Mature students
Financial support
Money is a key concern in the minds of all students, and this page is intended as a starting point for mature students wishing to find out what help is available.
Financial Support from the Government
Details of the financial support available from the government are available from Directgov. You can also telephone Student Finance England’s Support Helpline on 0845 300 50 90.
You may be eligible for student loans to cover your tuition fee and some of your living costs, and a non repayable grant. Eligibility will depend on your household income, your personal circumstances (including prior study) and where you live. If you think you may be eligible you should apply for this support as soon as you have applied for your place at university.
It is important to note the following points:
- Students who already hold an honours degree are not entitled to loans or grants for tuition fees or living costs.
- The non income assessed portion of the maintenance loan is available to all students under 60 who do not already hold an honours degree.
- The basic entitlement to fee loan and maintenance grant (for living costs) is the number of years of the undergraduate course, plus one extra year.
- Students who have studied at degree level before but not finished their previous course of study will have their basic entitlement to fee loans and grants reduced by the number of years of their previous study.
Make sure you check to see if you are eligible for any of the additional support available from the government. For example, students with children or adult dependents may be able to access grants and allowances. More information is available from Directgov (link above).
Financial Support from Loughborough University
Bursaries
Eligible Loughborough undergraduate students entering the first year of a programme for the first time (first attempt) are offered a non-repayable bursary to help with living expenses. The value of these bursaries is on a sliding scale, linked to household income. Mature students at Loughborough, who qualify for this bursary, are offered double the rate of bursary compared to a student under the age of 21 (with the same household income) on entry to the University. Further information, including eligibility criteria, is available here or by telephone 01509 222477.
Scholarships
Competitive, merit-based year of entry scholarships worth up to £1,000 are offered to eligible first year students on certain undergraduate degree courses. Further information, including eligibility criteria, is available here or by telephone 01509 222477.
Access to Learning Fund
'The Government provides the Access to Learning grant to the University to support UK students who are experiencing acute and unanticipated financial difficulties. Mature students (and in particular those with families) are regarded as a priority category for support from the Fund.
If you would like confidential advice on any of the above sources of financial support and the relationship between this and any benefits you may be receiving, please contact the Student Support Centre or call 01509 222058.