Postgraduate Student Finance Guide

Check if you’re eligible for a student loan and find out how to apply

Don’t let finances be a barrier to your success. Postgraduate student finance provided by the UK government could help you afford the degree you need to take the next step in your career or start your dream business.

At Walbrook, both our online master's degrees and on-campus master’s degrees are designed to be affordable and accessible. And with a master’s student loan, you won’t have to pay for anything upfront. You can fast-track your success without worrying about your finances. Read on to find out all you need to know.

What is a student loan?

A government student loan can help cover the costs of your course. It’s a great way to make the next step in your career more affordable. You’ll borrow money to pay your tuition fees – without affecting your credit rating – and pay it back after you graduate and start earning an income.

Explore our student loan guide to find out how to apply for student finance whether you’re in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

Benefits of postgraduate student loans

Your postgraduate degree at Walbrook could be your ticket to an exciting future. And a student loan for a master’s course could make it easier to afford. Find out if finance is right for you.

Cover the cost of tuition fees
You'll receive your Master's Loan in instalments after your course begins. To secure your place with us, you’ll need to pay for your first module(s) for your online degree, or first instalment for your on-campus degree, before your start date.
Start repayments when you're earning enough
If you live in England, you’ll only start making repayments once your income is above £21,000 a year. The repayment threshold varies depending on where you live: if you’re in Scotland or Northern Ireland, it will be different from England and Wales.
It won’t affect your credit rating
Unlike other loans, postgraduate student loans don’t appear on your credit file, so lenders won’t see your balance. For mortgages, repayments count as a regular expense, which may reduce how much you can borrow but won’t stop you getting one.
Postgraduate loans are eventually written off
If you’ve made the right repayments based on your income, any remaining loan balance, plus the interest charged, will be written off after 25 to 30 years. The exact time frame for this depends on where you live in the UK and the terms that apply to your loan.

Check if you’re eligible for student finance as a postgraduate or MBA student

All Walbrook courses qualify for loans if you’re resident in England – you can get up to £12,858.
Tuition fee loan eligibility may include upper age limits, depending on where in the UK you live.
Lots of nationalities are eligible, including UK nationals, family of UK nationals, and Irish citizens.

Check the gov.uk postgraduate student finance pages for more details to see if you’re eligible for a loan.

How to apply for postgraduate student finance

Applying for postgraduate student finance is an important step towards your future. Follow our advice to secure the financial support you need to succeed. If you need help at any point, simply get in touch with us.

You can make changes after you’ve submitted your application if your plans change.

The application process

To qualify for a tuition fee loan, you must:
- Be a UK resident or meet specific residency criteria.
- Study an eligible course (all Walbrook courses qualify).
- Meet any other eligibility conditions set by the Student Loans Company.
Visit the appropriate Student Finance portal for your region. You can apply online or you may have the option to download the forms to send in the post.
When completing your application, ensure you include:
- Walbrook’s institution and course details.
- Your study start date.
- The amount you wish to borrow (usually the full cost of your tuition fees).
- Double-check your details before submitting to avoid delays.
- Submit any additional documents requested, such as proof of identity.
- Once your application is reviewed, the SLC will send you a confirmation letter.

What happens after you apply?

We'll confirm your student status with the Student Loans Company (SLC) once we can see that you're engaged with your course during the first 14 days after your start date.
You can log in to your SLC account to check the status of your loan and payment schedule.
Your Master’s Loan is paid directly to you by the SLC in three instalments across the academic year. The first instalment will be released to once your loan has been approved, and we've confirmed your student status with us.
It’s your responsibility to ensure that you pay your tuition fees to us on time.

It’s also your responsibility to make payment of your first module(s) (online degrees) or first instalment (on-campus degrees) when accepting your unconditional offer. You’ll need to pay for this yourself before your course begins, as you won’t receive any loan funds until after your start date.

For more details on making your first module payment, visit our tuition fees page.
If your loan is delayed, you are still responsible for ensuring your tuition fees are paid on time. You may choose to self-fund your initial payments, and these will be reimbursed once the Student Loans Company (SLC) releases your funds. If your loan is not approved, you will need to arrange alternative payment methods.

Applying for postgraduate student finance from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?

If you're joining us from Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland, the process is a bit different to England. We’ve summarised what you need to do. Don’t forget, we’re always here to help if you need advice or information.

If you’re normally a resident of Scotland and you haven’t received government financial support for a postgraduate qualification before, you could be eligible for a loan to study with Walbrook. There’s no upper age limit.

You may be eligible for a loan of up to £7,000 towards your qualification split pro rata over the number of years you’ll be studying. This will be paid directly to us and you’ll need to pay any remaining fee amount directly to Walbrook.

You’ll start making repayments once your income is over £27,660. You'll pay 9% on everything you earn above this threshold.

Complete a financial support application online on the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) website.

You’ll get a notification in your SAAS account if you’re successful, which can take up to 28 days. We recommend you apply as early as possible – you can change your application later if you need to.

Check the Student Awards Agency Scotland website for more information.
If you’re normally a resident in Wales and you haven’t received government financial support for a postgraduate qualification before, you could be eligible for a loan to study with Walbrook. You need to be under 60 years old on the first day of the academic year.

You can get a loan of up to £18,950. The loan will be paid directly to you and you’ll need to pay this to Walbrook.

You’ll start making repayments in the April after you graduate at the earliest. Repayments only start once your income is over £21,000. You'll pay 6% on everything you earn above this threshold.

We recommend you apply as early as possible.

Read through the Student Finance Wales application guide for more information.
If you’re normally a resident of Northern Ireland, you could be eligible for a loan to study with Walbrook. You must be living in Northern Ireland on the first day of the first academic year of your course. There’s no upper age limit.

You won’t qualify if you’ve already received a postgraduate tuition fee loan from any government authority within the United Kingdom or postgraduate master’s grant support from Student Finance Wales.

You can get up to £6,500 paid over the one to two years of your course. The fee will be paid directly to us and you’ll need to pay the remaining amount directly to Walbrook. From the beginning of the tax year after you complete or leave your course, you’ll pay 9% of anything you earn over £22,015.

Remember, you’ll need to reapply each year of your course. If you apply for a loan after your course has begun, and you have not attended your course from the beginning, the amount available to you will be reduced.

Visit Student Finance NI for more information.

Making changes to your postgraduate student loan application

Thinking of joining us after applying to a different degree provider? When you apply for your loan, you’ll see everything in your online student finance account. If you move home, change universities, or decide on a different course you can update your application at any point.
Need support applying for your postgraduate student loan?

Funding your postgraduate degree can be confusing. But we’re here to support you through the application process and throughout your studies if you need us.

Get in touch with us if you need support

Postgraduate student finance FAQS

If you’re studying one of our postgraduate courses and you’re a UK national, or have an eligible residency status, you can probably apply for a tuition fee loan.

You won’t be eligible if you already have a master’s or MBA, if you’re already getting student finance for another course, if you’ve already received a master’s loan, or if you’re behind on repayments for a previous student loan.

See the gov.uk postgraduate student finance pages to find out if you’re eligible.
Yes, if you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, you can apply for a part-time postgraduate loan. If you live in Scotland, you won’t be able to apply for a loan for studying at Walbrook, but you may be eligible for a separate grant.
There’s no separate maintenance loan for postgraduate students, but, in England, you can use your loan to cover your tuition fees, living costs, or other costs associated with your postgraduate study.
- In England, you could be eligible for a loan of up to £12,858.
- In Wales, you could be eligible for a loan of up to £19,255.
- In Northern Ireland, you could be eligible for a loan of up to up to £6,500.
- In Scotland, you could be eligible for a loan of up to £7,000.
You’ll need to cover your first payment to start your course – that’s your first module if you’re studying part-time online, your first two modules if you’re full-time online, or your first instalment if you’re on campus. As long as you apply for your loan before you pay and enrol, your student finance should be ready by the time your next payment is due.
When you start your Master's Loan application, you’ll see what information or documents you need to provide. This might include your household income and a passport or birth certificate.
You’ll start making payments when your income is above the threshold for your country.
- In England, the threshold is £21,000.
- In Wales, the threshold is over £21,000.
- In Northern Ireland, the threshold is £22,015.
- In Scotland, the threshold is £27,660.
The UK government postgraduate student finance website has all the information you’ll need. You can also contact us for help and advice whenever you need it.
You cannot use a Master's Loan to pay for your first module. The UK Government’s Master's Loan is paid directly to you in three instalments, with the first payment arriving only after you've started your studies. Since the first module payment must be made at least 7 days before your chosen start date, you will need to cover this amount separately before your loan funds are available.

Contact us about our online degrees

Any questions about our online degrees or studying at Walbrook? Our Enrolment Advisors are here to help.

Our office is open Monday to Friday from 8.00am to 5.30pm UK time (excluding UK public holidays).

Postgraduate student finance for master’s and MBA students

Check if you’re eligible for a student loan and find out how to apply

What is a student loan?

Benefits of postgraduate student loans

Cover the cost of tuition fees

Start repayments when you're earning enough

It won’t affect your credit rating

Postgraduate loans are eventually written off

Check if you’re eligible for student finance as a postgraduate or MBA student

How to apply for postgraduate student finance

The application process

1. Check your eligibility

2. Apply online

3. Provide key information

4. Submit your application

5. Approval

What happens after you apply?

Student status confirmation

Tracking your loan status

Release of funds

Payment responsibility

Loan delays

Applying for postgraduate student finance from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?

Scotland

Wales

Northern Ireland

Making changes to your postgraduate student loan application

Need support applying for your postgraduate student loan?

Postgraduate student finance FAQS

Who can get student finance?

Can I get a part-time postgraduate master’s student loan?

Can I get a maintenance loan?

What is the maximum postgraduate or MBA student loan for Walbrook courses?

When do I need to apply for my student loan?

What documents do I need when applying for a student loan?

When do I have to repay the loan?

Where can I find more information?

Can I use a Master's Loan to pay for my first module(s) of my online degree?

Contact us about our online degrees