UK Government doctoral loans
New MPhil/PhD research students can apply for a UK government doctoral loan of up to £28,673 (if your course started on or after 1 August 2023). The amount that you can receive is not means-tested (i.e. - it is not determined by your household income).
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ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
- You must be:
- a new student OR a continuing student if your course started on or after 1 August 2018
- applying for an MPhil/PhD degree or a professional doctorate
- a UK or EU national, or have 'settled status' (some exceptions may apply)
- resident in England
- aged 59 or under.
- You are ineligible if:
- you started your MPhil/PhD prior to the 2018-19 academic year
- applying for a stand-alone MPhil or MRes degree (you can apply for the government's postgraduate loans)
- you are already in receipt of government funding, such as a Research Council studentship (including fees-only awards).
- You must be:
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HOW TO APPLY
- You need to apply online via Student Finance England.
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CLOSING DATE
- You can apply at any point up until the ninth month of your final academic year.
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REPAYMENT
- Doctoral loans are repaid on the same terms as the government's postgraduate loans.
- The repayment rate is 9% for a doctoral loan and for a postgraduate and doctoral loan combined.
- Find out more about repayment.
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FURTHER INFORMATION