SLC opens application service for 26/27 academic year

The Student Loans Company (SLC) opened its application service for the 26/27 academic year on 23 March 2026, for full-time undergraduate students in England planning to start university or college in that year¹. Applications for Student Finance England (SFE) full-time undergraduates are now open, and students do not need a confirmed place on a course to apply, as course details can be updated later in their online account¹.

Students in England apply for a Plan 5 student loan, which can include a Tuition Fee Loan of up to £9,790 to cover fees, plus a Maintenance Loan towards living costs¹. During the application, students are given information on their repayment terms and conditions¹. On repayment, SLC says students usually enter repayment in the April after they finish their course, but no payments are taken until they earn over the pay period threshold¹.

In the 24/25 academic year, SLC paid a total of £24bn in student finance, including maintenance loans and grants to 1.5m students, as well as tuition fee payments to education providers¹. Applications can take four weeks to process, and students can track progress through their online accounts¹. SLC says applicants should have their National Insurance number and passport details to hand before starting, and those applying on household income should have a parent's email address, because the parent is sent an email to provide income details¹. Bank details, including an 8-digit account number and 6-digit sort code, are also requested¹.

Steven Darling, SLC's Director of Customer Experience, said:

SLC notes that previous study can affect eligibility, even where the earlier course was self-funded, and that students returning after a break should use their original online account rather than create a new one¹. A student with no contact with their parents for over a year may be able to apply as an estranged student, with applications handled by a dedicated team and different evidence requirements¹. Extra support may be available in some circumstances, for example for students with additional needs, those with children, or those on medical, social work or teaching courses¹.

Why it matters for households

For families in England, the opening of the service sets the clock running on the money that covers fees and living costs for the 26/27 academic year. The Tuition Fee Loan of up to £9,790 is paid to the education provider rather than to the student, while the Maintenance Loan is intended for living costs¹. Because a household income assessment requires a parent to supply income details by email, parents and partners are part of the process, not just the applicant¹. Applications can take four weeks to process, so the date an application is submitted affects when money is confirmed¹. Students who have studied before, or who are estranged from their parents, face different eligibility checks and evidence requirements, which SLC says is a reason to apply early so entitlement can be confirmed¹. Repayment does not begin until the April after the course finishes, and no payments are taken until earnings exceed the pay period threshold¹.

What happens next

The application window for part-time undergraduate and postgraduate student finance will open later in the spring¹. SLC has not reported a specific date for that opening.