How much maintenance loan can I get in 2026/27?

The maximum maintenance loan for 2026/27 is £14,135 for students living away from home in London, £10,830 for students living away from home outside London, and £9,118 for students living at home with parents. You get the full amount if your household income is £25,000 or below; above that the loan is income-assessed and tapers down.

When is the maintenance loan paid?

The maintenance loan is paid in three instalments throughout the academic year: at the start of the autumn term (September), spring term (January), and summer term (April). Each payment is approximately one-third of your annual amount.

Do I have to pay back my maintenance loan?

Yes, the maintenance loan must be repaid along with your tuition fee loan. Repayments start the April after you graduate, but only if you earn above the repayment threshold. For the 2026-27 tax year that is £29,385 for Plan 2 and £25,000 for Plan 5. Any remaining balance is written off after 30 years (Plan 2) or 40 years (Plan 5).

Is the maintenance loan enough to live on?

For many students, the maintenance loan alone may not cover all living costs, especially in expensive areas like London. The amount depends on household income, and students from higher-income families receive less. Many students supplement their loan with part-time work, family support, or bursaries.

Maintenance Loan Guide 2026/27: Minimum and Maximum Amounts

The maximum maintenance loan for 2026/27 is £14,135 living away from home in London, £10,830 away from home outside London and £9,118 living at home. The minimum, paid however high your household income, is £7,039, £5,048 and £4,013 respectively.

Source: GOV.UK, Student finance: how you're assessed and paid 2026 to 2027 (opens in a new tab)

Fact checked by Dr. Lila Sharma, UK Education Policy Specialist

Key Takeaways

Maximum maintenance loan for 2026/27 is £14,135 (London away from home), £10,830 (elsewhere away from home), or £9,118 (living at home). Amounts are income-assessed based on household earnings.
Even the highest-earning households qualify for a guaranteed minimum maintenance loan of £7,039 (London), £5,048 (away, outside London) or £4,013 (living at home), so you should always apply regardless of parental income.
The maintenance loan covers only about 50% of what students need for a minimum socially acceptable standard of living, according to HEPI research — plan for a significant shortfall.
Your maintenance loan is paid in three instalments (roughly September, January, April) — the first payment is typically larger to cover initial accommodation deposits and setup costs.
Maintenance loans are repaid under the same plan and threshold as your tuition fee loan — borrowing the full amount increases your total balance but barely changes your monthly repayment for most graduates.

What is a Maintenance Loan?

A maintenance loan is money you can borrow from the government to help cover your living expenses while studying. This includes costs like:

Rent and accommodation
Food and groceries
Utility bills (if not included in rent)
Transport costs
Course materials and books
Social activities and personal expenses

Key Points About Maintenance Loans

It's a loan, not a grant – you'll need to repay it after graduation
The amount depends on your household income and where you live
It's paid in three instalments throughout the academic year
Interest accrues from the day you receive payment

The maintenance loan is separate from the tuition fee loan. You can choose to take out just one, both, or neither – though most students take both to cover the full cost of studying.

What is the maximum maintenance loan?

The maximum maintenance loan in England for 2026/27 is £14,135 a year if you live away from home and study in London, £10,830 if you live away from home outside London, and £9,118 if you live with your parents. You only get the maximum if your household income is £25,000 a year or less; above that the loan tapers away with every extra pound of household income.

Maximum and minimum maintenance loan by living arrangement, 2026/27
Where you live while studying	Maximum maintenance loan	Minimum maintenance loan	Household income at which the minimum is reached
Away from home, in London	£14,135	£7,039	£70,131
Away from home, outside London	£10,830	£5,048	£62,410
Living at home with parents	£9,118	£4,013	£58,347

Studying abroad for a year as part of your course carries its own maximum of £12,403. Figures are for full-time undergraduates funded by Student Finance England in the 2026/27 academic year.

What is the minimum maintenance loan?

The minimum student maintenance loan for 2026/27 is £7,039 living away from home in London, £5,048 living away from home outside London and £4,013 living at home. This is a floor, not a means test you can fail: every eligible full-time undergraduate gets at least this much no matter how high the household income goes.

The minimum is reached once household income passes £58,347 for students living at home, £62,410 for students living away outside London, and £70,131 for students living away in London. Beyond those points, extra household income makes no further difference to the loan. Work through the exact taper in our maintenance loan household income bands guide, or estimate your own figure with our maintenance loan calculator.

How much maintenance loan will you get?

The amount of maintenance loan you can receive depends on several factors: your household income, where you live while studying, and what year of study you're in.

2026/27 Maximum Maintenance Loan Amounts

Living Situation	Maximum Amount	Per Term (approx)
Living at home	£9,118	£3,039
Living away from home (outside London)	£10,830	£3,610
Living away from home (in London)	£14,135	£4,712
Studying abroad for a year of a UK course	£12,403	£4,134

These are the maximum amounts for 2026/27. Final year students may receive slightly less.

How Household Income Affects Your Loan

If your household income is above £25,000, the amount of maintenance loan you can receive starts to reduce. Here's a rough guide:

£25,000 or below: You'll receive the maximum loan amount
Above £25,000: The loan tapers down by £1 for roughly every £6.36 to £6.53 of extra household income, depending on your living situation
Once the taper bottoms out: You receive the guaranteed minimum, £5,048 away from home outside London, £7,039 in London, or £4,013 living at home
However high the household income: The minimum is still paid, so it is always worth applying

Even students from high-income households are entitled to a minimum maintenance loan. Everyone can borrow something regardless of their family's financial situation.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for a maintenance loan, you must meet certain criteria related to your course, residency, and personal circumstances.

Course Requirements

Your course must be eligible for student finance
You must be studying at least 25% of a full-time course
The course must be at an approved university or college
It must be your first undergraduate degree (with some exceptions)

Postgraduate courses are funded differently: see whether you get a maintenance loan for a master's.

Residency Requirements

You must be a UK national or have settled status
You must have been living in the UK for at least 3 years before your course starts
Certain other residency categories may also be eligible (EU settled status, refugee status, etc.)

Age Requirements

There's no upper age limit for receiving a maintenance loan. However, the loan amount may be affected if you're over 60 when your course ends.

Part-Time Students

Part-time students studying at least 25% intensity can apply for maintenance loans. The amount is calculated proportionally based on your course intensity compared to a full-time course.

How to Apply

Apply for your maintenance loan through Student Finance England, Wales, Northern Ireland, or SAAS (Scotland), depending on where you live. The maximum amounts and the household income bands differ by nation, so if you are a Northern Irish student check the Student Finance NI rates, and Welsh students should use the Student Finance Wales figures rather than the England ones above.

Application Timeline

1
February-March:Applications open for the following academic year
2
May (deadline):Apply by this date to ensure money arrives on time
3
September:First payment arrives shortly after term starts

What You'll Need

Your National Insurance number
Your UK passport (or other valid ID)
Your bank account details
Details of your course and university
Your parents' or partner's income details (for income assessment)

Tip: Apply Early

Even if you haven't confirmed your university place, apply for student finance early. You can update your details later. Late applications may mean your first payment is delayed.

Payment Schedule

Your maintenance loan is paid in three instalments directly into your bank account, typically at the start of each term.

Typical Payment Schedule

Term	When Paid	Percentage of Loan
Autumn Term	First week of September	Approximately 33%
Spring Term	First week of January	Approximately 33%
Summer Term	First week of April	Approximately 34%

The exact payment dates vary slightly each year. Check your Student Finance account for the specific dates that apply to you.

Important: Budget Per Term

Each payment needs to last the entire term, not just until Christmas or Easter. Divide your termly amount by the number of weeks in the term to work out your weekly budget.

Living Costs by Location

Living costs vary significantly depending on where you study. Here's a rough guide to monthly costs in different areas:

Average Monthly Costs by Region

Location	Rent	Other Costs	Total Monthly
London	£700 - £1,000	£400 - £500	£1,100 - £1,500
South East (excl. London)	£500 - £700	£350 - £450	£850 - £1,150
Midlands	£400 - £550	£300 - £400	£700 - £950
North of England	£350 - £500	£280 - £380	£630 - £880
Wales	£350 - £500	£280 - £380	£630 - £880
Scotland	£400 - £600	£300 - £400	£700 - £1,000

"Other costs" includes food, transport, phone, course materials, and basic social activities.

As you can see, students in London and the South East face significantly higher costs, which is why the maintenance loan is higher for these areas. However, even with the higher loan, many London students find they need to supplement their income.

Making Your Maintenance Loan Last

Running out of money before the next payment is a common problem. Here's how to avoid it:

Calculate Your Weekly Budget

Take your termly payment, subtract your rent for the term, then divide the remainder by the number of weeks. This is what you have to live on each week.

Example calculation:

Termly payment: £3,400
Termly rent: £1,800 (13 weeks × £138/week)
Remaining: £1,600
Weekly budget: £123 (£1,600 ÷ 13 weeks)

Pay Rent First

When your loan arrives, immediately transfer your rent money to a separate account or pay it directly if possible. Don't be tempted to dip into rent money for other expenses.

Use Multiple Accounts

Consider having separate accounts for:

Bills and rent (don't touch this)
Weekly spending money
Emergency savings

Track Your Spending

Use a budgeting app or spreadsheet to track where your money goes. Many students are surprised to discover how much they spend on takeaways, subscriptions, or nights out.

If You Run Out

If you do run out of money, don't panic. Speak to your university's student services about hardship funds, look for part-time work, and avoid high-interest borrowing like payday loans at all costs.

Repayment Information

Your maintenance loan is added to your total student loan debt and repaid alongside your tuition fee loan after you graduate.

When Repayments Start

You start repaying the April after you graduate (or leave your course), but only if you're earning above the repayment threshold for your loan plan.

2026/27 Repayment Thresholds

Loan Plan	Annual Threshold	Repayment Rate
Plan 2 (England 2012-2023, Wales 2012 onwards)	£29,385	9% of income above threshold
Plan 5 (England, courses starting 1 August 2023 or later)	£25,000	9% of income above threshold

How Much Will You Repay?

Repayments are always based on your income, not how much you borrowed. For example, if you earn £35,000 on Plan 5:

Income above threshold: £35,000 - £25,000 = £10,000
Annual repayment: 9% × £10,000 = £900
Monthly repayment: £75

Loan Write-Off

Any remaining balance is written off after a set period:

Plan 2: Written off 30 years after you become eligible to repay
Plan 5: Written off 40 years after you become eligible to repay

Key Point

Many graduates won't repay their full loan before it's written off (you can check the month yours would be cancelled), particularly on Plan 2 and Plan 5. The loan works more like a graduate tax than a traditional debt.

Calculate Your Future Repayments

See how your maintenance loan will affect your total debt and monthly repayments after graduation

See your repayments after graduation

Student Loan Calculator UK Editorial Team

Editorial Team

This page is maintained by the Student Loan Calculator UK editorial team, checked against GOV.UK and Student Loans Company guidance. Read more about our editorial approach.

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