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Maintenance Grant and Special Support Grant

The Maintenance Grant and Special Support Grant are there to help with accommodation and other living costs while you’re on a full-time higher education course. These grants don’t have to be repaid.

If you qualify, you'll receive either one of these grants or the other. Most eligible students get the Maintenance Grant: however, you could qualify for the Special Support Grant if you receive Income Support or another means-tested benefit such as Housing Benefit.

How much do you get?

If you qualify for help through the Maintenance Grant, some may be paid instead of the Student Loan for Maintenance.

If you get the Special Support Grant, it doesn’t affect how much you’re entitled to through the Student Loan for Maintenance.

The maximum you can get for either grant is £2,906 in academic year 2009/2010.

The actual amount you receive depends on your household income and other factors - including when you started your course.

Follow the links below for more on rates for 2009/2010 for new students and continuing students who started in 2008/2009 - or, if you’re starting a course in 2009/2010, use the Student Finance Calculator for a quick guide. 

• Maintenance Grant: rates if you start in 2009/2010

• Finance after your first year: full-time students who started from September 2006

• Student Finance Calculator: get an estimate of how much you could get Opens new window

• Student Finance Calculator: retrieve a saved estimate Opens new window

How to apply

It’s best to apply in advance, but you can still apply up to nine months after the start of the academic year. You apply for both types of grant through the main student finance application

If you're applying for 2009/2010, the quickest and easiest way is to do it is online. It's also possible to apply for 2009/2010 using a paper form.

• Register, login and apply online for 2009/2010

• More on applying for student finance

How are the grants paid?

The Maintenance Grant and the Special Support Grant will be paid to you by Student Finance England at the start of each term - usually straight into your bank account.

You’ll get the grant payments at the same time as any payments you get through the Student Loan for Maintenance.

More about the Special Support Grant

Certain groups of students can get the Special Support Grant instead of the Maintenance Grant.

If you get the Special Support Grant, it won’t affect how much you can get through the Student Loan for Maintenance - and it won’t be counted as income when working out if you’re entitled to income-related benefits or tax credits.

You’ll qualify for the Special Support Grant if, during the academic year, you meet the conditions for being a ‘prescribed person’ under the Income Support or Housing Benefit Regulations. Students who are likely to qualify include:

• single parents 
  
• other student parents - if they have a partner who is also a student 
  
• students with certain disabilities

But there are other groups who may be eligible. You don’t necessarily have to receive or even have applied for Income Support or Housing Benefit.

If you’re not sure which grant to apply for, contact Student Finance England.

• Contact Student Finance England

• Benefits for higher education students with low incomes (money, tax and benefits section)

Started in 2006/2007 or 2007/2008?

Maintenance Grant and Special Support Grant rates are different for students who started their course in 2006/2007 or 2007/2008.

See ‘Finance after your first year: full-time students who started from September 2006’ for details.

• Finance after your first year: full-time students who started from September 2006

Applying for 2008/2009?

This page contains information about the 2009/2010 academic year.

If you’re applying for 2008/2009, see ‘Finance for full-time students starting in 2008/2009’.

• Finance for full-time students starting in 2008/2009

More useful links

• Initial Teacher Training: what financial help can you get?