Student Maintenance Loan Calculator 2026/27

Maintenance loans can be a tricky thing to get your head around, so we’re here to help demystify all the ins and outs of student finance. Most students use their maintenance loan to pay for day-to-day costs like food, energy bills, and rent. Getting the full amount you’re entitled to will help you stay focused on your studies, not your bank balance.

Each maintenance loan varies depending on where you live in the UK, how much your household income is, and the type of course you want to take. Here’s the low-down on the way they work, the amount you can get, and tips on how to make the money last longer.

How do maintenance loans work?

A maintenance loan is one of the two main types of student financial support available in the UK. Tuition fee loans pay the course costs of your university or college (up to £9,790 for 2026/27), but maintenance loans go straight into your student bank account. This money can pay for living costs as you’re learning, not earning.

This may include paying for:

• A place to live
• Food, drink, and toiletries
• Items to support your study (e.g., notebooks and textbooks)
• Household bills such as water or gas
• Fuel or tickets for public transport

For students from England, Wales, or Northern Ireland, loans are split into three similar-sized payments at separate intervals throughout the academic year. Students from Scotland will receive monthly payments on the same date, usually around the 7th.

You’ll apply for your tuition fee loan and maintenance allowance from the same student loan company. When you start earning above a set threshold (currently £25,000 for new English "Plan 5" students), 9% of anything above this amount will go towards repaying both of these loans. However, it’s important to remember they’re technically two different loans.

Who can get a maintenance loan?

Before you apply for a maintenance loan, it will be worth looking at the full student finance criteria, particularly if you’re a student applying from outside the UK or returning to education. Most first-time undergraduate students studying full-time should be eligible for a maintenance loan.

However, it’s worth keeping the following restrictions in mind:

• Course Eligibility: Higher Certificate courses, Bachelor’s, integrated Master’s, and Initial Teacher Training all qualify.
• Intensity: You need to be studying full-time or part-time at a ‘course intensity’ of 25% or more.
• Age: Those aged 60 or over may only be eligible for limited funding.
• Residency: UK nationals, Irish citizens, or those with settled status resident in the UK for at least three years usually qualify for full support.
• Care Leavers: New for 2026, students in England who are care leavers are now automatically entitled to the maximum maintenance loan regardless of household income.

If you’ve dropped out in the first year of studying, switched your subject or are repeating a year, then you might get the same funding. This is also the case if you’ve had to leave education for ‘compelling personal reasons’ such as long-term illness.

Those who already have a degree may be eligible for some level of maintenance loan if they’re adding to their qualification. For example, to upgrade a Higher Certificate to an Honours degree. This is also the case if you want to complete an Honours or Masters in certain subjects, such as sciences, maths or technology.

How much maintenance loan can you get?

The amount you’re eligible to borrow as a maintenance loan will vary depending on the following factors:

• Where in the UK you’re from
• How much your household income is
• Where you’ll be living (e.g., at home or away)

How is household income measured? If you live with your parents, income is measured based on their total earnings. If your parents are separated, the income of the parent you live with (and potentially their new partner) is used. If you are an independent student or already working, you will need to provide evidence of your own income, including wages or dividends.

Will I have to pay back the full loan amount?

In Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, students can apply for grants as well as loans. Grants don’t need to be repaid. For new students from England (Plan 5), the loan is written off after 40 years. In other parts of the UK, the write-off period remains 30 years.

What is the lowest maintenance loan available?

The figures for the 2026/27 academic year are set out below.

Students from England

The minimum amount is the "non-means-tested" portion that everyone can get regardless of income.

Students from England

Maintenance Loans in England 2025/26

Living Arrangements	Minimum Maintenance Loan	Maximum Maintenance Loan
Living at home	£4,013	Up to £9,118
Away from home, outside of London	£5,048	Up to £10,830
Away from home, studying in London	£7,039	Up to £14,135

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Students from Scotland

Scotland uses a "total support" package made up of a Student Loan and a Young Students’ Bursary.

Students from Scotland

Maintenance Loans in Scotland 2025/26

Household income	Grant	Maintenance loan	Total support available
£20,999 or less	£2,000	£9,400	£11,400
£21,000 to £23,999	£1,125	£9,400	£10,525
£24,000 to £33,999	£500	£9,400	£9,900
£34,000 or more	£0	£8,400	£8,400

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Students from Wales

All students from Wales receive the same total support regardless of income, but the split between "free" grant and "repayable" loan changes.

Students from Wales

Living Situation	Grant (Income ≤ £18,370)	Loan (Income ≤ £18,370)	Total Support
Living at home	£7,020	£3,665	£10,685
Away (Outside London)	£8,260	£4,330	£12,590
Away (In London)	£10,325	£5,395	£15,720

Students with an income over £59,200 receive a £1,000 grant and the rest as a loan.

Students from Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland provides a mix of Maintenance Grants and Loans.

Living Situation	Max Grant	Max Loan	Total Support
Living at home	£3,475	£4,450	£7,925
Away (Outside London)	£3,475	£6,282	£9,757
Away (In London)	£3,475	£9,541	£13,016

Tips for making the most of your maintenance loan

• Apply for extra support: Ask your university about bursaries and scholarships. If you have a disability or children, you may be eligible for the Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) or Childcare Grant.
• Plan out your budget: Use a spreadsheet or app to track your spending.
• Earn while you learn: Boost your CV and bank balance with part-time work or holiday jobs.
• Get a student bank account: These often feature 0% interest overdrafts, which act as a helpful safety net.

Plus, sign up for discounts, tips and advice from UNiDAYS. Here, you can get the information you need to start earning or save on the treats you just can’t live without.