Thousands of students are to benefit from increases to Higher
Education maintenance loans and grants.
Announcing a package of measures to support students with the
cost of living, Economy Minister Dr said: “I
fully recognise the financial pressures many students are facing
and the importance of responding to these challenges, so I am
taking further steps to support students with day-to-day living
costs.
“For academic year 2026/27, maximum maintenance grants
and loans are getting an inflationary uplift, increasing by 2.7%.
This follows the significant 20% uplift to maximum maintenance
loans introduced for 2025/26 which together are about helping
students to stay in education and realise their
potential.”
“The maximum support available through the Disabled
Students' Allowance will also rise by 10%, from £25,000 to
£27,500, providing additional help for those who need it to
access and succeed in Higher Education.”
This builds on the 54% increase to the maximum Postgraduate
Tuition Fee Loan for the 2026/27 academic year, announced earlier
this year.
In the last completed academic year (2024/25) maintenance loans
were paid out to 34,200 students, amounting to £153.6 million.
The Minister continued: “I know many students work
to support their studies. My Good Jobs Bill includes a range of
measures which will be particularly beneficial to students in
work. It will ensure tips, gratuities and service charges are
passed on in full, and it will tackle the exploitative use of
zero-hours contracts by offering those who regularly work set
patterns the right to move to banded hours contracts.
“I am determined to make education more affordable and
accessible. By increasing maintenance support, expanding
postgraduate loan provision and strengthening protections for
students in work through my Good Jobs Bill, I am taking practical
action to help students with the cost of living, remain in
education and progress into good jobs."
The additional support for students has been welcomed by NUS-USI,
which represents over 130,000 students and apprentices in
Northern Ireland across higher and further education.
NUS-USI President, Ben Friel said: “We welcome the Minister's
continued focus on student cost of living pressures, and any
increase in maintenance support is a step in the right direction.
Students have been clear that financial pressure is one of the
biggest barriers to accessing and staying in education, so
additional support does matter.
“However, this must be seen as one step rather than the final
answer. Many students are still being forced to work long hours,
rely on hardship funds or go without essentials, and the upcoming
Higher Education Funding Review must look seriously at how
maintenance support can better reflect the real cost of studying
and living.”
Notes to editors:
- The maximum maintenance loan support to full time undergraduate
NI-domiciled students will increase:
- for students living at home from £6,300 to £6,471
- for students living away from home from £8,132 to £8,352
- for students living in London from £11,391 to £11,699
- Some students will also be eligible for maintenance grants on
top of this maintenance loan support. The maximum will increase
from £3,475 to £3,569.
- On 6th March 2026 it was announced that Post Graduate
Tuition Fee Loan would rise from £6,500 to £10,000, representing
a 54% increase.
