Student Loan Repayment UK 2026 guide.

Part-Time vs Full-Time: Funding Comparison

Factor	Full-Time	Part-Time (at 50% intensity)
Max Tuition Fee Loan	Up to £9,790/year	Up to £7,335/year
Max Maintenance Loan (London, away)	Up to £14,135	Up to ~£7,068
DSA	Yes	Yes
Childcare Grant	Yes	Yes
Parents’ Learning Allowance	Yes	Yes
University bursaries	Yes	Varies by university
Repayment threshold	£25,000	£25,000 (same)
Can you work alongside study?	Limited hours	Yes, significantly more flexibility

The main trade-off is clear: part-time study gives you the flexibility to earn while you learn, but the maintenance support is proportionally lower. For many working adults, this works well because employment income fills the gap that a reduced maintenance loan creates. If you want to explore the practical side of balancing work with study, including online courses, evening programmes, and degree apprenticeships, our Part-Time Degree for Working Adults UK guide covers all the options.

Lifelong Learning Entitlement: What Is Changing

The Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) launches in the 2026/27 academic year. Applications open from September 2026, and it applies to courses and modules starting from January 2027 onwards. Every eligible learner receives a loan entitlement worth up to £39,160 (equivalent to four years of post-18 education at current fee rates), which can be used flexibly for full courses or individual modules at Levels 4 to 6 across their lifetime.

For part-time learners, this is a significant change. Instead of committing to a full multi-year course upfront, you will be able to study individual modules and stack them into a qualification over time. If you are planning to start a part-time course in 2026/27 before January 2027, the current system described in this guide applies in full.

For a full explanation of how the LLE works, including how previous study affects your entitlement and what courses are currently approved, see our dedicated guide: Lifelong Learning Entitlement UK: £39,160 Funding Explained.

How NZ Associates Can Help (For Free)

Part-time student finance is less well understood than full-time funding, and the intensity-based calculations can be confusing. That is exactly the kind of complexity NZ Associates helps with, at no cost to you.

As a registered UCAS centre based in Stratford, East London, we help part-time students understand their funding entitlement, complete their applications correctly, and identify additional support such as bursaries, DSA, and childcare grants. Whether you are weighing up full-time versus part-time, or considering an Access course before moving to a part-time degree, we can help you map out the route that makes the most financial and practical sense.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can part-time students get a maintenance loan?

Yes, since 2018/19. If your course runs at 25% or more of full-time intensity, you are eligible for a Maintenance Loan. The amount is calculated as a proportion of the full-time loan, scaled to your course intensity. At 50% intensity, you receive roughly 50% of the full-time Maintenance Loan.

What is the minimum course intensity for student finance?

Your course must run at a minimum of 25% of full-time intensity to qualify for any student finance. This covers both the Tuition Fee Loan and the Maintenance Loan. Your university reports your intensity to Student Finance England directly.

Do part-time students repay their loans differently?

No. Repayment rules are identical whether you studied full-time or part-time. On Plan 5, you repay 9% of earnings above £25,000 per year. Any remaining balance is written off after 40 years.

Can I get DSA as a part-time student?

Yes. The Disabled Students’ Allowance is available to part-time students studying at 25% intensity or above. It is not means-tested and does not need to be repaid.

Is there an age limit for part-time student finance?

There is no upper age limit for the Tuition Fee Loan. The Maintenance Loan typically requires you to be under 60 at the start of your academic year, though exceptions may apply. Our mature student guide covers age-related eligibility in detail.

Can I get student finance for an Open University part-time course?

Yes. The Open University is an approved provider, and its courses qualify for part-time student finance provided the course leads to a Level 4 qualification or above and meets the minimum 25% intensity requirement.

What happens if my course intensity changes mid-year?

You must inform Student Finance England immediately. Your Maintenance Loan will be adjusted to reflect the new intensity. If your intensity drops below 25%, your funding will stop. Failing to report changes can result in overpayments that you will need to return.

Can I switch from part-time to full-time (or vice versa)?

Yes, but you need to update your student finance application. The funding available will change to reflect your new study mode. Contact Student Finance England and your university as soon as possible if you are planning to switch.