Help with Living Costs
COVID-19 update
If you’re having to study online from home in 2020 to 2021 rather than attending your course on campus at your university or college, you’ll still be entitled to a Maintenance Loan and any grants you qualify for. Your student finance will be paid to you as normal, as if you were studying on site at your university or college.
If your circumstances have changed and you’ll now be living at home with parents rather than in your own accommodation, you’ll need to update your living location details in your online account. You’ll also need to update your application if you were supposed to be studying abroad this year but will now be staying in the UK to study online with your overseas provider.
You need to make sure we have the correct information about where you’ll be living each term, otherwise you may have to repay any funding you have been overpaid. You can update this information by signing in to your online account now.
There are loans and grants available to help you throughout your course.
Welsh Government Learning Grant
Welsh Government Learning Grant (WGLG) helps with living costs, such as food, books, rent and other expenses while you’re studying. The amount of WGLG you can get depends on your household income, and where you’ll be studying, however most students will get a grant of at least £1,000.
How does household income affect an application?
|
Household income |
Living at home with your parents |
Studying outside |
Students studying in |
|
£18,370 and under |
£6,885 |
£8,100 |
£10,124 |
|
£20,000 |
£6,651 |
£7,817 |
£9,760 |
|
£25,000 |
£5,930 |
£6,947 |
£8,643 |
|
£30,000 |
£5,209 |
£6,078 |
£7,526 |
|
£35,000 |
£4,488 |
£5,208 |
£6,408 |
|
£40,000 |
£3,767 |
£4,339 |
£5,291 |
|
£45,000 |
£3,047 |
£3,469 |
£4,174 |
|
£50,000 |
£2,326 |
£2,600 |
£3,056 |
|
£55,000 |
£1,605 |
£1,730 |
£1,939 |
|
£59,200 and over |
£1,000 |
£1,000 |
£1,000 |
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.
How is it paid?
WGLG 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 (SSG) is intended to help with costs such as books, course equipment and travel. However, unlike WGLG, 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 other income-related benefits or Tax Credits.
The maximum amount of SSG available in academic year 2020/21 is £5,161 per year. Certain students will be eligible for their grant to be designated as SSG, depending on their circumstances, and may be able to get some additional grant as WGLG as well. You may be eligible for SSG if any of the following applies to you:
- you’re a single parent;
- your partner is also a full-time 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.
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.
How is it paid?
SSG 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.
Maintenance Loan
Based on your household income
The amount of Maintenance Loan you can get is affected by your household income, and that of your parents or partner, if you apply for an income-assessed loan.
The following table shows the amount of Maintenance Loan available:
| Household income | Living with your parents | Living away from home, studying outside London | Living away from home, studying in London | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grant | Maintenance Loan | Grant | Maintenance Loan | Grant | Maintenance Loan | |
| £18,370 or less | £6,885 | £1,450 | £8,100 | £1,710 | £10,124 | £2,136 |
| £25,000 | £5,930 | £2,405 | £6,947 | £2,863 | £8,643 | £3,617 |
| £35,000 | £4,488 | £3,847 | £5,208 | £4,602 | £6,408 | £5,852 |
| £45,000 | £3,047 | £5,288 | £3,469 | £6,341 | £4,174 | £8,086 |
| £59,200 or more | £1,000 | £7,335 | £1,000 | £8,810 | £1,000 | £11,260 |
| Total | £8,335 | £9,810 | £12,260 | |||
How is it paid?
The 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.
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 at GOV.UK
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.
Welsh partial cancellation of Maintenance Loan
If you take out a Maintenance Loan in academic year 2020/21 you could have up to £1,500 cancelled from your student loan balance by the Welsh Government when you start repaying.
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.
