What is Student Finance?
Student Finance is a loan system used by most UK students. There are different Student Finance systems used for different parts of the UK:
- Student Finance England
- Student Finance Wales
- Student Awards Agency Scotland
- Student Finance Northern Ireland
For eligible UK students, there are two loans available, Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan. Tuition Fee Loans cover the cost of your course fees, and Maintenance Loan is a contribution to your living costs, so can be used to help cover expenses such as rent, bills, food, socialising and study materials. Please see our Tuition Fees page to find out more about Tuition Fee Loans, and our Living Costs page to find out more about Maintenance Loans.
We recommend applying for Student Finance even if you haven't received an offer from us, or if you don't know if you'll be studying with us in September. Your Student Finance application can be cancelled or changed if you decide not to study with us, or to study at a different institution, but applying late because you are unsure means that if you do come to study with us, your loan will be delayed while Student Finance assess your application, which can take up to 8 weeks.
How do I apply for Student Finance?
Applying for Student Finance might seem scary, but it's important you apply early so you get your loan through on time. Applications usually open in March for entry in September. If you apply late, you might not have your funding secured by September, so you might have to cover your own costs, or even pay your rent without the help of your maintenance loan. Applying can be done online and may take around 30 minutes. Before you start, you'll need:
- National Insurance Number
- Passport or birth certificate
- Bank account details
- Course details
- Email address for each parent you live with (if you're over the age of 25 on 1st September the year you start your course, you'll be classed as financially independent so you won't need to provide this information).
You can also take a look at Student Finance’s online help guide, which has everything you need to know about Student Finance.
Apply for Student Finance
Sign in or create an account using the websites below.
- Student Finance England
- Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS)
- Student Finance Wales
- Student Finance Northern Ireland
Take a look at our Student Finance video playlist which goes through the process of creating a Student Finance account, applying to Student Finance, and more.
Student Finance England have a wealth of helpful video guides on their YouTube channel which we recommend watching before you apply. You can find a selection of most relevant Student Finance England videos below.
To get in touch with the Student Funding team you can:
Email: studentfunding@leedsconservatoire.ac.uk
Telephone: 0113 222 3508 / 0113 222 3419
