Student loans for living costs are part of the financial student support package available to assist new and existing full-time home undergraduate and PGCE students with their living expenses.

Around 50% of the amount available will be means tested and based on household income.

Whether you qualify for a maintenance loan depends on a variety of factors:

• your course
• if you’ve studied a higher education course before
• your nationality or residency status
• your age

Your course needs to be in the UK and one of the following:

• a first degree, for example BA, BSc or BEd

• a Foundation Degree

• an Initial Teacher Training course

• an integrated master’s degree

• a pre-registration postgraduate healthcare course.

If you are studying part-time, your course needs a ‘course intensity’ of 25% or more for you to be eligible for student finance. You can find out more on the UK Government's 'Student finance for undergraduates' webpage.

Note on previous study:

You’ll usually only receive student finance if you’re doing your first higher education qualification - even if your previous course was self-funded. You may still be eligible for limited funding in certain circumstances.

If you have studied before please visit our previous study page for more information.

The amount of student loan you can get will depend on the year you started your course, your household income, and the type of course you are doing.

These differing loan rates are detailed below, followed by more detailed explanation of how these are assessed.

Student Loan Rates - New students in 2016/17 or later:

London rate:

Maximum loan: £13,348 (Full year), £12,367 (Final year)

Non-income assessed: £6,647 (Full year), £6,056 (Final year)

Income assessed: £6,701 (Full year), £6,311 (Final year)

Parental home rate:

Maximum loan: £8,610 (Full year), £8,102 (Final year)

Non-income assessed: £3,790 (Full year), £3,482 (Final year)

Income assessed: £4,820 (Full year), £4,620 (Final year)

Elsewhere rate:

Maximum loan: £10,227 (Full year), £9,672 (Final year)

Non-income assessed: £4,767 (Full year), £4,432 (Final year)

Income assessed: £5,460 (Full year), £5,240 (Final year)

Overseas rate:

Maximum loan: £11,713 (Full year), £10,485 (Final year)

Non-income assessed: £5,662 (Full year), £4,920 (Final year)

Income assessed: £6,051 (Full year) £5,565 (Final year)

Student loan rates: Continuing students who started 2012/13-2015-16:

London rate:

Maximum loan: £10,230 (Full year), £9,317 (Final year)

65% non-income assessed: £6,649 (Full year), £6,056 (Final year)

35% income assessed: £3,581 (Full year), £3,261 (Final year)

Parental home rate:

Maximum loan: £5,831 (Full year), £5,357 (Final year)

65% non-income assessed: £3,790 (Full year), £3,482 (Final year)

35% income assessed: £2,041 (Full year), £1,875 (Final year)

Overseas rate:

Maximum loan: £8,710 (Full year), £7,571 (Final year)

65% non-income assessed: £5,664 (Full year), £4,921 (Final year)

35% income assessed: £3,046 (Full year), £2,650 (Final year)

Reduced Student Loan Rates 2024/25:

London rate:

Sandwich year: £4,350 (Full year), £3,327 (Final year)

NHS Bursary: £3,749 (Full year), £2,870 (Final year)

Parental home rate:

Sandwich year: £2,324 (Full year), £1,765 (Final year)

NHS Bursary: £2,004 (Full year), £1,520 (Final year)

Elsewhere rate:

Sandwich year: £3,098 (Full year), £2,415 (Final year)

NHS Bursary: £2,670 (Full year), £2,081 (Final year)

Overseas rate:

Sandwich year: £n/a (Full year), £n/a (Final year)

NHS Bursary: £2,670 (Full year), £2,081 (Final year)

Reduced-rate loans for income assessed NHS/DH/SNM bursary holders and full year sandwich paid placement years only - For all years of entry. 

Your student loan will be paid to you in three instalments, at the beginning of each term. Payments are made direct into your bank or building society account. It is essential that you notify the Student Loans Company (0300 100 0607) of any changes in your bank details.

It is also essential that you bring a copy of your financial notification letter with you to enrolment, as your unique Student Support Number is needed in order for the university to authorise the release of your first loan instalment.

Repayments start the April after you complete your course and you will only repay your student loan when your income is over a threshold amount for your repayment plan.

Each plan has a threshold for your weekly or monthly income. You repay:

• 9% of the amount you earn over the threshold for plans 1, 2 and 4

• 6% of the amount you earn over the threshold for the Postgraduate Loan

• Students beginning their studies after August 2023 will be on plan 5.

Further details about repaying your loan can be found on the UK Government's repaying your student loan webpage.

Find out what plan applies to you on the UK Government's when you start repaying webpage.

You do not pay anything back if your income is under the threshold. Find out more about repayment. Interest starts being added to your loan from when you get your first payment.

For any assistance with the application process, please contact the Student Funding Office.

You can also visit the UK Government website for a range of forms and guides. 

Please visit our Student Fees & Funding Privacy Notice webpage for further information about student data collection and King's core privacy notice.