What’s the minimum maintenance loan for students?
Maintenance loans can be a tricky thing to get your head around, so we’re here to help demystify all the ins and outs of student finance. Most students use their maintenance loan to pay for day-to-day costs like food, energy bills and rent. Getting the full amount you’re entitled to will help you stay focused on your studies, not your bank balance.
Each maintenance loan varies depending on where you live in the UK, how much your household income is and the type of course you want to take. Here’s the low-down on the way they work, the amount you can get and tips on how to make the money last longer.
How do maintenance loans work?
A maintenance loan is one of the two main types of student financial support available in the UK. Tuition fee loans pay the course costs of your university or college but maintenance loans go straight into your student bank account. This money can pay for living costs as you’re learning, not earning.
This may include paying for:
- A place to live
- Food, drink and toiletries
- Items to support your study e.g. notebooks and textbooks
- Household bills such as water or gas
- Fuel or tickets for public transport
For students from England, Wales or Northern Ireland, loans are split into three similar-sized payments at separate intervals throughout the academic year. Students from Scotland will receive monthly payments on the same date, usually around the 7th.
You’ll apply for your tuition fee loan and maintenance allowance from the same student loan company. When you start earning above a set threshold (currently £27,295), 9% of anything above this amount will go towards repaying both of these loans. However, it’s important to remember they’re technically two different loans.
Who can get a maintenance loan?
Before you apply for a maintenance loan, it will be worth looking at the full student finance criteria, particularly if you’re a student applying from outside the UK or returning to education. Most first-time undergraduate students studying full-time should be eligible for a maintenance loan.
However, it’s worth keeping the following restrictions in mind:
- The university or college and course you’re going to study need to be on the eligibility list. Higher Certificate courses, Bachelor’s or integrated Master’s degrees and Initial Teacher Training all qualify
- You need to be studying this course full-time or part-time at a ‘course intensity’ of 25% or more
- Those aged 60 or over may only be eligible for limited funding
- UK nationals, Irish citizens or those with settled status who have been resident in the UK for at least three years will qualify for full support. Family members or people with a different residency status should check their own eligibility
If you’ve dropped out in the first year of studying, switched your subject or are repeating a year, then you might get the same funding. This is also the case if you’ve had to leave education for ‘compelling personal reasons’ such as long-term illness.
Those who already have a degree may be eligible for some level of maintenance loan if they’re adding to their qualification. For example, to upgrade a Higher Certificate to an Honours degree. This is also the case if you want to complete an Honours or Masters in certain subjects, such as sciences, maths or technology.
How much maintenance loan can you get?
The amount you’re eligible to borrow as a maintenance loan will vary depending on the following factors:
- Where in the UK you’re from
- How much your household income is
- Where you’ll be living as a student i.e. if you’ll be at home with your parents or not
How is household income measured?
If you choose to stay living with your parents, the household income will be measured based on their total earnings. If your parents are separated and living with new partners, their income might also be included in this total. When you apply for student finance, your parents will need to supply evidence of their income.
If you’re already working, you’ll need to give evidence of your household income. This includes any wages or earnings on investments such as property or dividends. This will be measured across an academic year to calculate the final loan amount.
Will I have to pay back the full loan amount?
In Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, students can apply for grants as well as loans. Grants don’t need to be repaid, while loans do. Repayments will be taken as small instalments from your paycheck as you start earning over a certain threshold. After 30 years, the full amount will be written off regardless of how much you’ve repaid.
What is the lowest maintenance loan available?
The minimum and maximum maintenance loan thresholds vary depending on which part of the UK you’re from. The figures for 2024/25 are set out below.
Students from England
The amount you’re eligible for will vary depending on whether you plan to live at home or not. It’ll also change if your accommodation is in or outside London. Student Finance England has the full breakdown of household income thresholds.
Maintenance Loans in England 2024/25
| Living Arrangements | Minimum Maintenance Loan | Maximum Maintenance Loan |
| Living at home | £3,790 | Up to £8,102 |
| Away from home, outside of London | £4,767 | Up to £9,672 |
| Away from home, studying in London | £6,647 | Up to £12,367 |
Students from Scotland
There are four bands of maintenance loans available in Scotland. Plus, a proportion of the final amount may be made up with a grant, which students don’t have to repay.
Maintenance Loans in Scotland 2024/25
| Household income | Grant | Maintenance loan | Special support loan | Total support available |
| £20,999 or less | £2,000 | £7,000 | £2,400 | £11,400 |
| £21,000 to £23,999 | £1,125 | £7,000 | £2,400 | £10,525 |
| £24,000 to £33,999 | £500 | £7,000 | £2,400 | £9,900 |
| £34,000 or more | £0 | £6,000 | £2,400 | £8,400 |
Students from Wales
All students from Wales in the same living situation will get the same amount as a maintenance loan. However, the proportion a student gets as a grant (which isn’t repayable) and as a loan flexes based on their household income.
Support for Welsh students living with their parents
| Household income | Grant | Maintenance loan | Total support available |
| £18,370 or less | £6,885 | £3,430 | £10,315 |
| £25,000 | £5,930 | £4,385 | £10,315 |
| £35,000 | £4,488 | £5,827 | £10,315 |
| £45,000 | £3,047 | £7,268 | £10,315 |
| £59,200 or more | £1,000 | £9,315 | £10,351 |
Support for Welsh students living away from home, outside of London
| Household income | Grant | Maintenance loan | Total support available |
| £18,370 or less | £8,100 | £4,050 | £12,150 |
| £25,000 | £6,947 | £5,203 | £12,150 |
| £35,000 | £5,208 | £6,942 | £12,150 |
| £45,000 | £3,469 | £8,681 | £12,150 |
| £59,200 or more | £1,000 | £11,150 | £12,150 |
Support for Welsh students living away from home, studying in London
| Household income | Grant | Maintenance loan | Total support available |
| £18,370 or less | £10,124 | £5,046 | £15,170 |
| £25,000 | £8,643 | £6,527 | £15,170 |
| £35,000 | £6,408 | £8,762 | £15,170 |
| £45,000 | £4,174 | £10,966 | £15,170 |
| £59,200 or more | £1,000 | £14,170 | £15,170 |
Students from Northern Ireland
For students from Northern Ireland, maintenance loans are calculated based on both household income and living situation. There are also grants available to apply for. Maintenance loans for 2024 to 2025 have not changed since the previous financial year.
Support for Northern Irish students living with their parents
| Household income | Grant | Maintenance loan | Total support available |
| £19,203 or less | £3,475 | £3,135 | £6,610 |
| £25,000 | £2,201 | £3,605 | £5,806 |
| £30,000 | £1,215 | £4,035 | £5,250 |
| £35,000 | £689 | £4,561 | £5,250 |
| £41,540 | £0 | £5,250 | £5,250 |
| £45,000 | £0 | £4,741 | £4,740 |
| £50,451 or more | £0 | £3,938 | £3,938 |
Support for Northern Irish students living away from home, outside of London
| Household income | Grant | Maintenance loan | Total support available |
| £19,203 or less | £3,475 | £4,661 | £8,136 |
| £25,000 | £2,201 | £5,131 | £7,332 |
| £30,000 | £1,215 | £5,561 | £6,776 |
| £35,000 | £689 | £6,087 | £6,776 |
| £41,540 | £0 | £6,776 | £6,776 |
| £50,000 | £0 | £5,530 | £5,530 |
| £50,035 or more | £0 | £5,084 | £5,084 |
Support for Northern Irish students living away from home, studying in London
| Household income | Grant | Maintenance loan | Total support available |
| £19,203 or less | £3,475 | £7,377 | £10,852 |
| £25,000 | £2,201 | £7,847 | £10,048 |
| £30,000 | £1,215 | £8,277 | £9,492 |
| £35,000 | £689 | £8,803 | £9,492 |
| £41,540 | £0 | £9,492 | £9,492 |
| £50,000 | £0 | £8,246 | £8,246 |
| £57,643 | £0 | £7,121 | £7,121 |
Tips to making the most of your maintenance loan
If you’re only entitled to the maintenance loan minimum amount, you might find yourself counting the pennies from one payment to the next. Don’t worry though, there are a few steps you can take to boost your income while you study:
- Apply for extra support: ask your university about grants, bursaries and scholarships. If you’re differently abled or have children, you may also be eligible for financial top-ups
- Plan out your budget: this may be boring, but it’s important to stay on top of your finances. Use a spreadsheet, app or notebook to help you plan and keep track of your spending
- Earn while you learn: many students boost their income (and graduate CV) with part-time jobs, online surveys or casual work in the holidays. Check out earning opportunities with UNiDAYS, too
- Get a better bank account: student accounts have a set overdraft with no interest rates applied. This will be helpful if things get tight between payments.
Plus, sign up for discounts, tips and advice from UNiDAYS. Here, you can get the information you need to start earning or save on the treats you just can’t live without.
Even more from UNiDAYS
We bring the best discounts from the best brands to college and uni students, as well as exclusive videos, articles and loads of tips and advice to make your student life even better - all for free!
- Join now or log in to start saving on everything from food comas and fashion to (finally) getting fitter.
- Verify now to start saving on everything from food comas and fashion to (finally) getting fitter.
- Got a lot to say? We're always looking for awesome guest bloggers. Get in touch with your ideas!