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Education and learning

How to apply for student finance - after your first year

You will need to complete a new student finance application for each year of your university or college course. Applications can be made online or on paper.

How to apply for finance after your first year

You must make a separate student finance application for every year you are in higher education.

Student Finance Direct will automatically send you information about how to apply for the new academic year, so ensure that you keep them up to date with your contact details.

If you don’t get this information, you can still apply online - or contact Student Finance Direct and ask them to send a form to you.

It’s best to apply as soon as possible – but you can still apply up to nine months from the first day of the academic year.

If you’ve applied for student finance before, you won’t have to send in any further evidence to support your application unless there has been a change in your circumstances - for example, to your household income or your marital status.


Full-time students: apply for student finance

Apply online

Full-time students can save time by applying online for the 2008/2009 academic year. All the relevant information from your previous application will be available online, even if you applied on paper last time.

It’s no longer possible to apply online for the 2007/2008 academic year - but you can apply on paper up to nine months from the start of the academic year.

Apply on paper

Alternatively, you can download and fill in application form PR1. For some types of extra support, you’ll need to complete a separate form on paper.


Part time students

You must apply for financial help for each year of your course.

To apply, fill in the application form for part-time student finance (PTG1) and take it to your university or college when you start your course.

The college administration office will complete the rest of the form - you should then send it to your local authority.


If your circumstances change while you are studying

Changes to your circumstances while you are studying could affect how much financial help you get.

You must let your local authority know as soon as possible if:

  • your marital status changes
  • your income, or your household income, goes up or down
  • you change your course or institution 
  • you repeat or defer a year of your course 
  • you leave your course early

For more information, see 'If your circumstances change while you are studying'.


What happens to your application

Once you have submitted your application, it follows a similar route to your original application for financial help. But it’s generally more straightforward since you will usually have supplied much of the information before.

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