If you normally live in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, you may be eligible for a postgraduate loan to help cover some of the costs of your degree programme. Eligibility Each government loan provider has slightly different rules, but your eligibility will typically depend on: your degree programmeyour ageyour nationality or residency status Part-time intermittent (invoiced at course level/ICL) If your degree programme is classed as 'part-time intermittent' (also known as invoiced at course level or ICL), you will not be eligible for any UK government postgraduate loan. Apply for a degree programme first You must apply for your degree programme at the University of Edinburgh before you apply for a government loan. Application process Postgraduate student loans are provided by different organisations depending on where you usually live in the UK. Scotland The Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) accepts applications for postgraduate student loans from applicants who usually live in Scotland. SAAS provides loans for postgraduate diplomas and masters degree programmes. There are two types of loans: a tuition fee loan which is paid directly to the Universitya postgraduate living cost loan which is paid directly to you The application process normally opens in April of the year your degree programme is due to start. You must apply for the tuition fee loan before the tuition fee cut-off date stated by SAAS. Living cost loan applications have different closing dates depending on your start date. Check eligibility and apply for tuition fee and living cost loans from SAAS England Student Finance England (SFE) accepts applications for postgraduate student loans from applicants who usually live in England. SFE provides loans for both doctoral and taught postgraduate degree programmes and pays these directly to you. You can choose to use your loan towards either or both: tuition feesliving costs The application process normally opens in June of the year your degree programme is due to start. You need to apply no later than nine months after the start of the final academic year of your degree programme. The first day of your academic year depends on the start date of your degree programme. We recommend that you apply for a loan as soon as possible. Check eligibility and apply for a masters loan from Student Finance England Check eligibility and apply for a doctoral loan from Student Finance England Wales Student Finance Wales (SFW) accepts applications for postgraduate student loans from applicants who usually live in Wales. SFW provides loans for both doctoral and taught postgraduate degree programmes. You will receive the loan in three instalments, and you can choose to use it towards either or both: tuition feesliving costs The application process normally opens in June of the year your degree programme is due to start. You need to apply no later than nine months after the start of the final academic year of your degree programme. Check eligibility and apply for a masters loan from Student Finance Wales Check eligibility and apply for a doctoral loan from Student Finance Wales Northern Ireland Student Finance NI (SFNI) accepts applications for postgraduate student loans from applicants who usually live in Northern Ireland. SFNI provides tuition fee loans for postgraduate taught degree programmes and pays loans directly to the University. The application process normally opens in June of the year your degree programme is due to start and closes nine months after the first day of your academic year. Check eligibility and apply for a tuition fee loan and other funding from Student Finance NI If you are not eligible for a UK government loan Our Scholarships and Student Funding service provides information about other funding opportunities you may be eligible for. Scholarships and student funding opportunities This article was published on 2025-10-07
