Fees and financial support for part-time students
Information for Lifelong learning students who are studying a part-time course in the School of Education.
Fees
You can check your tuition fees by using the University’s undergraduate fees lookup tool.
If you successfully progress to a University of Sheffield degree from your foundation year, your fees will be the standard undergraduate fee.
Government funding
Key points
- Loans from the government are available for eligible home fee-paying students to cover tuition fees and contribute towards living costs.
- You don’t have to pay anything upfront and you don’t start repaying your loan until you’re earning more than the repayment threshold.
- There is also additional funding available for some students.
The information on this page relates to the academic year 2024-2025 for Student Finance England. Information for 2025 entry will be published on this web page when it is available.
Students from the devolved nations can find out more information from the websites below:
Wales - Student Finance Wales
Northern Ireland - Student Finance Northern Ireland
Scotland - Student Awards Agency Scotland
Tuition fee loans
Eligible home fee-paying students can apply for a tuition fee loan from the UK government to cover the cost of their fees. For students from England, the agency is Student Finance England.
Part-time students may be able to get a loan if their course has a ‘course intensity’ of 25% or more (‘course intensity’ means how long your course takes to complete each year compared to an equivalent full-time course); the majority of part-time undergraduate courses at the University of Sheffield are studied at 50% intensity.
The government website has a full list of eligibility criteria.
The tuition fee loan is not based on household income.
You will need to re-apply for a tuition fee loan each year. Your fees may increase by a small amount each year in line with inflation. The government clarifies this each year. However, if there is an increase, you won’t be required to do anything.
Your tuition fee loan will automatically increase to reflect any changes. For more information about how to apply for your loan, please refer to the government website.
Each year you take out the loan, the government pays the money directly to the University in three instalments. The first instalment is paid after you register with us.
Maintenance loans
Eligible home fee-paying students can apply for a maintenance loan from the UK government to contribute towards their living costs. For students from England, the agency is Student Finance England.
Part-time students may be able to get a loan if their course has a ‘course intensity’ of 25% or more (‘course intensity’ means how long your course takes to complete each year compared to an equivalent full-time course); the majority of part-time undergraduate courses at the University of Sheffield are studied at 50% intensity.
Students studying the Cert HE in Combined Studies with a Foundation Year and the part-time Certificate in Combined Studies (CertHE) are not eligible to apply for the part-time maintenance loan.
The government website has a full list of eligibility criteria.
The amount of maintenance loan that you receive will depend on your household income.
- For most students under the age of 25, this generally means your parents’ income.
- If you’re 25 or over on the first day of your course or are under the age of 25 but do not financially depend on your parents (for example, you are a care leaver or an estranged student), then your household income will not include your parents’ income, though it may include your partner’s income.
More information about household income.
The amount you receive also depends on where you are going to university (whether this is in London or not) and whether you will be living at home or away from home.
Students aged 60 or over on the first day of their course may receive reduced maintenance support.
For example, the table below shows the approximate amount available to students living in their family home (in England), studying at a course intensity of 50% and starting their course in September 2024.
| Household income | Maintenance loan amount (approximate) |
|---|---|
| £25,000 or less | £4,305 |
| £35,000 | £3,582 |
| £45,000 | £2,858 |
| £58,307 or above | £1,895 |
These household incomes are just examples – the amount you receive is on a sliding scale based on household income and intensity of study.
You can use the government’s student finance calculator to estimate what you could receive.
You will need to re-apply for a maintenance loan each year. For more information about how to do this, refer to the government website.
Each year you take out the loan, the government pays the money directly to you in three instalments. The first instalment is paid after you register with us.
Paying back your loans
When do I pay back my loans?
You won't make any repayments on your loans until the April after you have left university, or the April four years after the course started if you're studying part-time (whichever is earlier), and you are earning above the repayment threshold.
How do I pay back my loans?
Your tuition and maintenance loans are added together so you make one monthly payment. Your payments don't come out of your bank account; they are deducted from your salary automatically, in the same way that income tax is. If you're self-employed, you'll pay through HM Revenue and Customs.
How much will I pay?
Your monthly payments are calculated as 9% of whatever you earn above the repayment threshold set by the government, from the April after you finish your course. For students from England who start their studies from August 2023 onwards, the current repayment threshold is £25,000.
Your repayments are based on what you earn, not what you owe. If your wages drop, this is reflected in your repayments. For example, using the current repayment threshold for students from England who start their studies from August 2023 onwards, if you earn £30,000, you will repay 9% of the £5,000 you earn above the £25,000 threshold (£450.00 per year or £37.50 per month). Further details on repayments can be found on the government website.
Gov.uk - Repaying your student loan
After 40 years, anything you haven’t paid back is written off.
What about interest?
You’re charged interest from the day your first student finance payment is made to you or to your university until your loan has been repaid in full or cancelled. Interest is added to your balance each month.
The interest rate on loans for students who start their studies from August 2023 onwards will be based on the Retail Price Index (RPI). During some periods, an interest cap may be applied to ensure you’re not being charged a higher interest rate than the average found in the commercial market.
Further information on interest rates can be found on the government website.
Gov.uk - Repaying your student loan
Additional funding
As a reminder, the information on this page relates to Student Finance England.
Students from the devolved nations can find out more information from the websites below:
- Wales - Student Finance Wales
- Northern Ireland - Student Finance Northern Ireland
- Scotland - Student Awards Agency Scotland
Support for students with a disability
If you have a disability or specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia, you can apply for Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA).
This can be on its own or in addition to any student finance you get, though you must at least be eligible to receive student finance.
The type of support and how much you get depends on your individual needs - not your household income. For part-time students, your ‘course intensity’ can affect how much DSA you get (‘course intensity’ means how long your course takes to complete each year compared to an equivalent full-time course). Find out more information on the government’s website.
Gov.uk - Disabled Students’ Allowance
Part-time students will need to fill in a form to apply. Find out more information on the government website.
Gov.uk - Disabled Students’ Allowance - How to apply
More information about the support available for disabled students at The University of Sheffield can be found on the Disability and Dyslexia Support Service (DDSS) web pages.
Support from the University
University of Sheffield Bursary Scheme for students studying a Lifelong Learning course within the School of Education
A bursary is money from the University and it doesn’t have to be paid back. It’s in addition to government funding.
If eligible, you'll receive this bursary for each year of your course, including a year spent studying abroad should you choose to do this.
We use the details you submit to Student Finance England (or equivalent regional funding body) and UCAS to assess your entitlement for the University of Sheffield Bursary Scheme for students studying a Lifelong Learning course within the School of Education. You do not need to apply for this bursary. If you’re eligible, we'll email you after you start your course and you will receive the awards as detailed below.
The first instalment will be paid within the first term, usually during October or November. Exact payment dates will be confirmed in a bursary confirmation email. If you think you are eligible to receive a bursary but have not been contacted by the start of November, please contact us.
Bursaries are subject to change each year.
Eligibility
To be considered for the University of Sheffield Bursary Scheme for students studying a Lifelong Learning course within the School of Education, you must be eligible for and have applied to Student Finance England (or equivalent regional funding body) to receive a tuition fee loan and means-tested maintenance loan. If you do not wish to take out a loan, you can still apply for a household income assessment to be carried out by Student Finance England (or equivalent regional funding body) and request a £0 loan - this allows us to assess you for the bursary without you receiving any loan.
In order to receive a bursary, you must meet all of the following criteria:
- You are studying an eligible Lifelong Learning course within the School of Education.
- You are studying at least 60 credits per year of study.
- You are eligible for and have applied to Student Finance England (or equivalent regional funding body) to receive a tuition fee loan and means-tested maintenance loan.
- You have a household income below the specified threshold (see below).
- You do not already hold an equivalent or higher level qualification.
How much you could get
The table below shows the University of Sheffield Bursary Scheme for students studying a part-time Lifelong Learning course within the School of Education starting their course in September 2025.
| Household income | Award per year of study |
|---|---|
| £0 to £25,000 | £625 |
| £25,001 to £30,000 | £375 |
| £30,001 to £40,000 | £250 |
If you are a current student and started your course before September 2025, please refer to the information about bursaries in previous years.
University of Sheffield Bursary Scheme for students studying a Lifelong Learning course within the School of Education (student login required)
Support for care leavers, estranged students and those with caring responsibilities
The University is committed to supporting students with additional responsibilities or particular circumstances at home, regardless of where you live and household income. Part-time students are eligible for a pro-rata award of the full-time amount.
If applicable, these awards are instead of the University of Sheffield Bursary Scheme for students studying a Lifelong Learning course within the School of Education.
The following students are eligible:
- Students with caring responsibilities – if you care for an ill or disabled family member
- Care leavers – if you enter university from a care background (aged under 25)
- Estranged students – students who are estranged from their parents or guardian (aged under 25)
Additional information
Guidance about additional funding and how to manage your money can be found on our web pages.
Additional funding for undergraduate study
You may be able to get Universal Credit if you’re available for work and studying part-time. You can find out more information online.
International scholarships
We offer a generous package of financial support for international students, including undergraduate and postgraduate taught scholarships worth £10,000 towards the annual tuition fee.
Applications are open for existing offer holders for programmes starting in autumn 2025.