Students from some of the country's lowest income households will
benefit from the return of targeted, means-tested maintenance
grants for higher education – at college or University – paid for
by a new levy on international student fees.
As part of the government's Plan for Change, the reintroduction
of these grants will help remove barriers to opportunity and
ensure that disadvantaged students are better supported to
succeed.
The move follows a 20% real-terms decline in the value of
maintenance loans over the past five years, leaving many students
struggling to meet the rising cost of living.
Maintenance grants – abolished in 2016 – are now being
reintroduced in a targeted, means-tested format. These
grants will offer vital financial support to eligible students
from low-income households, helping to ensure that cost is not a
barrier to accessing higher education.
The grants will support students on priority courses aligned with
the government's missions and the industrial strategy at Levels 4
to 6 under the Lifelong Learning Entitlement, including technical
qualifications and degrees.
This will maintain a competitive offer for international students
while ensuring the benefits are shared more visibly at home,
directly benefiting disadvantaged domestic students. The
international student levy will apply to England only.
Targeted maintenance grants for students from low-income
households studying on priority courses will be reintroduced by
the end of the Parliament. Further details on both targeted
maintenance grants and the international students levy will be
set out at the Autumn Budget.
Further plans for higher education reform will be announced soon,
as part of the Post 16 Education and Skills White Paper.
