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UK onlyUK / EU nationalsSFE funded
UK · Fully-funded study · UK / EU nationals

Bachelor's & Master's, fully funded.

Open to UK and EU nationals eligible for Student Finance England. Tuition is paid in full by the SFE Tuition Fee Loan, and a Maintenance Loan of £11,000-£17,000 a year covers your living costs. Study part-time around your job, no upfront payment, repay only when you earn over the threshold.

100%Tuition Fee Loan covers full course fees
£11-17kYearly maintenance loan for living costs
Part-timeStudy around full-time work
GBSOur current UK partner
How the funding works

Two loans. No upfront cost.

Student Finance England (SFE) pays your tuition straight to GBS, then drops your living-cost loan into your bank account each term. You only repay once you earn over the threshold - and the loan is written off after 40 years.

Step 1

Tuition Fee Loan

Covers your full course fees - up to £9,535 per year for the 2025/26 academic year. Paid by SFE directly to GBS. You never see the money.

Step 2

Maintenance Loan

Up to £13,762 a year (London full rate), paid into your account in three termly instalments. Use it for rent, bills, food and travel.

Step 3

Extra grants if eligible

Childcare Grant (up to 85% of childcare costs), Parents' Learning Allowance up to £1,963 and Adult Dependants' Grant up to £3,438 - none of these are repayable.

Step 4

Repayment only over the threshold

Plan 5 (undergraduate, courses 2023+): 9% of earnings over £25,000. Postgraduate Loan: 6% of earnings over £21,000. Comes out of payroll like tax.

Bachelor's pathway

Bachelor's pathways - three routes in one funded pathway.

Three routes in one funded pathway. Pearson HND if you want a vocational entry, full BA / BSc Honours with optional Foundation Year if you have no recent qualifications, or a one-year Level 6 Top-Up if you already hold an HND or equivalent.

Route 1 · Pearson

HND Diploma

Two-year vocational qualification awarded by Pearson - Level 4 and Level 5 combined. The standard route into a 1-year Top-Up to graduate with a full Honours degree.

2 years · Full / part-time
  • HND in Business
  • HND in Health and Social Care Practice
  • HND in Digital Technologies (Cyber Security)
  • HND in Construction Management
Route 2 · Most popular

Honours with Foundation Year

Full BA / BSc Honours degree with a built-in Foundation Year so you can start without A-levels or recent qualifications. Awarded by GBS's university partners.

4 years · Full / part-time
  • BA (Hons) Global Business (Business Management)
  • BA (Hons) Global Business and Entrepreneurship
  • BSc (Hons) Computing
  • BSc (Hons) Accounting & Financial Management
  • BSc (Hons) Construction Management
  • BSc (Hons) Business & Tourism Management
  • BSc (Hons) Health, Wellbeing & Social Care - Oxford Brookes
  • BSc (Hons) Psychology with Counselling - Bath Spa
Route 3 · Level 6

Top-Up degree

One-year Level 6 entry if you already hold an HND, Foundation Degree or recognised Level 5 qualification. Graduate with a full BA / BSc Honours in just 12 months.

1 year · Full / part-time
  • BA (Hons) Business and Management Top-Up
  • BSc (Hons) Construction Management Top-Up
  • BSc (Hons) Health, Wellbeing & Social Care - Oxford Brookes (Direct Level 6 entry)
Master's degrees

One year. Postgraduate Loan funded.

Single Postgraduate Loan up to £12,858 (2024/25) covers tuition and contributes to living costs. Repayable only when earning over £21,000, at 6% of the amount above the threshold.

MSc Global Business

GBS award

1 year

MSc Project Management

Bath Spa University

1 year

MSc Counselling and Psychotherapy

Bath Spa University

1 year
What's stopping you?

The honest objections answered.

Most people who could access this funding never apply because they assume they don't qualify, can't afford it, or can't fit it around work. Almost every common worry has a clean answer.

I work full-time

Most courses run two days a week with the rest delivered online. Many of our applicants keep a full-time job and study evenings and weekends.

I haven't studied in years

Mature-entry routes accept work experience instead of recent qualifications. There is no maximum age limit and no requirement to have done A-levels.

I can't afford the upfront fees

There are no upfront fees. SFE pays the university directly. Living costs are covered by the Maintenance Loan paid into your bank account each term.

I'm worried about the debt

You only repay once you earn over £25,000 (Plan 5) or £21,000 (postgraduate). Repayments are 9% of earnings above the threshold and the loan is written off after 40 years - it does not affect your credit score for mortgages or other lending.

What if I have children or dependants?

You may also qualify for the Childcare Grant, Parents' Learning Allowance and Adult Dependants' Grant on top of your Maintenance Loan. These are grants, not loans - you do not pay them back.

What if I already have a degree?

Funding rules are tighter, but you can usually still access a Master's via the Postgraduate Loan even if you hold a Bachelor's. We confirm your specific eligibility before you apply.

Living costs you can claim

SFE Maintenance Loan and grants

  • Maintenance Loan (London full rate)Up to £13,762 / year
  • Maintenance Loan (Outside London)Up to £10,544 / year
  • Maintenance Loan (Parental home)Up to £8,877 / year
  • Childcare GrantUp to 85% of childcare costs
  • Parents' Learning AllowanceUp to £1,963 / year
  • Adult Dependants' GrantUp to £3,438 / year

Maximum amounts shown reflect 2024/25 and 2025/26 SFE rates. Your actual entitlement depends on household income and where you study (London / outside London / parental home).

Eligibility

Who qualifies for SFE funding

  • UK national, Irish citizen or settled status (Indefinite Leave to Remain)
  • EU pre-settled status with 3 years' UK residence
  • Refugee status or Humanitarian Protection
  • Aged 18+ on the first day of the course
  • Studying for a higher qualification than any you already hold
  • Have lived in the UK / EEA / Switzerland for the 3 years before the course start

International students on a Student visa are not eligible for SFE funding. We will check your status with you on a free WhatsApp call before you apply.

Our process · 5 steps

From eligibility check to first payment.

Step 01

Free 30-minute eligibility check at our London E10 office or on WhatsApp

Step 02

We help you choose a Bachelor's or Master's pathway with GBS

Step 03

We support your full SFE application: residency proof, evidence, and the course attachment

Step 04

GBS issues your offer; SFE confirms your funding entitlement

Step 05

First payment lands a week into term, and continues every term

Our current UK partner

Global Banking School (GBS).

Our current UK partner. GBS is an Office for Students-registered higher education provider with 10 campuses across London (Greenford, Bow Road, Stratford and Canary Wharf), Birmingham (Brindleyplace and Norfolk House), Manchester (Universal Square) and Leeds (St George House and Wellington Place). Degrees are awarded in partnership with the University of Suffolk, Oxford Brookes University, Bath Spa University and Canterbury Christ Church University. HND diplomas are awarded by Pearson.

Awarding partners
  • University of SuffolkBA / BSc Honours awards
  • Oxford Brookes UniversityBSc Health, Wellbeing and Social Care
  • Bath Spa UniversityBSc Psychology with Counselling, MSc Project Management, MSc Counselling and Psychotherapy
  • Canterbury Christ Church UniversitySelected validated degrees
  • PearsonHND awarding body (Levels 4 and 5)
Campuses · 10 sites in 4 cities
  • London
    Greenford · Bow Road · Stratford (GEDU House) · Stratford (Cam Road) · Republic - Canary Wharf
  • Birmingham
    Brindleyplace · Norfolk House
  • Manchester
    Universal Square
  • Leeds
    St George House · Wellington Place
Funded study FAQ

Questions before you apply.

If your question is not here, message our London E10 office on WhatsApp. We do free 30-minute eligibility checks before any application is filed.

Free eligibility check

Find out if you qualify in 10 minutes.

Send your residency status, last qualification and preferred campus to our London office on WhatsApp. We come back the same day with a yes / no on funding and a course shortlist.