Student finance if you suspend or leave your course

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Overview

If you leave or suspend your studies you must:

  • stop your student finance
  • repay any student finance you are not entitled to

Your student finance includes:

  • Maintenance Loans
  • Tuition Fee Loans
  • grants and bursaries

How much you need to repay and when you need to repay it depends on:

  • what type of student finance you have
  • when in the academic year you leave your course
  • whether you鈥檙e planning to return to your course or not

If you suspend because of illness or another serious personal reason, you might still be able to get student finance while you鈥檙e away.

View a printable version of the whole guide

Part of Get undergraduate student finance: step by step

  1. Step 1

    1. If you鈥檙e from England or outside the UK, check if you're eligible

    There鈥檚 a different process if:

  2. Step 2

    Find out the maximum tuition fee and maintenance loan you could get if you're a:

    How much maintenance loan you get depends on where you'll study and your household income.

    1. Use the student finance calculator to estimate your maintenance loan

    You'll have to pay back any loan you get.

    1. Find out how much you'll repay
    2. Find out when you'll start repaying

  3. and

    You might be able to get extra money if you:

    You might also be able to get other financial help, for example from your university or the government.

    1. Find out about extra help

  4. Step 3

    1. Check when you can apply
    2. Check what ID you'll need
    3. Check if you need to give proof of your household income

  5. Step 4

    1. Apply online

    If you're eligible for Tuition Fee Loans, Maintenance Loans, or Maintenance Grants, you can apply online.

    You'll need to create a student finance account if you're a new student or sign into an existing account if you're a returning student.

    It can take up to 6 weeks to process your application. You might have to provide extra evidence.

  6. or

    1. Apply by post

    If you鈥檙e eligible for tuition fee-only funding, you must complete a form and send it by post instead. You cannot apply online.

    You can also apply by post if you're unable to apply online.

    It can take up to 6 weeks to process your application. You might have to provide extra evidence.

  7. Step 5

    You must update your application if your circumstances change. For example if you:

    • change your course through clearing
    • change where you're going to live - for example with your parents instead of halls
    1. Find out how to update your application

  8. Step 6

    After you register at your university or college you'll usually get your maintenance loan paid directly into your bank account at the start of each term.

    Use your student finance account to:

    • update your bank details - for example if you open a student account
    • check how much you'll be paid
    • check when you'll be paid
    1. Sign in to your student finance account

  9. Step 7

    You'll need to reapply for student finance for each year of your course.

    You must keep your details up to date throughout your course because some changes can affect your loan payments, for example if your household income or bank details change.

    1. Check how to update your details
    2. You are currently viewing: Find out what to do if you suspend or leave your course

  10. Step 8

    When you stop studying the Student Loans Company (SLC) will create a student loans repayment account for you.

    The log in details will be the same as for your student finance account. You should check your contact details are correct.

    1. Sign in to your student loan repayment account

    You must update your employment details if:

    • you leave the UK for more than 3 months
    • SLC asks you to update them
    1. Update your employment details

  11. Step 9

    The repayment聽plan you're on will determine when you start repaying and how much you repay.

    1. Check which repayment plan you鈥檙e on
    2. Find out how much you'll repay
    3. Find out when you'll start repaying
    4. Find out how to repay