The United Kingdom is preparing to introduce a new student finance application route for learners starting courses from January 2027, as it disburses £5.7 billion in student support for the first term of the 2026/27 academic year.
The Student Loans Company announced the development in a report published on the UK Home Office website on Wednesday, noting that the first-term payments covered maintenance support for students and tuition fees for education providers.
Of the total amount, £3 billion was paid directly to students as maintenance loans in September, while £2.7 billion was released to education providers for tuition fees in October.
The company said most first-term payments had been completed, although it was still processing applications from students who missed the deadline and might have received only partial funding initially.
It explained that students who applied late were awarded the minimum maintenance loan alongside their tuition fee loan to enable them to begin their academic programmes while their applications were being finalised.
The outstanding maintenance support, it added, would be paid once all required application details had been confirmed.
The company urged students to submit their applications early, warning that processing could take up to four weeks.
As part of the planned changes, students beginning courses on or after January 1, 2027, will apply for student finance through the Lifelong Learning Entitlement scheme.
Applications for the new funding scheme are expected to open by the end of October 2026.
The Student Loans Company said the £5.7 billion disbursement figure was provisional, adding that comprehensive full-year data would be published in its Student Support for Higher Education statistical release on November 26, 2026.
