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Postgraduate Taught

SLC Masters Loans 

UK Students starting a postgraduate Master’s course in 2024/25 may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Loan (PGL) through Student Finance England. The loan will be: 

  • Up to £12,471 per student (confirmed for 2024/25) 
  • A contribution towards the cost of study, i.e. it will be at the student’s discretion to use the loan towards fees, maintenance costs or other costs 
  • Non-means tested 
  • Paid directly to the student. 

If you are studying your course part-time, the loan will be divided equally across each year of your course. 

For additional information and see if you qualify, please visit Student Finance England website. 

Eligibility: 

  • You must be a UK national, or have settled/pre-settled status in the UK, and have been ordinarily resident in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, for three years on the first day of the academic year of your course start date 
  • You must be aged 59 years or under on the first day of the academic year of your course 
  • You must not already hold a Master's or equivalent qualification 
  • You must not be receiving a NHS bursary or a Social Work Bursary. If you are eligible for NHS bursary, you do not qualify for the loan. 

Course Eligibility: 

The course you’re studying must lead to a Master’s qualification. You can choose to study your course at the university in person or by distance learning. You can take up to two years for the equivalent of a one year full-time course, up to four years for the equivalent of a two year full-time course, or you can study a three year part-time course with no equivalent full-time course. You can visit the Student Room website for additional information about full-time study and part-time study eligibility. 

Your course must: 

  • be a full, standalone master's course (not a top-up course) 
  • be worth at least 180 credits (you cannot transfer any credits across from your previous study) 
  • have started on or after 1 August 2016 

Please note that these part-time courses* at Durham University are eligible, if studied over 2 years only: 

  • (V60707) Digital Theology (MA) 
  • (X9K907) Education (MA) 
  • (X3K807) Intercultural Communication and Education (MA) 
  • (V60507) Theology and Ministry (MA). 

*The list is not exhaustive. 

Repayments: 

The earliest you start repaying is when your annual income is over £21,000 and it's either the: 

  • first April after you leave your course 

or: 

  • April 4 years after the course started 

Application: 

Application process for the 2024/25 academic year is now open and the quickest way is to apply is online.

Funding for postgraduate loans is different if you normally live in 

If you live in one of the other nations of the UK, then you can find out more information from: 

This website will be updated regularly as we get updates from Student Finance England so please keep on checking it for further information. You can also send any queries to pg.loans@durham.ac.uk 

 
Durham University makes every effort to ensure that the information published or contained on its website is accurate. However, the University cannot guarantee the information may not be altered owing to circumstances beyond the University’s reasonable control. Such circumstances include (but are not limited to) change in Government policy, or change of law. Any changes will be incorporated into the University’s website. Any person wishing to obtain confirmation of any particular item should contact the University via pg.loans@durham.ac.uk .