Funding for Part Time Undergraduate students
Information on funding for part time undergraduates, with 'home (UK)' fee status, who started their course in or after September 2018, and who usually live in England.
If you started your course prior to September 2018 different funding applies
From September 2018 new, eligible, home fee status, part time undergraduate students studying their first degree, will be able to apply for both a tuition fee loan and maintenance loan from Student Finance. The amount you can borrow depends on the course intensity and your household income.
You may also be able to access funding if you already hold a degree or higher level award - please refer to our ELQ factsheet 
In order to be eligible for the loans, you must be studying at least 25% of an equivalent full-time course in the relevant year. You must also normally live in England, meet all the regulations to qualify for student finance and be studying for your first degree.
The tuition fee loan of up to £6,935 is not based on household income, but the living cost (maintenance) loan is.
Students starting in September 2024 and continuing students who started their course before September 2024 can apply for the loans by applying online at the Gov.uk web pages - please also read the information below about course titles.
There is no age limit for applying for the fee loan but you will need to be under 60 on the first day of the academic quarter you commence the course in; eg 1 September for courses starting September to November, to qualify for a maintence loan.
You will begin to make repayments to the loan in the April four years after the start of your course. The amount you repay per month depends on your income.
Maintenance loan from Student Finance
| Location rates |
Intensity of study |
Maximum rate
|
Non-income assessed |
Income assessed |
| Student living at home (with parents) |
100% (full time equivalent rate) |
£8,610 |
£3,790 |
£4,820 |
| |
75% |
£6,457.50 |
£2,842.50 |
£3,615 |
| |
50% |
£4,305 |
£1,895 |
£2,410 |
| |
25% |
£2,152.50 |
£ 947.50 |
£1,205 |
| Student studying outside London and living away from parents |
100%(FTE) |
£10,227 |
£4,767 |
£5,460 |
| |
75% |
£7,670.25 |
£3,575.25 |
£4,095 |
| |
50% |
£5,113.50 |
£2,383.50 |
£2,730 |
| |
25% |
£2,556.75 |
£1,191.75 |
£1,365 |
Applying to Student Finance
When you apply for your student loans you will need to select the course title as part of the application process. The University does not list all courses that can be taken part time, but instead we use generic course titles. It is the generic course title that relates to your specific course that you need to select. These are listed below:
- Biological Sciences (part time)
- Computer Science (part time)
- Creative and Professional Writing (part time)
- Engineering (part time)
- Health Care Studies (Nursing) (Top up)
- Health Care studies (Top up) degree
- Humanistic Counselling Practice (part time)
- Mathematical Sciences (part time)
- Midwifery Studies (Top up)
- Physical Sciences (part time)
- Subject allied to Medicine (part time)
- Techology (part time)
- Undergraduate course (part time)
- Veterninary Sciences, Agricultural and Related Subjects (part time)
Financial Support from the University of Nottingham
The University offers financial support through the Core Bursary and Nottingham Potential Bursary on a pro-rata basis for part-time undergraduate students starting in 2023.
University Core Bursary - You will need to have a means tested assessment carried out by Student Finance (SF) in order for us to assess your eligibility for the Bursary. Your award will depend on your household income taken from the SF assessment and the number of credits you are taking.
Part-time Core Bursary Awards 2024/25
| Number of credits you are taking | % of full time Core Bursary awarded | Award for Income £0 - £35,000 |
|---|
| 0-29 |
0 |
0 |
| 30-59 |
25 |
£ 250 |
| 60-89 |
50 |
£ 500 |
| 90 |
75 |
£ 750 |
Nottingham Potential Bursary - provides additional pro-rata support in the same way as the University Core Bursary, however further eligiblity criteria will apply.
Benefits Information
Full time students can’t usually claim income-related benefits but part time students are sometimes eligible. However, the rules on eligibility can be complex, and depend on your personal circumstances.
Part time students can usually still claim means-tested benefits such as Universal Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit if they are unemployed. However to be eligible for Jobseeker’s Allowance you must be available and actively seeking work. If you are a single parent, or have a disability or long-term illness, and have a low income you may be able to claim Income Support or Employment & Support Allowance instead of Jobseeker’s Allowance.
We understand that part of the maintenance loan will be taken into account when your entitlement to benefits is calculated.
If you’re already claiming income-related benefits and want to start a degree course, you should ask Jobcentre Plus and/or your local authority's Housing Benefit section about how this will affect your benefits. If you’re currently at University the Student Union's Advice Team will be able to help.