External funding

Part-time learners living in England and applying to study one of our certificates, diplomas or advanced diplomas may be able to apply for a student loan. These loans are for tuition fee costs only. Most of our undergraduate courses are not eligible for a part-time Maintenance Loan with the exception of the Certificate of Higher Education in Pre-Medical Studies.  

Please note, student loans only cover one course per academic year, and you will not be eligible for a loan if you are studying for a lesser or equivalent qualification to one you already have.   

For more details and to apply, visit the GOV.UK student finance website.

If approved, loan funds will be paid directly to us by Student Finance England. 

The student loan application portal does not typically open until April/May, but you can apply for and secure your place on a course beforehand by paying a £50 deposit. This is refunded once your loan is confirmed, and we have received payment from the Student Loans Company.  

You can begin your course even if we haven’t received your loan by the start date. However, if your loan application is unsuccessful, you will be responsible for paying the full course fee, normally paid in instalments. 

If, two weeks after your course start date, your loan hasn’t been confirmed or proof of application has not been sent to us, you will automatically be placed on our standard instalment plan. 

When applying for a student loan, please ensure that you select that you are applying for a part-time higher education course. When asked which university or college you are applying for, type in Professional and Continuing Education and select this option from the list. Then you will be asked which course you are applying for. Enter the full course name as it appears on the course page on our website, for example 'Certificate in the Study of Medieval England', then select that course. Continue to enter your details when prompted. 

Learners applying to study a postgraduate certificate or postgraduate diploma are unfortunately NOT eligible for either a tuition fee loan, or a part-time Maintenance Loan from Student Finance England.  

Learners applying to study for a Master's course may be eligible for a Postgraduate Master's Loan. You must normally be living in England, and certain eligibility criteria apply. You’ll only have to apply once, even if your course is longer than one year. 

For more information on Master’s Loan and to apply, visit the GOV.UK student finance website. 

If you are a UK learner on a course that qualifies for student loan funding and have a disability, mental health condition, long-term illness, or any other condition that affects your ability to study, you may be eligible for Disabled Student’s Allowance (DSA).  

DSA is a grant designed to help you buy or rent equipment to aid you in your studies, or to pay for the services of support workers to assist you. It can be awarded in addition to student loans and does not need to be repaid. It is based on individual need, not household income, and previous study or age will not affect eligibility. 

More information is available on the GOV.UK DSA website. 

If you are eligible, we recommend applying as early as possible, as it may take up to 16 weeks to receive support. 

If your employer is paying for part or all of your tuition fees, you will need to send us your employer’s purchase order, which should include the sponsor, your name, amount and course name. If providing a purchase order is not possible, alternatively we can accept a letter of funding provided on the company’s letterhead, including sponsor, your name, amount, and course name. This acts as a binding contract of payment intent.  

In line with our standard refund policy, liability for course fees is with you and not your funder.  

If you are currently serving in, or have previously served in the British Armed Forces, you may be eligible to apply for the Ministry of Defence Enhanced Learning Credits Scheme (ELCAS). 

This promotes lifelong learning and provides financial support in each of a maximum of three separate financial years and enables higher level learning of a nationally recognised Master's course. 

To learn more about the ELCAS scheme, please visit the ELCAS website. 

Sallie Mae is an organisation experienced in lending to and dealing with US learners studying outside the US.  

You will be able to make payments while studying or defer until after you leave. 

The flexibility of this loan is designed for those: 

• enrolled in an eligible study-abroad programme
• who need funding to cover an additional programme, housing, travel, passport or visa-related expenses
• seeking professional certification or are enrolled in a continuing education programme.
• studying full-time, half-time, or less than half-time 

To find out more and to apply, please visit the Sallie Mae website.