Student Finance - Full Time

Student Finance NI is a partnership between the Education Authority (EA) and the Student Loans Company (SLC). Your local EA Regional Office Student Finance Section are responsible for the processing of your full time higher education Student Finance NI application. Students undertaking their first higher education course should apply to Student Finance NI for financial support.

Apply here

Tuition fee liability

If you are not able to provide your Student Finance Award letter at enrolment you will be required to sign a fees liability form and complete a direct debit mandate. Confirmation of your funding must then be submitted to Customer Services as soon as it is received.

If you have not requested a tuition fee loan to cover your full tuition fee the amount of the award will be deducted from the total fee and you will be invoiced for the remaining fee.

In all circumstances, the student is responsible for the payment of the total fee whether they complete the course or not. In the event of Student Loans Company not releasing the full amount of the award the student will be required to pay the remaining balance of the total fee.

What help can I get?

The following support is available:

Tuition Fee Loan
Maintenance Loan
Maintenance Grant or Special Support Grant
Childcare Grant
Parents’ Learning Allowance
Adult Dependants’ Grant
Disabled Students’ Allowance
Further details can be found on the NI Direct Website

Am I eligible for assistance?

Students undertaking their first higher education course eg. Foundation Degree, HNC or HND, should apply to Student Finance NI for financial support. There are three main conditions students must meet to qualify for student finance:

Personal Eligibility
Course Eligibility
University or College Eligibility

Find out more

When to apply

You don’t have to wait until you’ve accepted a course to apply for student finance. Just create your student finance account and apply using your first choice of course. You are advised to make your application for student finance as soon as possible so that you have your money when you start your course. If you wait until after you have enrolled, you might not get your money by the start of your course but your application will be processed as soon as possible.

Contact information

Student Finance Student Support Helpline

Telephone: 0300 100 0077
Website: www.studentfinanceni.co.uk

Help with tuition and living