Postgraduate loans in Northern Ireland and EU
Students from Northern Ireland and EU*
Postgraduate Tuition Fee Loan
The Northern Ireland Department for the Economy (DfE) provides a tuition fee loan of up to £6,500 per student for postgraduate study. (announced 27 October 2022)
Please note that for courses completed over more than 1 year, you may not be able to draw down the maximum available loan. If your course fees are higher in any year than the amount of loan available, you will need to pay the difference to the university.
| Overview: | Student loans for taught and research postgraduate courses in all subjects. |
| Value: |
The maximum you can apply for is up to £6,500 for tuition fees. There are NO conditions associated with how the loan can be used to fund study across more than 1 year. |
| Students: | UK nationals ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland / EU students studying in Northern Ireland. |
| Location: | Any UK university. |
| Repayment: |
9% of earnings over £18,935 per year, £1,481 per month or £341 per week before tax and national insurance |
WHAT IS THE POSTGRADUATE TUITION FEE LOAN (PG TFL)?
The postgraduate tuition fee loan (PG TFL) for postgraduate study is:
- A tuition fee loan
- Non-means tested
- Paid directly to the University
*subject to eligibility; please see below for details.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
There is no age limit, upper or lower, for the loan.
The loan will be available to:
UK Nationals (and individuals with settled status in the UK) who have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands for three years on the first day of the academic year of their course. They must have been most recently resident in Northern Ireland and must not have moved there from elsewhere in the UK and Islands solely for the purpose of attending the course.
Temporary absences from the home address, such as for education or travelling, will not prevent an applicant being eligible. Eligible UK nationals may use the postgraduate tuition fee loan in any UK authority funded Higher Education Provider.
EU Nationals
Individuals may be eligible if they are an EU national or if they have residency status of refugee in the UK, leave to enter or remain in the UK, EEA or Swiss migrant workers, a family member of any of the previous categories, or a child of a Swiss national, or child of a Turkish worker.
Eligible EU nationals may use the postgraduate tuition fee loan in any NI authority funded Higher Education Provider.
WHICH COURSES ARE ELIGIBLE?
The postgraduate tuition fee loan is available for the following postgraduate courses:
- Postgraduate Master’s courses (taught or research)
- Postgraduate Diplomas
- Postgraduate Certificates
- Postgraduate Initial Teacher Training (such as PGCE)
- Top-up from a Postgraduate Certificate to a Postgraduate Diploma or a Master’s; or
- Top-up from a Postgraduate Diploma to a Master’s
**Note: Students will only be eligible to take out one Postgraduate Tuition Fee Loan.
Students will not be eligible for repeat funding, even where they do not complete the course, unless they have a compelling personal reason.
WHEN TO APPLY
Apply via the Student Finance NI portal. Find more information.
For full terms and conditions please contact Student Finance NI:
- +44 (0)28 2566 1444
- StudentFinance-PG@eani.org.uk
- www.studentfinanceni.co.uk
*Terms and conditions apply