How your maintenance loan is worked out
Student Finance England uses three things: household income, where you live while studying and which year of the course you’re in.
| Living arrangement (2026/27) | Maximum loan | Minimum loan | Minimum reached at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Living with parents | £9,118 | £4,013 | £58,387+ |
| Away from home, outside London | £10,830 | £5,048 | £62,410+ |
| Away from home, in London | £14,135 | £7,039 | £70,131+ |
| Studying abroad (one year) | £12,403 | £5,996 | – |
For every £1 of household income above £25,000, your loan falls by £1 for every £6.54 (with parents), £6.47 (away, outside London) or £6.36 (London). It never falls below the minimum.
A worked example
Maya will live in halls in Leeds (away from home, outside London). Her parents’ household income is £40,000.
- Income above the threshold: £40,000 − £25,000 = £15,000
- Reduction: £15,000 ÷ 6.47 = £2,318
- Loan: £10,830 − £2,318 = £8,512 a year, about £2,837 a term
Student Finance assumes her family can make up the £2,318 difference – that’s the “parental contribution”.
Final year, long courses and 60+
- Final year: the maximum is lower because it doesn’t cover the summer – £8,579 at home, £10,242 away and £13,096 in London.
- Long courses: if your course runs longer than 30 weeks and 3 days in a year (medicine, nursing, some accelerated degrees) you can get a Long Courses Loan of £77 to £161 per extra week.
- Aged 60 or over when the course starts: you can get up to £4,582, fully income-assessed.
What the calculator can’t know
Your real award depends on your application. Student Finance England checks your household income from the 2024 to 2025 tax year, and can use this year’s income instead if it has dropped by 15% or more. Always apply – even students from high-income households get the minimum loan.