Funding for students with children
This webpage has information on non-repayable grants and repayable loans that are available for students with children.
From Student Finance England, you will normally be able to access:
Tuition fee loan
- All students who have not studied at University before can access a loan to cover their full tuition fee, if you have studied previously please email [email protected] for advice.
- The tuition fee loan is paid directly to the University.
Maintenance loan
- This is based on household income and is designed to help you with your living costs.
- For 2024/25, the maximum loan available is £10,227 for those with household incomes less than £25,000 per year.
- For 2024/25, single parent households and/or students in receipt of qualifying benefits can apply for a loan of up to £11,658, for those with a household income less than £25,000 per year.
- A long course loan is available to students studying in some allied health courses.
- Single parents and disabled students can also access the ‘Special Support Element’, which is disregarded for benefit assessments as part of their maintenance loan. The amount in 2024/25 is £4,327.
Visit the Student Finance calculator to calculate how much you are entitled to.
Grants
In addition to a maintenance loan from Student Finance England, you will normally be able to access some grants. These are different to loans – as they do not need to be repaid after you graduate.
Childcare Grant
- The grant covers up to 85% of your childcare costs. For 2024/25, the rates are:
- 1 child: up to £193.62 per week
- 2 or more children: up to £331.95 per week
- You must have children under 15 (or under 17 if they have special educational needs).
- Your childcare provider must be OFSTED registered.
- This grant doesn’t affect any income-related benefits you receive.
- We have a dedicated guide to the Childcare Grant – which has further details.
Parents Learning Allowance
- The Parents Learning Allowance grant is paid in 3 instalments throughout the year alongside your maintenance loan.
- The maximum award for 2024/25 is £1,963
- You will be automatically assessed for this as part of your student finance application after confirming you have dependent children.
- This grant doesn’t affect any income-related benefits you receive.
Adult Dependants' Grant
- The Adult Dependants' Grant maximum award for 2024/25 is £3,438.
- This grant helps students who are financially responsible for another adult.
- This will usually be your husband, wife, partner or civil partner, but other adults can sometimes be considered.
- The adult who depends on you cannot be your child or earn more than £3,796 per year.
University support
This section has information on financial support available from the University. All of the listed support is non-repayable.
Scholarships
- The University offers a range of scholarships to students.
- For further information, visit the Scholarships website.
Student Support Fund
- The Student Support Fund helps students who are experiencing financial hardship during their studies.
- The maximum award is £2,000 per year, but the amount you receive depends on your circumstances.
- This grant doesn’t affect any income-related benefits you receive.
- For further information, visit the Student Support Fund Grant page.
Undergraduate Bursary Scheme
- In 2020/21, the bursary pays £500 in your first year, £600 in your second year and £700 in your third year.
- You must also have a household income of less than £30,000 per year.
- You are automatically assessed for this bursary, so no application is needed.
- This bursary doesn’t affect any income-related benefits you receive.
- For further information, visit the Undergraduate Bursary Scheme webpage.
Allied health profession courses
Long-course maintenance loans from Student Finance England
For courses that are longer than 30 weeks and 3 days (such as nursing, midwifery and radiography courses), you can access an additional amount of maintenance loan from Student Finance England for every extra week of your studies above this threshold. You will automatically receive this additional maintenance loan element when you apply for your maintenance loan through Student Finance England.
NHS Learning Support Fund
This is a financial support fund run by the NHS for students on healthcare courses. It is made up of 4 packages:
- Training Grant
- Parental Support
- Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses
- Exceptional Support Fund
For more information, please refer to our NHS Learning Support Fund webpage.
Benefits
Full-time students with children can access some income-related benefits such as Universal Credit.
The Turn2Us website has further information on what you might be entitled to.
Trust funds
Many charities offer non-repayable grants to help students in need. To qualify, you will normally need to meet certain eligibility rules.
The Turn2Us Grant Search Tool can help you identify any additional funding available to you.