Student finance
Student Finance is the name for the administration of higher education student loans and grants. It is administered by local authorities in conjunction with the Student Loans Company, who are responsible for making payments of financial support.
For September 2010, all new students (see below for definition) starting a course of Higher Education should apply through Student Finance England, not the local authority. For details of the arrangements and other finance related information, visit www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance.
To apply online for student finance for the first time, or to renew your support online visit Student Finance England.
Please note: Local authorities will no longer be administering student finance for any student after 31 March 2011. After this date, all enquiries should be made directly to Student Finance England.
New students
Use this checklist to determine whether or not you are a new student:
- You have never applied for student support in the past.
- You have applied for student support in the past and your most recent application was cancelled.
- You have permanently withdrawn from the course of higher education in respect of which your most recent application for student support was made, without transferring your eligibility to another course.
- You have completed a course of higher education in the past and are now entering a further course of higher education.
- Those students starting on an “End on Course” (for example a one year ‘top up’ honours degree) starting in September 2010 will be classed as a new student for this purpose and will therefore apply to the Student Finance England for their Student Finance in September 2010.
- You have been found not to be an eligible student in respect of your most recent application for support.
- You have been found to be an eligible student in respect of your current course, but have taken more than two years out from that course and your eligibility therefore needs to be re-established.
Applications are to be considered as new if any of the categories apply. Continuing applicants or students will not fit into any of these categories.
Continuing students
Local authorities will process applications for student support from continuing students. Use this checklist to see whether or not you are a continuing student:
- You commenced your current course before September 2009 and are now entering your third or subsequent year of study.
- You did not withdraw from the last course of study for which you applied for support and
- Your last course of study is not complete.
- You are transferring from one course to another from within the same Higher Education Institution or at a different one.
The two checklists for new and continuing students cover full, part-time and distance learning students.