2026/27 figures checked 29 Sept 2026 · First instalments are landing now – see payment dates
Maintenance LoanCalculator · UK
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Mature Student Maintenance Loan Calculator 2026/27

If you’re 25 or over on the first day of the academic year, Student Finance England treats you as independent: it uses your partner’s income (if you live together) instead of your parents’. There’s no upper age limit, but students aged 60+ can get up to £4,582.

Figures checked 29 September 2026By Ashish YadavHow we calculate

Your details

2026/27
The UK nation you live in, not where you’ll study.
£a year
Over 25? Use your partner’s income if you live together – not your parents’. Single? Usually enter £0.
More options
weeks
Only if your course runs longer than 30 weeks and 3 days this year (e.g. medicine, nursing). Adds a Long Courses Loan.
Your maintenance loan · 2026/27
£10,830a year
Full loan
Per term£3,6103 instalments
Per month£903over 12 months
Per week£208over 52 weeks
Maximum for you£10,830You get it all
Family expected to add£0What this means
How household income changes your loan
£0£2k£4k£6k£8k£10k£12k£0£20k£40k£60k£80kYou: £10,830Maximum on chart: £12k
How we got £10,830
  1. Household income is £25,000 or less, so you get the full £10,830.
Tuition fees are separate: a Tuition Fee Loan of up to £9,790 goes straight to your university. You repay nothing until you earn over £25,000 (Plan 5). See repayments →

First payment arrives once your university confirms registration. Payment dates · Will it cover rent?

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Instalments: £3,610, £3,610, £3,610.

What changes for mature students

  • Your household income is your partner’s income if you’re married, in a civil partnership or living with a partner. If you’re single, Student Finance generally looks only at your own unearned income (such as savings interest or a pension), not your wages – so many single mature students get the full loan. Check your own case with Student Finance England.
  • The loan amounts are the same as for younger students: up to £9,118, £10,830 or £14,135 depending on where you live.
  • Aged 60 or over on the first day of your course: you can get up to £4,582, reduced by £1 for every £4.16 of household income above £25,000.

Extra help you can apply for (2026/27)

Support Who it’s for Up to
Childcare Grant Parents using registered childcare 85% of costs, £199.62 a week (1 child) or £342.24 (2+)
Parents’ Learning Allowance Students with dependent children £2,024 a year
Adult Dependants’ Grant Students supporting an adult, often a partner £3,545 a year
Special Support (in your loan) Single parents and some disabled students on benefits £4,582 ignored for benefits

These are grants – you don’t repay them.

Frequently asked questions

Can mature students get a maintenance loan?
Yes. There is no upper age limit for the Maintenance Loan. If you’re 60 or over when your course starts, you can get up to £4,582 a year.
Is my parents’ income used if I’m over 25?
No. From 25 you’re an independent student, so Student Finance uses your partner’s income if you live together, not your parents’.
Can I be independent under 25?
Yes, if you’ve supported yourself financially for at least three years, you’re married or in a civil partnership, you care for a child, you’re a care leaver, or you’re estranged from your parents.