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How to apply for Student Loans, grants and bursaries - new students

It’s best to apply for student finance as soon as possible after you’ve made your course application. On top of Student Loans and grants from the government, you may be able to get a bursary or scholarship from your place of study.

How to apply for student finance

The main student finance application lets you apply for Student Loans and grants from the government – and, in many cases, a bursary from your university or college.

You’ll need to use one of several different forms to make your main application for student finance. Which one depends on whether you’re:

  • studying full time 
  • studying part time 
  • taking a teacher training, social work, healthcare or Open University course

You’ll need to make a new application for each year of your course.


Full-time students: apply for student finance

It’s best to apply as soon as possible - but you can still apply up to nine months from the first day of the academic year.

Apply online

Full-time students can save time by applying online for the 2008/2009 academic year.

It’s no longer possible to apply online for the 2007/2008 academic year - but you can still apply on paper.

Apply on paper

Download application form PN1 to complete your student finance application on paper. For some types of extra support, you'll need to complete an additional form on paper.

How to complete your application

You’ll have to supply some documents to support your application – evidence of your identity, household income and so on.

The form will let you indicate whether you want to apply for extra help – for example, because you are disabled, or because you have children or other dependants.

For more details, see 'Guidance on completing your student finance application'.


Studying full time: applying for bursaries and scholarships

You may be able to get a bursary or scholarship from your place of study on top of student loans and grants from the government.

If you qualify, you should apply as soon as you have a confirmed place on your course.

Some universities and colleges administer their own bursaries and scholarships – for others, Student Finance Direct handles applications. Search for your university or college on the UCAS website to find out who you should apply to.

On the main application for student finance, Student Finance Direct asks for permission to share your application details with your university or college if necessary. If your university or college handles their own scheme, giving your consent allows them to use this information to assess what you’re entitled to.

If you don’t consent, you’ll need to provide this information to your university or college directly.


Studying part time

Part-time students need to apply for the fee and course grant for each year of their course.

To do this, complete the application form for part-time student finance (PTG1) and take it to your university or college when you start your course.

Once you’ve attended for two weeks, the college administration office will complete the rest of the form, confirming:

  • that you are a student there 
  • how intensive your course is 
  • what the course fees are

When the form is completed, send it to your local authority.


Teacher training, social work, healthcare and Open University courses

If you are applying for a teacher training, social work or healthcare course, or are taking a course at the Open University, your application procedure will be different to that described above.

See the links below for further information.


Not applying for your first year?

If you’re a continuing student rather than a new student, the application procedure is different. Follow the link below to find out how to apply.


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