How much Maintenance Loan will you get?
The Maintenance Loan will probably be your main source of cash while you're at uni.
How much Maintenance Loan will you get?
The size of the Maintenance Loan you're entitled to will depend on the following four factors:
- Where in the UK you're from?
Each country within the UK has its own funding body for students. You'll apply to the body in the country you normally live in when you're not at uni. - Whether you'll be living at home or not
In most of the UK (apart from Scotland), there's more funding on offer for students who live away from home while at uni. There's usually even more funding if you'll be studying away from home and in London. - Your household income
Students from households with a higher income generally receive less generous funding packages from Student Finance bodies. Meanwhile, those from poorer backgrounds usually receive the most generous support. Depending on where in the UK you're from, this could determine how big a Maintenance Loan you get and/or how big a Maintenance Grant you're entitled to (if any). - How long you're studying for?
If you enrol on an accelerated degree, you may be eligible for extra funding for the additional weeks of study involved each year. In this guide, we'll focus on the main Maintenance Loan allowance, so head over to our guide to accelerated degrees for info about the extra cash.
It's easiest to explain by country. Below is details for Student Finance Maintenance Loans in England, but you can find links in the Sources for Student Finance in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
And remember: your Student Loan is provided by the part of the UK you normally live in, not where you will be studying. So, if you live in Northern Ireland but plan to study in Scotland, you should apply for funding from Student Finance Northern Ireland.
What is the average Maintenance Loan?
Following an FOI request to the Student Loans Company (SLC), we found out the average Maintenance Loan for English students in 2024/25 was around £7,678 a year.
However, as we've explained above, the amount you'll receive isn't affected by what the 'average' student gets. Instead, the size of your Maintenance Loan is determined by your household income, where you'll be living while studying and where in the UK you normally live.
Maintenance Loans in England 2026/27
| Household Income | Living at home | Away from home (outside London) | Away from home (London) |
|---|---|---|---|
| £25,000 or less | £9,118 | £10,830 | £14,135 |
| £30,000 | £8,354 | £10,058 | £13,349 |
| £40,000 | £7,589 | £9,285 | £12,563 |
| £42,875 | £6,825 | £8,512 | £11,777 |
| £45,000 | £6,060 | £7,739 | £10,991 |
| £50,000 | £5,296 | £6,194 | £10,205 |
| £55,000 | £4,531 | £6,194 | £9,419 |
| £58,387 | £4,013 | £5,700 | £8,886 |
| £60,000 | £4,013 | £5,421 | £8,631 |
| £62,410 | £4,013 | £5,048 | £8,253 |
| £65,000 | £4,013 | £5,048 | £7,846 |
| £70,000 | £4,013 | £5,048 | £7,060 |
| £70,131+ | £4,013 | £5,048 | £7,039 |
The household incomes in bold represent the upper earnings thresholds for the parents of students in each living situation. Students with parents earning above these thresholds will receive the minimum Maintenance Loan for someone with their living arrangements:
- £4,013 if you live at home and your household income is £58,387 or above
- £5,048 if you live away from home and outside London, and your household income is £62,410 or above
- £7,039 if you live away from home and in London, and your household income is £70,131 or above.
Bear in mind that the household incomes we've given in the table above are just examples. The Maintenance Loan you receive will be calculated using your exact household income rather than a band (e.g. £42,345 instead of £40,000 - £45,000).
What are the minimum and maximum Maintenance Loans in England?
The minimum Maintenance Loan on offer for students from England is £4,013. This is paid to students with a household income of £58,387 or more who will live at home during their time at uni.
The maximum Maintenance Loan is £14,135. This is paid to students who will be living away from home and in London, and whose annual household income is £25,000 or less.
And for more info on Student Loans in England, check out our main Student Finance guide.
Sources
Save The Student
Student Maintenance Loans 2026
Save the Student
Student Finance in Wales
Save the Student
Student Finance in Scotland
Save the Student
Student Finance in Northern Ireland
By Save The Student
Save The Student is the UK's leading student money website, helping you budget your money, make sense of student finance, look for part-time jobs, find extra funding and more. Founded in 2007, the website provides free and impartial guides, tools and verified deals to tackle the real-life money problems students face at university.
