Full-time UG students encouraged for student finance: England

Full-time undergraduate students in England are encouraged to apply for student finance as soon as possible, as the application service for the 22/23 academic year opens. The Student Loans Company (SLC) anticipates approximately 1.5 million full-time undergraduate students applying for funding this year. It is advised that applications be submitted as soon as possible.‍

Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans are available to students in England to help with tuition and living expenses.

Students can ensure they have their finances in place for the start of the term by applying before the deadline (20 May 2022 for new students and 24 June 2022 for returning students). Even if they are unsure what course they will take or which university they will attend, SLC encourages students to apply now.

Application processing can take six to eight weeks, and students are not required to contact us during this time. They can check the status of their application using the new application status tracker in their online account as soon as they apply. 

This informs them of the current stage of their application. Applicants can also view a to-do list of any outstanding actions needed to support their application. They will be contacted via text message or e-mail if any additional information is required.

“We want to make it as easy as possible for students to access student finance and to support them resources are available online and they can follow Student Finance England (SFE) on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for all the latest student finance updates. We’ve also made it easier for students to check the status of their application using the new application status tracker in their SFE online account, and applicants can be assured that we will contact them via text message or email if we require any further information to support their application.”

To help students apply for student finance, SLC has put together the following tips:

Apply as early as possible: To make sure your finances are in place before your studies start. The deadline to apply is 20 May 2022 for new students and 24 June 2022 for returning students. Even if you don’t know what course you are doing, you should apply now using your preferred choice and you can update your application later if required.‍

Check email: Remember it can take six to eight weeks to process an application. There is no need to contact us during this time to check on your application status. You can stay up to date with your application’s progress via our application tracker in your SFE online account. We will also notify you if you have any outstanding actions to complete. You should check that your e-mail address and telephone number are up to date in your online account.‍

Find answers online: Take advantage of the information and resources provided online at https://studentfinance.campaign.gov.uk/ – these resources are continually updated to respond to the needs of students, their parents and partners, as they progress through the application cycle. Students should also follow Student Finance England (SFE) on social media channels (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) to stay up to date with the very latest information.‍

Limited funding provided: You can apply for Tuition Fee Loans to cover your fees and Maintenance Loans to help with living costs. You can use the student finance calculator to get an estimate of how much you could be entitled to https://www.gov.uk/student-finance-calculator‍

Carry important documents: Have your National Insurance Number and UK passport details to hand before you start your application as you will be asked for this information when you apply.‍

Provide your supporting evidence online: Don’t forget to submit any evidence you are asked for. All evidence apart from some forms of ID or residency evidence can be submitted digitally via your SFE online account.‍

Check if you are eligible for extra support: There may be circumstances where you are able to access some extra money, for example if you have a disability, have children or are studying for a medical, social work or teaching course. You can find out more about what is available here: https://www.gov.uk/student-finance/extra-help

Follow Student Finance England (SFE) on social media: Students can stay up to date on the latest information on student finance by following the SFE Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels.