A Maintenance Loan is money from Student Finance England to help with living costs while you study, such as rent, food and travel. How much you can borrow depends mainly on where you will live while studying and your household income. For 2025/26 the most a new full-time student can get ranges roughly from around £8,877 to £13,762, though most people receive less. Figures change each year, so check gov.uk for the latest.
What is a Maintenance Loan for?
The Maintenance Loan is there to help cover everyday living costs while you are at university or college. Unlike the Tuition Fee Loan, which goes straight to your institution, the Maintenance Loan is paid to your own bank account, usually in three instalments across the year. You decide how to spend it on rent, bills, food, travel and study materials. It is a loan, so it is repaid later under the same income-linked rules as the rest of your student finance.
How much Maintenance Loan can I get?
According to gov.uk, the maximum amounts for a new full-time student in 2025/26 depend on your living situation:
- Living with your parents: up to around £8,877.
- Living away from home, outside London: up to around £10,544.
- Living away from home, in London: up to around £13,762.
These are the top figures. The amount you are actually offered is then adjusted based on your household income, so many students receive somewhere below the maximum. The student finance calculator on gov.uk gives you a personal estimate in a few minutes.
How does household income affect my loan?
The Maintenance Loan is means-tested, which means part of it is linked to your household income. For 2025/26, students with a household income of around £25,000 or less generally qualify for the maximum loan for their living situation. Above that level, the loan is gradually reduced on a sliding scale, so the higher the household income, the smaller the means-tested part becomes. Even on higher incomes, most eligible students can still get a portion of the loan, so it is worth applying rather than assuming you will get nothing.
Whose income counts as my household income?
For most younger students, household income usually means a parent's income, or the income of a parent and their partner. If you are an independent or mature student, it may be based on your own income and, where relevant, a partner's. The people whose income counts are asked to share their details separately through their own online account, so you do not have to gather their figures yourself. If you prefer not to be assessed on household income at all, you can still apply for the part of the loan that is not means-tested.
Why do most students get less than the maximum?
The headline maximum figures assume a household income at or below the threshold. Because many households earn above that level, the means-tested part is reduced, and the final offer lands below the top amount. This is normal and not a sign that something has gone wrong. The key point is that the loan is designed to flex with circumstances, so two students on the same course can be offered different amounts.
Does where I live really make that much difference?
Yes, location matters. Living at home with parents gives the lowest maximum, because your costs are assumed to be lower. Living away from home outside London sits in the middle, and living away in London gives the highest maximum, reflecting higher living costs in the capital. If you are weighing up cities, this is worth factoring in alongside course quality and lifestyle. You can explore options such as courses in London, courses in Manchester or courses in Birmingham to get a feel for what is on offer.
When and how do I get the money?
Maintenance Loan payments usually arrive in your bank account in instalments, often near the start of each term, once you have enrolled and your attendance has been confirmed. That means the first payment typically comes shortly after your course begins rather than before, so it helps to plan for the gap at the very start of term. You apply for the Maintenance Loan as part of your overall student finance application, which we cover in our plain-English guide to Student Finance England.
Where should I confirm the exact figures?
This guide is general and educational. The exact maximums, the income threshold and the way the sliding scale works are set by the government and change each year, so always use the official student finance calculator and guidance on gov.uk for figures that affect your own money. Treat the numbers here as a guide to how it works, not a personal quote.
What if I am not sure a course is right first?
Funding is easier to think about once you have a course and city in mind. If you are still deciding, we are happy to help you weigh up your options. You can browse courses or message us on WhatsApp for free, friendly guidance, and where detailed money questions come up, we will point you to the official source. Figures change each year, so check gov.uk for the latest, and we are happy to point you in the right direction.