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Funding for students on undergraduate courses

Find out what options are available to help pay for fees and living costs while you study for your undergraduate degree.

Key information

The information below applies to 2024/25 entry only.


How much does an undergraduate degree cost?

When calculating the cost of an undergraduate degree there are two elements to consider - tuition fees and living costs.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees will vary from programme to programme, and depend on your fee classification. Check the Undergraduate Prospectus for information on what your fees may be for any particular programme.

Living costs

The amount spent on living costs may vary greatly from student to student and depend on lifestyle and individual circumstances. Information on the cost of study can be found on UCL's cost of study page.


Government loans

Student Finance (UK students and those covered by the EU Withdrawal Agreements)

Loans for tuition fees and maintenance are available from the UK government through Student Finance to help eligible undergraduate students pay for their studies.

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Eligible Home undergraduate students can get a Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan in addition to supplementary grants such as the Childcare Grant, Parents' Learning Allowance, Adult Dependents Grant and Disabled Students' Allowance, where relevant.

Home students will need to apply to the relevant funding authority for the nation they normally live in:

Students covered by the EU Withdrawal Agreements

Most undergraduates with settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) are entitled to a Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan from Student Finance, in addition to supplementary grants such as the Childcare Grant, Parents' Learning Allowance, Adult Dependents Grant and Disabled Students' Allowance, where relevant.

Most undergraduates with pre-settled status under the EUSS are entitled to a Tuition Fee Loan from Student Finance. You may also qualify for a Maintenance Loan and supplementary grants depending on your circumstances. Further information is available from the UKCISA site. You can also call the UKCISA student advice line on 020 7788 9214.

All students - Previous Study

If you have previously studied in higher education, this will affect your entitlement to a Student Finance tuition fee loan.

Find out more about what is available to you from Student Finance, and how to apply on the Student Finance website.

Interest and Repayment

You'll be charged interest from the day you receive your first payment until your loans are repaid in full or cancelled.

Find out more about interest and repayment of Student Finance loans on the Student Finance repayment website.

US Loans

UCL participates in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program (Direct Loans). This is the main U.S. Federal funding available to American students in the UK. 

The processing of loans at schools outside the US is different from that when applying to a school inside the US. Students applying to Direct Loans for study at UCL should follow the instructions carefully. We will not be able to administer your loan unless you submit the application to the Student Funding Office as outlined in the guidance.

Find out more about US Loans

Canadian Loans

Students from Canada may be able to apply for Canada Student Loans and provincial or territorial student assistance. 

Find out more about Canadian Loans


Bursaries

UCL Undergraduate Bursary

The UCL Undergraduate Bursary provides support to UK undergraduates with a household income below £42,875. The Bursary is given in each year of undergraduate study, provided the household income remains below £42,875

You do not have to repay the UCL Undergraduate Bursary.

Find out more about the UCL Undergraduate Bursary and how to apply.

Estranged Student Bursary

UCL offers a £1,000 per-year bursary for UK undergraduate students who can demonstrate they meet the definition of estrangement from their family.

Prospective students can apply via Portico. Current students should contact the Student Funding team via askUCL with evidence of their estrangement to apply.

More information on support for estranged students at UCL can be found on the Student Support and Wellbeing website.

Care Leaver Bursary

UCL offers a £1,000 per-year bursary for UK undergraduate students who live or have lived in care.

Prospective students can apply via Portico. Current students should contact the Student Funding team via askUCL with evidence that they live or have lived in care. More information on support for care leaver students at UCL can be found on the Student Support and Wellbeing website.

Successful Estranged and Care Leaver bursary candidates can request an advance payment of £200 to help with transition costs just prior to joining in their first year.


Scholarships

There are a number of scholarships available to undergraduate students. You can use the scholarships finder to search for awards that you might be eligible for. Your academic department may also be able to provide you with more information about funding.

Use the scholarships finder.


Funding for disabled students

Disabled Students’ Allowances

If you're a Home student, you can apply for Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) to cover some of the extra costs you have because of a mental health problem, long term illness or any other disability.

You can get the allowances on top of your other student finance. You won’t need to repay DSAs.

UCL Student Support and Wellbeing provide information around DSAs and other support available for disabled students at UCL.  

Other support for Disabled Students

UCL recognises that disabled students may have to incur additional costs in order to pursue their studies. More information about supoprt available for students who are not eligible for DSA, such as international students, is available on the SSW funding support for disabled students page.


Benefits

As a student, it is unlikely you will be able to claim benefits unless you have a disability or have children.

The charity Turn2Us have guides on what benefits students may be eligible for. 

If you are experiencing problems with your benefits, contact the Student's Union UCL Advice Service.

Council Tax

Full-time students do not need to pay council tax


Other sources of funding

Talk to your department about any programme or subject-specific funding that may be available.

From time to time external organisations contact the UCL Funding team with funding opportunities. We place these on an online Hootboard notice board. UCL does not administer or take responsibility for any of these schemes. If you are unable to access the Hootboard when logged in to a Hootboard account, please sign out and refresh the page.

Some students choose to apply for personal loans provided by private finance companies. UCL is not affiliated with or able to endorse any private loan providers.

Students on the MPharm programme who are in or entering their final year may be able to receive financial support from Pharmacist Support either in the form of a hardship fund or their National Student Bursary Scheme. The charity also has a Finding Funding fact sheet that lists other funding opportunities for Pharmacy students.

The Armed Forces Bereavement Scholarship Scheme provides the children of people who have died in service of their country with scholarships for university.

The government has been looking in to the possibility of an alternative Sharia-compliant funding system which would be available alongside traditional student loans. However at present this system is not yet in place.

The Anglo-Jewish Association provides means-tested grants to assist Jewish students (who are British Citizens) with the costs of further education.

Online aggregators like Scholarship Search and International Financial Aid and College Scholarship Search contain information on a variety of external schemes.
If you have specific circumstances or ethnic or religious background it is worth searching for scholarships, bursaries and grants that relate to those things. Some schemes are very specific. Also try subject specific searches.

Turn2Us Grants Search database contains information on over 3,000 charitable funds offering welfare and educational grants, as well as other support and services. 

Find out more about external funding options

Lists of charitable grants and awards are kept in the following directories which are held in UCL libraries - see references below:

Charities Digest: Selected charities & voluntary organisations

  • 1x Main Library - Reference R 20 CHA
  • 1x IOE Library - Reference Collection, Level 4, RF3 HEW CHA

Directory of Grant Making Trusts 

  • 2x Main Library - Reference R 20 DIR
  • 1x IOE Library - Reference Collection, Level 4, RF3 HEW DIR

Grants Register

  • 1x Main Library - Ref Collection M, Reference R 20 GRA
  • 1x School of Pharmacy Library - Reference Shelves, Pharmacy 378.3 GRA

Guide to Educational Grants

  • 1x Main Library - Reference R 20 GUI
  • 1x IOE Library -  Reference Collection, Level 4, RF3 EDU

Guide to Grants for Individuals in Need

  • 1x Main Library - Reference R 20 GUI