Government support
If you are a student undertaking your first undergraduate degree, you may be eligible to access support from the UK government towards the costs of studying at Oxford. What you can get will depend on whether you are a UK or EU student, when you started your course, and on your household income.
Are you eligible for government support?
If you are a Home (UK) or EU student (2020-entrant or earlier), you are eligible to access a loan from the UK government for the full amount of your course fees, regardless of the level of your household income, and do not need to pay anything upfront.
If you are a UK student, in addition to course fee support, you can also apply for funding towards your living costs, and the amount available to you will vary according to where you are from in the UK. You will be able to access a basic maintenance loan towards your living costs regardless of your household income level and if you are from a lower-income household you will also be eligible to receive additional means-tested maintenance support.
You should apply to your regional funding agency (see below) each year by early May to ensure that funding is in place for the following year of your course.
If you started earlier than the date listed for your region below, then please contact your funding agency or the University's Student Fees and Funding team for advice.
What does it mean to be ‘means tested’ or ‘financially assessed’?
If you want to be considered for a higher level of maintenance loan (students from England) or a non-repayable maintenance grant (students from Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales), you will need to complete a financial assessment as part of your application to your funding agency in order to calculate your household income. Although much of this process is automated, you may need to provide financial information to support your assessment.
What is household income and how is it calculated?
Your household income is made up of your income plus that of the people who live with you, such as your parents / step-parent / partner. Household income is assessed based on gross taxable income for the last full tax year. If your household income is likely to drop by at least 15% you can request a Current Year Income (CYI) assessment form from your regional funding agency.
What if I suspend my studies?
If you decide to suspend your studies for any length of time you will need to inform your regional funding agency. If you repeat any years of study, you should be aware that this might affect your entitlement to financial support.