Help with living costs
There are loans and grants available to help you throughout your course.
If you started your course in 2010/11 or 2011/12 and you need more information, contact us
Maintenance Loan
The maximum amount of Maintenance Loan you can get is affected by your income and that of your parents or partner if you apply for an income-assessed loan.
The maximum amounts of Maintenance Loan for continuing students are:
| Your living arrangements during term-time | Loan available for 2018/19 | Loan available for 2018/19 (final year) | Loan available for 2017/18 | Loan available for 2017/18 (final year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Living at the parental home | £5,529 | £5,006 | £3,358 | £4,851 |
| Living away from home and studying at a university or college outside London | £7,143 | £6,617 | £6,922 | £6,412 |
| Living away from home and studying at a university or college in London | £10,007 | £9,112 | £6,697 | £8,830 |
| Studying overseas | £8,517 | £7,408 | £7,372 | £6,412 |
The maximum amounts of Maintenance Loan not based on household income for continuing students are:
| Your living arrangements during term-time | Loan available for 2018/19 | Loan available for 2018/19 (final year) | Loan available for 2017/18 | Loan available for 2017/18 (final year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Living at the parental home | £4,147 | £3,755 | £4,019 | £3,638 |
| Living away from home and studying at a university or college outside London | £5,357 | £4,963 | £5,191 | £4,808 |
| Living away from home and studying at a university or college in London | £7,505 | £6,834 | £7,273 | £6,623 |
| Studying overseas | £6,388 | £5,556 | £6,190 | £5,384 |
Longer courses
If your course is longer than 30 term-time weeks and 3 days, you can get an extra amount of loan for each week to help with your living costs:
| Your living arrangements during term-time | Loan available for 2017/18 and 2018/19 |
|---|---|
| Living at the parental home | £80 |
| Living away from home and studying at a university or college outside London | £120 |
| Living away from home and studying at a university or college in London | £153 |
| Studying overseas | £166 |
Maintenance Loan Request Form
If you’ve already applied for student finance, the quickest and easiest way to change the amount of Maintenance Loan you want to borrow is to log in to your online account
Alternatively you can complete and return this form.
Interest on your Maintenance Loan
You’ll be charged interest on your Maintenance Loan from the first day the money is paid into your bank until the loan is repaid in full or cancelled.
You can find out what interest you’ll be charged by visiting our Repayment Quick Start Guide
How is it paid?
Maintenance Loan is paid directly into your bank account at the start of each term. This will only happen after you’ve registered on your course and your attendance has been confirmed by your university or college.
Welsh partial cancellation of Maintenance Loan
If you take out a Maintenance Loan you could have up to £1,500 cancelled from your student loan balance by the Welsh Government when you start repaying.
To qualify for this you must have taken out a Maintenance Loan through Student Finance Wales in any academic year from 2011/12 to 2018/19.
Once you make your first repayment, we will automatically cancel up to £1,500 off your Maintenance Loan.
You won’t be eligible for partial cancellation if you have any outstanding charges, costs, expenses or penalties in relation to your loan or if you’re in breach of your loan agreement.
Welsh Government Learning Grant
You can apply for Welsh Government Learning Grant if your taxable household income is £50,020 or below. You’ll qualify for the maximum if your household income is £18,370 or less.
How much can you get?
The maximum amount of Welsh Government Grant available in academic year 2017/18 and 2018/19 is £5,161 per year.
Does it need to be paid back?
No, unless you leave your course or there’s a change in your circumstances which results in an overpayment.
Grant overpayment during your studies
If you’re continuing on the same course any grant overpayment will be deducted from future grant instalments.
Grant overpayment after your studies
If you’ve left your course, you’ll need to repay the grant overpayment. We’ll contact you to arrange repayment.
How is it paid?
Welsh Government Learning Grant is paid directly into your bank account at the start of each term. This will only happen after you’ve registered on your course and your attendance has been confirmed by your university or college.
Special Support Grant
Special Support Grant is intended to help with costs such as books, course equipment and travel. However, unlike the Welsh Government Learning Grant, this will not affect the amount of Maintenance Loan that you may be entitled to. Additionally, the grant doesn’t count as income when you work out income-related benefits or Tax Credits.
You may be eligible for Special Support Grant if any of the following applies to you:
- you’re a single parent;
- your partner is also a student and one or both of you are responsible for a child, or a young person under 20 who is in full-time education below higher education level;
- you have a disability and qualify for the Disability Premium or Severe Disability Premium;
- you’re deaf and qualify for Disabled Students' Allowances;
- you have been treated as incapable of work for at least 28 weeks;
- you have a disability and qualify for income-related Employment and Support Allowance;
- you’re eligible for Housing Benefit
- you’re eligible for Housing element of Universal Credit
- you’re entitled to Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- you’re entitled to Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP)
- you’re entitled to Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- you’re waiting to go back to a course having taken agreed time out from that course due to an illness or caring responsibility that has now ended; or
- you’re aged 60 or older.
You’ll only be entitled to either Welsh Government Learning Grant or Special Support Grant. If you’re unsure about which grant you should apply for, you can contact us.
How much can you get?
The maximum amount of Special Support Grant available in academic year 2017/18 and 2018/19 is £5,161 per year.
Does it need to be paid back?
No, unless you leave your course or there’s a change in your circumstances which results in an overpayment.
Grant overpayment during your studies
If you’re continuing on the same course any grant overpayment will be deducted from future grant instalments.
Grant overpayment after your studies
If you’ve left your course, you’ll need to repay the grant overpayment. We’ll contact you to arrange repayment.
How is it paid?
Special Support Grant is paid directly into your bank account at the start of each term. This will only happen after you’ve registered on your course and your attendance has been confirmed by your university or college.
