The Tuition Fee Loan covers your course fees and is paid by Student Finance England directly to your university or college. For 2026/27 the maximum is £9,790 a year for a standard full-time course, £11,750 for an accelerated degree and £7,335 for part-time study. It is not means-tested, so household income does not affect it.
How much is the Tuition Fee Loan in 2026/27?
Tuition fees in England rose by 2.71% from 1 August 2026, the second year of increases after a long freeze. The loan is designed to cover your fee in full, up to the cap. The cap depends on whether your provider has a Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) award and an access and participation plan (APP) agreed with the Office for Students.
| Provider type | Full-time | Accelerated | Part-time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fee-cap provider with TEF award and APP (most universities) | £9,790 | £11,750 | £7,335 |
| Fee-cap provider with APP, no TEF award | £9,525 | £11,430 | £7,140 |
| Fee-cap provider with TEF award, no APP | £6,525 | £7,830 | £4,890 |
| Fee-cap provider, no TEF award and no APP | £6,350 | £7,620 | £4,760 |
| Approved (no fee cap) provider with TEF award: maximum loan | £6,525 | £7,830 | £4,890 |
| Approved (no fee cap) provider without TEF award: maximum loan | £6,350 | £7,620 | £4,760 |
Why do some private colleges have lower loan limits?
Some independent providers are registered with the Office for Students but do not have an access and participation plan. At these providers the maximum fee, and the maximum loan, is lower: £6,525 or £6,350 a year for full-time study in 2026/27. At "approved" providers that are not fee-capped, the college can charge more than the loan, and you pay the difference yourself.
Many courses at private London and regional campuses are franchised from a partner university. In that case the university's fee cap usually applies, so students can often borrow up to £9,790. Always ask the provider two questions before you enrol: what is the annual fee, and what is the maximum Tuition Fee Loan for this course? Our course advisers check this for every course we recommend.
How are foundation years funded?
A foundation year (sometimes called Year 0) that is an integrated part of a degree is funded as part of that degree, so you can get a Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan for it. Since 2025/26, foundation years in classroom-based subjects, such as business and social sciences, have a lower fee cap of £5,760, and this has been frozen for 2026/27. At providers with an APP but no TEF award, it is £5,605. Foundation years in subjects such as science and engineering can still charge the standard cap.
Remember that a foundation year adds a year to your course, which counts toward the "course length plus one year" calculation. Read more in our guide to funding for HNDs, foundation years and top-up degrees.
What about placement years and study abroad?
- Sandwich placement year: fees are capped at 20% of the full-time fee.
- Year abroad (including Turing): fees are capped at 15% of the full-time fee.
- Final year shorter than 15 weeks: fees are capped at 50% of the full-time fee.
You can still get a Tuition Fee Loan for these reduced fees, plus a Maintenance Loan. The year-abroad Maintenance Loan rate is up to £12,403.
Is the Tuition Fee Loan means-tested?
No. If you are eligible, you can borrow the full fee up to the cap regardless of your income or your family's income. It is paid in instalments directly to your provider once you have registered. You never handle the money, and the provider will not chase you for fees covered by the loan. If your fee is higher than the loan, as can happen at some private colleges, you must pay the gap yourself.
How many years of Tuition Fee Loan can you get?
For courses starting before 1 January 2027, you can usually get the Tuition Fee Loan for the length of your course plus one extra year, minus any years of previous higher education study. The extra year covers repeats or a change of course. For courses starting from January 2027, the Lifelong Learning Entitlement replaces this with a total tuition allowance of £39,160, the equivalent of four years at today's £9,790 cap. Our Lifelong Learning Entitlement guide explains the new system.
How is the Tuition Fee Loan paid to your provider?
Once your university or college confirms you have registered, Student Finance England pays the loan directly to them, usually in three instalments across the academic year. If you withdraw part-way through a year, you are normally charged fees for the part of the year you attended, and that amount stays on your loan balance. If you suspend your studies or change course, tell both your provider and Student Finance England straight away, as changes can affect your remaining years of funding.
If you are a part-time student, the loan covers your fee for each year of study up to £7,335 in 2026/27, provided your course intensity is at least 25% of a full-time course.
Will tuition fees rise again in 2027/28?
Yes. The government has set the standard full-time fee cap at £10,050 for 2027/28, a further 2.68% rise, with £12,060 for accelerated degrees and £7,530 for part-time. Lower-cap providers rise too, for example to £6,695 at TEF providers without an APP. The government has said it intends to legislate so that fees rise with inflation automatically after 2027/28, but that has not yet been passed into law.
Do you have to repay the Tuition Fee Loan?
Yes, but only when you earn above the threshold. Your Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan form one balance. On Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, from the April after you leave your course, and the balance is written off after 40 years. Read more in our Plan 5 repayment guide.
Figures in this guide are for the 2026/27 academic year and are general information, not financial advice. Confirm the latest details on gov.uk before you apply.
How can we help you choose a funded course?
The provider you choose can change how much you can borrow, so it pays to check before you apply. We only recommend courses where the funding position is clear. Browse courses, see how to apply, or message us on WhatsApp for free course guidance.
Sources
- DfE: Changes to tuition fees, 2026 to 2027 and 2027 to 2028
- GOV.UK: Student finance for undergraduates, what you'll get
- DfE: Tuition fees and loans for foundation years
- Office for Students: Fee limits
- GOV.UK: Student finance, who qualifies
- GOV.UK: Student loans for courses starting on or after 1 January 2027