Applying For Student Finance for the 2023-24 Academic Year

With the new year in full swing, it will be time for many students to start applying for student finance if they haven’t done so already. Application dates opened between January and March this year, and most deadlines are in May. Therefore, you still have time to apply for your student loans for the next academic year, so get going!

Who is Eligible?

In the UK, most British students will be eligible to receive student loans to help pay their tuition fees and/or offset their living costs. To be eligible, the main criteria you’ll need to meet are to be a UK citizen and to have been living here for the last three years. Other factors that could affect your eligibility are:

  • Your age
  • The course and university you are studying at
  • Having previously studied a higher education course
  • After completing the application form, you will find out from the student finance company whether you are eligible. To learn more, visit the government website.

    UK-Eligibility

    What About International Students?

    Some international students could be eligible to receive a Tuition Fee Loan and finance to offset living costs if they have citizenship in an EU country, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.

    Check out the government website to see if you are eligible.


    International-Eligibility

    Tips When Applying for Student Finance 2023-2024

  • Apply as early as you can
    Although some applications have been open for a couple of months now, there is still time to apply. The sooner you get your form sent off, the better.

  • Apply


  • Don’t worry about having a confirmed place
    Even if you are still unsure about where you want to go to University next year, you can apply for student finance anyway, using your first choice. If these details do change, you can record this online at a later date. Applying early will save you the hassle and ensure you have everything set in place for when you do decide which University you want to choose.

  • Stress


  • Know What Documents You Need Before You Apply
    There is quite a bit of information you need to gather for your student finance application, including your parents’ or guardian’s income, other household income, any benefits you receive, a valid passport, a personal bank account and the University & Course Details. Your parents/guardian will also need to be involved in the application process, so make sure you set a date when you can sit down together to fill out the forms.

  • Confused


  • Check Over Your Application Thoroughly
    It’s crucial that all of the information you provide is correct so that you avoid making any unnecessary changes to your application further down the line. Having your parents/guardian look it over with you is a good way of ensuring all of the details are correct. Although you can make changes later on, it could delay the process of the application and you might not receive payments at the start of the academic year.

  • Check-Over


  • Don’t be Afraid to Ask for Help
    If you are finding the whole application process extremely confusing and hard to push through, there are plenty of online resources and guidelines for you to use. You can also get in touch with your student loans company by telephoning or heading to the official website.

  • Advice



    Don’t Forget About Your Student Accommodation

    With all of the craziness of your financial aid applications, Unihousing is here to help make your search for accommodation as easy as possible!

    Unihousing is a student accommodation provider near the University of Birmingham, operating since 1984. All of our accommodation in Selly Oak is owned by us, so we can respond quickly to any requests using our qualified team of tradesmen. Our property office is located on Bristol Road, only a short walk away from all of our accommodation. This means we can deal directly with our tenants.

    Unihousing was selected as the Number 1 Student Letting Agent in Birmingham by the UK's biggest fresher community, Unifresher.

    Contact Unihousing today to find out more!