Loan for tuition fees
Postgraduate students from Northern Ireland wanting to study in the UK (or European Union students wanting to study in Northern Ireland) can apply for a loan for their tuition fees. The loan is non-means tested. Note: the DFENI has confirmed that European Union students will remain eligible for these funds for the duration of their course if they start it in 2020/21. Arrangements for future years are uncertain.
A maximum of £5,500 per course can be borrowed,
1Reg 156 E(SS)(NI) Regs which is paid directly to the university. The maximum loan may not cover the tuition fees you are charged – you must cover any remaining fee yourself, as well as funding for your living costs.
Residency rules are the same as for undergraduate courses (see
here). Courses can be full time, part time or distance learning, but must be no more than three years in duration.
2Reg 152(2) E(SS)(NI) Regs The qualifications covered are as for England and Wales (see
here), but a loan can also be made for postgraduate certificate or diploma courses.
3Reg 152 and Sch 3B E(SS)(NI) RegsIf you already hold a master’s qualification, you can still take out this loan for a further course. However, you are only allowed one postgraduate tuition fee loan in total.
The rules on repayments are the same as for undergraduate funding (see
here), with the postgraduate tuition fee loan being added to the undergraduate loan balance (if applicable).