Students are urged to apply as soon as possible to ensure their finances are in place before the start of term.

The deadline is 22 May for new students and 19 June for returning students.

Derek Ross, executive director of operations at the Student Loans Company, said: “The launch of the application service is one of the biggest dates in the student finance calendar. It means that students can get on with the important job of getting their student finances sorted.

“The application takes 30 minutes to complete online and for most students the process will be straightforward. However, we know that some individuals require extra support and our team of expert staff are ready to help them.”

Students can apply for tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and maintenance grants (if their course started before 1 August 2016).

Your eligibility will depend on: your university or college, your course, if you’ve studied a higher education course before, your age and your nationality or residency status.

Top tips to get your student finances sorted

Apply early

Apply as early as possible to make sure your finances are in place before your studies start. Even if you don’t know what course you are doing, you should still apply now. Enter your first choice and you can update the application later if required.

Keep contact details up-to-date

Make sure you provide an up-to-date email address so you can be contacted about your application if necessary.

Have your important documents at hand

Have your National Insurance Number and passport details to hand before you start your application as you will be asked for this information when you apply.

If you have studied before

If you have studied before it could affect your eligibility – even if your previous course was self-funded. Submit your application early so your entitlement can be confirmed.

If you are returning to study after a break, you should use the online account you had originally rather than create a new one.

If you need extra funding

You may be able to access some extra money, for example if you are disabled, have children or are studying for a medical, social work or teaching course. Find out more about what is available.

If you’re not from the UK

If you’re not from the UK, check GOV.UK before you apply for more information on who qualifies for student finance.

You may be asked to provide evidence of your ID and residency history.

If you are from an EU country, you will be able to access student finance if your course in England starts in the 2020 to 2021 academic year or before. This will be available for the duration of your course, provided you meet residency requirements.