Higher education student support
The department's Student Support Branch ensures that the department's various policies around student finance are implemented. This involves drafting the annual legislation, which underpins the award of student finance to Northern Ireland students and working with delivery partners such as the Student Loans Company and Education Authority.
Applying for student support
To check if you are eligible for a tuition fee loan and for maintenance loan and grant support, you should contact Student Finance NI in your regional Education Authority office. They can advise about making an application or checking the status of an application.
Student tuition fees
New eligible full-time undergraduate students studying in Northern Ireland will be charged up to £4,855 in tuition fees in academic year 2025/26 due to inflation.
Universities and colleges of higher education in England, Scotland or Wales can charge full-time undergraduates fees of up to £9,535 in academic year 2025/26. The actual amount charged will vary between courses as well as between universities.
Available student finance
For advice and guidance on types of student finance available to cover tuition fees and maintenance costs, use the nidirect website links below:
- Non-repayable maintenance grant and special support grant
- Student loans
- Repaying student loans
- Funding for students studying in Republic of Ireland
- Types of student finance available
- Financing your postgraduate course
Higher education support funds
The Department provides support funds to eligible students through the higher education institutions in Northern Ireland. These funds are to be used to provide financial help to students whose access to higher education might be inhibited by financial considerations, or who, for whatever reason, including physical or other disabilities, face financial difficulties in meeting their living costs.
Postgraduate Studentship Awards
The department sponsors postgraduate studentships at Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) and Ulster University (UU) for research and certain approved full-time postgraduate courses leading to higher degrees (Masters and PhDs).
There are three types of studentships available:
- Research studentship for PhD study
- Co-operative Awards is Science and Technology (CAST) for PhD study
- Taught studentships for MRes study
For further information on the department`s studentships please visit the nidirect website
Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)
The EMA scheme was introduced jointly by the Department for the Economy and the Department of Education (DE) in September 2004. The main purpose of the scheme is to enable young people from less well-off families to remain in post-compulsory education at school or college with the key objectives of raising participation, retention and achievement rates in the eligible group.
The Department’s Student Support branch oversees the operational delivery of the scheme. The EMA is administered by the Student Loans Company (SLC) on behalf of the department and DE.
Publications
Guides have been published by Student Finance NI which cover most aspects of student finance, these can be accessed through the following links below:
Student support and payment
- Financial support for full-time students in HE
- Financial support for part-time students in HE
- Student finance explained
- Student loans
Additional support
- Childcare grant
- Adult dependants' grant
- Parents' learning allowance
- What are full-time undergraduate Disabled Students' Allowances for NI students?
The department has published guidance in relation to postgraduate study:
Legislation
The eligibility of higher education students for financial support in terms of tuition fees, maintenance grants and loans is determined under the Education (Student Support) (No.2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 (as amended).
Each provision of each Act, Order in Council, or Statutory Rule must be read individually and in its up-to-date version. Legislation which appears on Legislation.gov.uk website is subject to changes which do not appear in the text but are noted in drop down boxes which appear alongside the text. All of these changes must be read, understood and applied to the text to arrive at the up-to-date version of the legislation.
Contacts
Disabled Students' Allowance
The Disabled Students' Allowance offers support towards the additional course related costs that you may have as a result of a disability, mental health condition or a specific learning difficulty. Entitlement is not based on household income, and eligible full-time, part-time, and postgraduate students can apply. The support provided will be tailored to meet your own individual needs, and will generally take the form of one-to-one Non-medical Help; Specialist Equipment; and support towards the cost of travel between your university or college and term-time address.
Further information is available at:
What are full-time undergraduate Disabled Students' Allowances for NI students?