Searching for part time student finance or a part time tuition fee loan usually means you want clear answers: can Student Finance England (SFE) fund a part-time degree, how much is the loan, and what does course intensity do to Maintenance Loan support?
This FAQ-style guide is the accurate cluster for part-time student finance England in academic year 2026 to 2027. It cites current GOV.UK rules for tuition fee and maintenance support. For a shorter related overview (older figures), see Student Finance for part-time degrees in England. For the mature-student funded-degree path more broadly, use university for mature students — this page stays focused on part-time SFE rules.
Not sure you qualify yet? Start with a free 2-minute check: check if you qualify for Student Finance England.
This article is general information for UK home students exploring Student Finance England. It is not advice from Student Finance England or the Student Loans Company. Part-time entitlement depends on your course intensity, start date, residency, previous study and personal circumstances — always check GOV.UK and your Notification of Entitlement. Figures below are from official GOV.UK guidance for 2026 to 2027 and may change. Student finance is also changing for courses starting on or after 1 January 2027 (Lifelong Learning Entitlement) — see GOV.UK; we do not invent LLE detail here.
Important: AF Education helps UK home students with the SFE and funded undergraduate / foundation-year application path. We cannot guarantee a Tuition Fee Loan or Maintenance Loan amount, override an SFE decision, or replace GOV.UK guidance. Only Student Finance England decides your entitlement. This service is not for international students.
What is part-time student finance in England?
If your course is designated and you meet SFE rules, part time student finance for England can include:
- Part-time Tuition Fee Loan — paid to your university or college toward tuition fees (not into your bank).
- Part-time Maintenance Loan — paid to you toward living costs, where you are eligible, scaled by course intensity.
- Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) — where you qualify, separately from the loans above.
Official overview: student finance for part-time students. How amounts are assessed and paid: student finance: how you’re assessed and paid 2026 to 2027.
For courses that started on or after 1 August 2018, eligible part-time students can normally get both a Tuition Fee Loan and a Maintenance Loan (subject to intensity and other rules). That is the usual modern pathway this guide assumes.
Course intensity: the 25% rule (and why ~30 credits matters)
Part-time funding is built around course intensity — how much of an equivalent full-time course you study in a year.
- You normally need intensity of at least 25% of the equivalent full-time course.
- You must complete within no more than four times the equivalent full-time length, with a maximum of 16 years of part-time funding.
- Around 30 credits / points in a year usually equals 25% intensity (confirm with your provider’s credit structure).
Tip: Intensity is not “I feel busy.” It is the formal percentage SFE uses against the full-time equivalent. Ask your university or college for the intensity figure they will report — that number drives Maintenance Loan band and whether you clear the 25% floor.
Part-time Tuition Fee Loan — 2026/27 caps
The part time tuition fee loan is not income-assessed. For academic year 2026 to 2027, GOV.UK sets the standard part-time Tuition Fee Loan maximum at up to £7,335 (the 2025 to 2026 cap was up to £7,145). Your university’s fee may be lower; the loan cannot exceed the fee or the published cap.
Foundation-year part-time Tuition Fee Loan caps for 2026 to 2027 (where applicable):
- Classroom-based foundation year — up to £4,315
- Partly practical foundation year — up to £7,335
More on foundation years: foundation year explained (UK degrees 2026). If you already hold a degree, also read second-degree and previous-study rules.
Part-time Maintenance Loan — intensity bands
Unlike the Tuition Fee Loan, the part-time Maintenance Loan depends on where you live while studying, household income, and your intensity band. Official bands (proportion of the full-time-equivalent rate):
- Under 25% — none
- 25% to under 33.3% → 25%
- 33.3% to under 50% → 33.3%
- 50% to under 66.6% → 50%
- 66.6% to under 75% → 66.6%
- 75% to under 100% → 75%
- 100% → 100%
At 100% intensity (not benefits), example maximum rates for 2026 to 2027 at around £25,000 household income include: living with parents £9,118; living away outside London £10,830; living away in London £14,135. At lower intensity you receive the matching percentage of the rate that would apply to you. Prefer the official student finance calculator for a personal estimate, and our full-time-focused rates guide: how much Maintenance Loan you could get.
Care leavers (from 2026 to 2027): household income is not used for the Maintenance Loan calculation — you can choose the maximum (confirm the statutory definition on GOV.UK).
Age 60+, distance learning and payment timing
If you are aged 60 or over, you are not eligible for a part-time Maintenance Loan. You can still get a part-time Tuition Fee Loan (and DSA if eligible).
Distance learning: a Maintenance Loan is normally only available if you cannot attend in person because of a disability (DSA rules may still apply separately).
Part-time Maintenance Loan payments are typically paid into your bank account about two weeks after the start of each term (GOV.UK part-time students wording). Confirm your own dates on your Notification of Entitlement. Related timing guides: when is my first Student Finance payment? and Student Finance payment dates.
Reassurance: Many mature learners study part-time around work or caring. If intensity stays at 25% or above and the course is designated, a Tuition Fee Loan is often the core support — with Maintenance Loan scaled honestly to your band. AF Education can help you check fit for free before you apply.
Tuition Fee Loan liability (part-time vs full-time)
For part-time students, Tuition Fee Loan liability arises once you have been on the course for two weeks of the academic year (official assessed-and-paid rule). That is different from the well-known full-time split of 25% / 25% / 50% across terms — we mention the full-time split only as contrast. Always read your university’s fee liability policy alongside SFE rules.
Repayment is a separate topic from when liability starts: when student loan repayments start in the UK.
How to apply (and what changes after January 2027)
Apply through GOV.UK: apply for student finance, then manage your account at student finance register / login. Step-by-step help: how to apply for student finance.
Student finance is changing for courses starting on or after 1 January 2027 (Lifelong Learning Entitlement). Check current GOV.UK LLE pages for that start-date window — do not rely on informal summaries. If Universal Credit is part of your life while studying, living-cost student income can interact with UC where you remain entitled: student finance on Universal Credit and benefits.
Mature returners at 30, 40 or 50 often combine part-time study with work — see going to university at 30, 40 or 50 alongside this part-time finance cluster.
What AF Education helps with (for free)
AF Education — trading name of AF EDUCATION LONDON LTD (Companies House 08750757) — is at 47 Cavell Street, London E1 2BP · 020 7377 8844 · info@afeducation.co.uk. We offer free help for UK home students with SFE and funded undergraduate / foundation-year applications, including a free eligibility check. We do not guarantee loan amounts or replace GOV.UK decisions.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get part-time student finance in England?
Often yes, if you are a UK home student, your course is designated, intensity is at least 25% of the equivalent full-time course, and you meet residency and other SFE rules. Courses starting on or after 1 August 2018 can normally include a Tuition Fee Loan and, where eligible, a Maintenance Loan. Confirm on GOV.UK part-time students guidance.
How much is the part-time Tuition Fee Loan in 2026/27?
Up to £7,335 for academic year 2026 to 2027 (up to £7,145 in 2025 to 2026). It is not income-assessed. Foundation-year part-time caps can be lower for classroom-based provision (up to £4,315) or up to £7,335 where partly practical — check GOV.UK and your fee invoice.
What course intensity do I need?
At least 25% of the equivalent full-time course. Roughly 30 credits or points in a year usually equals 25% intensity. You must also finish within four times the full-time length, with a maximum of 16 years of part-time funding.
How does intensity affect my Maintenance Loan?
Under 25% you get none. From 25% upward, SFE pays a percentage of your full-time-equivalent rate in bands (25%, 33.3%, 50%, 66.6%, 75% or 100%). Where you live and household income still matter (except care leavers from 2026/27, who can choose the maximum).
I’m 60 or over — what can I get?
You are not eligible for a part-time Maintenance Loan. You can still apply for a part-time Tuition Fee Loan and DSA if you qualify.
When is part-time Student Finance paid?
GOV.UK’s part-time page says Maintenance Loan payments are typically paid into your bank about two weeks after the start of each term. Your Notification of Entitlement and online schedule are authoritative for your dates.
When do I become liable for a part-time Tuition Fee Loan?
Once you have been on the course for two weeks of the academic year. That differs from the full-time 25%/25%/50% termly liability split — treat full-time rules as a contrast only.
What’s the first step if I’m still deciding?
Run the free eligibility checker, confirm intensity with your provider, then apply via GOV.UK. AF Education can help UK home students with funded-course choice and the SFE application path for free — only SFE confirms entitlement.
Next steps
Part-time student finance England rests on three checks: designated course, intensity at or above 25%, and the right loan mix for your age and study mode. Cite the GOV.UK caps (£7,335 Tuition Fee Loan for 2026/27) and intensity bands rather than outdated blog figures — then lock your personal numbers to the calculator and Notification of Entitlement.
For free help with eligibility and applications:
Prefer to talk? Contact AF Education on 020 7377 8844 or info@afeducation.co.uk — we help UK home students with funded courses and SFE applications while you confirm final figures on GOV.UK.
