Website of the UK government
Please note that this website has a UK government accesskeys system.
Main menu
Page menu
Education and learning
Higher Education Grant and tuition fee grant
If you’re a full-time student who started your course in or after September 2004 but before September 2006, you may be entitled to a Higher Education Grant of up to £1,000 a year - and also a grant to help with your tuition fees.
Do you qualify for a Higher Education and Tuition Fee Grant?
If you started your course in or after September 2004, but before September 2006, you may be able to get financial help through the Higher Education Grant and tuition fee grant.
These grants are also available to some students who started later than this – for example, you may be able to get them if you started in 2006/2007 after taking a gap year.
You don’t have to pay them back. If you qualify, you’ll remain eligible for this type of financial help throughout your course.
Do you qualify?
Higher Education Grant
The Higher Education Grant is there to help with accommodation and other living costs. It’s available to full-time higher education students from lower income households.
Tuition fee grant
The tuition fee grant is money paid by the government to your university or college to help cover your tuition fees. It may cover all or part of your tuition fee contribution, depending on your income and the income of your household.
Higher Education Grant: how much can you get?
The amount you can get will depend on your household income. For 2008/2009 and 2007/2008, the maximum Higher Education Grant is £1,000 a year.
Higher Education Grant in 2008/2009
| Your household income | How much Higher Education Grant you get |
|---|---|
| £16,750 or less | Full grant (£1,000) |
| £16,751 - £22,735 | Partial grant (at least £50) |
| £22,736 or more | No grant |
Higher Education Grant in 2007/2008
| Your household income | How much Higher Education Grant you get |
|---|---|
| £16,340 or less | Full grant (£1,000) |
| £16,341 - £22,325 | Partial grant (at least £50) |
| £22,326 or more | No grant |
Tuition fee grant: how much can you get?
Depending on your income, the tuition fee grant may cover some or all of your tuition fee contribution. The maximum amounts are:
- 2008/2009: £1,255 a year
- 2007/2008: £1,225 a year
If you get the maximum tuition fee grant, you will have no tuition fees to pay. If you don’t get the maximum grant, you can take out a Student Loan for Tuition Fees to cover the shortfall.
Single, independent students will get the full tuition fee grant if they have an income of less than £11,020 in 2008/2009 or less than £10,750 in 2007/08.
The maximum you’ll have to contribute towards your tuition fees represents around a quarter of the actual cost of the average higher education course. The rest of the cost is automatically covered by the government.
How is this help paid?
The tuition fee grant is paid by Student Finance Direct straight to your college or university.
The Higher Education Grant is paid to you by Student Finance Direct at the start of each term - usually straight into your bank account.
Effect on other financial help
Any money you get through the Higher Education Grant or tuition fee grant isn’t counted as income when working out your entitlement to benefits or tax credits.
Back to main page on ‘Student finance after your first year: started before September 2006?’
Additional links
Student finance online services
Not from England?
Useful contacts
Access keys
