You should start thinking about applying for financial help as soon as you apply for a place on a degree. Don’t wait until your place is confirmed, simply quote the degree you’re planning to study. If this information changes, just let us know.

Find useful Student Finance information

Tuition fee loan

This covers your full tuition fee, so you don't need to pay any undergraduate fees to Royal Holloway.

Student loan for living costs

This helps with everyday living expenses while you are studying. All eligible applicants are entitled to a maximum loan amount depending on household income.

Repayments

From the April after you graduate, the threshold at which you begin paying back your undergraduate loans will be £26,575. Repayments are calculated as a percentage of your income over £26,575 and usually made automatically through the UK tax system.

Additional support

Available to students with children, adults who are financially dependent on them and students with disabilities including mental-health or specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia or dyspraxia.

How to apply

How you apply for funding depends on where you are living in the UK.

For further information visit:

Student Finance England

Student Awards Agency for Scotland

Student Finance Wales

Student Finance Northern Ireland

The funding process

Once you’ve applied, there are a number of stages your application goes through before you receive the loan.

1. Your application is assessed by the Student Finance Authority.
2. Your support is confirmed within six to eight weeks, and prepared for payment.
3. Course registration and payment of financial help. When you enrol, you’ll need your Payment Schedule Letter so we can inform the Student Finance Authority of your attendance. You should then receive the first instalment of your loan within three-five working days, directly into your bank or building society.
4. Your loan will be paid in three instalments, at the beginning of each term.

Taking a second undergraduate degree in a STEM subject

Tuition fee loans for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses will now be available to students in England who’ve already completed an undergraduate degree. This is designed to help those already in the workforce or with non-STEM degrees to upskill.

For all STEM subjects, tuition loans will be extended to students wishing to do a second part-time degree.

Getting started online

Here is specific advice for students applying for financial support who have a home address in England.

Step 1 - Register online with Student Finance England

New students should register with Student Finance England

Registering provides you with unique security details so you can access your student finance account online or when you call.

Step 2 - Log in

Once registered, you can use your customer reference number and passwords to access your online account.

Step 3 - Create and submit an application

Once you have logged into your account there will be an option to make an application for your student loan.

Step 4 - Providing evidence

You will need to provide evidence to support your application, including a document or details to verify your identity, such as a passport number.

Step 5 - Maintaining your account

From ‘My account’ you can:

• update contact and bank details
• view information and correspondence about your student finance application
• ask questions about student finance.

If you’re an EU Student applying for an undergraduate place in 2020/21, you will continue to have access to student loans for tuition fees, if eligible, for the duration of your degree.

If you are an EU national who has resided in the UK for over five years, you will also have access to undergraduate maintenance support.

For more information visit Student Financial Services

Unfortunately, you are not entitled to apply for funding from the UK government towards your tuition or living costs.

Your own government may, however, provide a scholarship scheme to help you study overseas, or there may be banks in your country that offer international student loans.  

If you are applying from the USA you may be eligible for Direct Stafford and PLUS Federal loans, and veterans’ benefits if you are a veteran of the US Military. If you are applying from Canada you may be eligible for loans from your government.

Your local British Council office should be able to provide information on scholarship and loan schemes available in your country, as well as general scholarship schemes that you may be eligible for.