• Home Page
• -
• Education and Learning
• -
• Schools and colleges
• -
• Educational awards and benefits
• -
• Student loans

Access Tools

How to apply for student support

If you live in Knowsley and currently attend a Knowsley school, sixth form or Community College, you should have received a PN1 application form when we came to talk to students about higher education financial support. Please contact us using the details at the bottom of this page if you have not received a form or you can apply online via Student Finance Direct(see related links).

You will be required to submit your passport or original birth certificate in order to verify your identity. We will also need a declaration from a person that knows you if you submit your birth certificate. We will check:

• where you live
• whether you have been in higher education before
• whether your course is eligible
• your residence in the UK
• whether you can be classed as an independent student

Application deadlines

Closing date for continuing students is 23 May 2008.

Closing date for new students is 27 June 2008.

Completed application forms should be sent to your Local Education Authority who will check the initial application. You can access the application via the DfES Student Support website (see related links below). We strongly recommend that you return your application form as soon as possible. If you do not meet the deadline your first instalment of student loan may be delayed as the volume of applications received means that it takes approximately four to six weeks to process your application.

If, after your course starts, you decide that you want to apply for financial help, you must apply no later than nine months after the first day of the academic year of your course. Therefore if your course starts in Autumn 2008, you have until 31 May 2009 to apply.

Maintenance loans

Eligible students aged under 60 can apply for a loan to cover living costs such as accommodation, food, clothes, travel etc. The amount of loan payable depends on the criteria outlined above.

The Student Loans Company will pay the maintenance loan in three instalments, one at the start of each term. Loans must be repaid after you leave university and when you are earning over £15,000 a year.

The table below shows the maximum amount of loan for students in a full year of study and the final year of study.

Student loan full and final year rates

Full year rates	Maximum maintenance loan
Students living with parents	Up to £3,580
Students living away from home and studying elsewhere	Up to £4,625
Students living away from home and studying in London	Up to £6,475
Final year rates	Maximum maintenance loan
Students living with parents	Up to £3,235
Students living away from home and studying elsewhere	Up to £4,280
Students living away from home and studying in London	Up to £5,895