Wales
The following information is for students who intend to start a full-time course in September 2025 and who are ordinarily resident in Wales before starting their course.
Please be aware that funding for students starting a course in September 2025 has not yet been fully confirmed. The information below is based on the best information we have available and therefore may be subject to change. As soon as figures are confirmed we will update this information. In the meantime, please continue to check Student Finance Wales for up to date information.
Funding available for entry in September 2025
If you live in Wales then you can apply to Student Finance Wales (SFW) for funding. The funding available from Student Finance Wales is made up of tuition fee funding and funding for living costs.
Tuition fee loan
Subject to terms and conditions, students who live in Wales and are studying towards their first degree will not have to pay their tuition fees upfront. Instead they could be eligible for a repayable tuition fee loan of up to £9,535 per year to meet the cost of their tuition fees. This funding would be paid directly to your University after you have enrolled.
You will only start to repay this loan when you have finished your studies and are earning more than £27,295 per year (subject to terms and conditions).
Funding for living costs
All eligible students who are ordinarily resident in Wales before starting their course at Cardiff University will have access to maintenance funding to help them meet their living costs.
It is expected that maintenance funding will be available as part non-repayable grant and part repayable maintenance loan. Household income will impact how much is available as a grant and how much is available as a loan.
The following table demonstrates examples of funding available from SFW depending on household income and where a student is living while they study, based on the 24/25 academic year as figures for 25/26 have not yet been released:
Maintenance support
Support for a full-time undergraduate living away from home in 2024/25.
Household income | Maintenance grant | Maintenance loan | Total maintenance support |
|---|---|---|---|
£18,370 | £8,100 | £4,050 | £12,150 |
£25,000 | £6,947 | £5,203 | £12,150 |
£35,000 | £5,208 | £6,942 | £12,150 |
£45,000 | £3,469 | £8,681 | £12,150 |
£59,200 (+) | £1,000 | £11,150 | £12,150 |
For those who lived at home with parents in 24/25 while they studied the total maintenance funding available was £10,315. The first £1,000 was still available as a grant, irrespective of household income, and the remaining £9,315 was available as loan and/or grant depending on the means test that was carried out on household income details.
Maintenance funding is paid directly to students, normally in three instalments; one at the start of each term. The first instalment is normally released to you within 3-5 working days after you have completed enrolment and collected your ID card. Therefore it is important to arrive at University with funding for at least two weeks available to you.
Please note that if you change any details about your course or place of study, please inform Student Finance Wales before 31 August
Additional funding from Student Finance Wales
Depending on your personal circumstances there may be additional funding available to you. For example, if you have a disability, or if you have children or an adult dependent. Please visit Student Finance Wales for more information.
Additional funding from Cardiff University
In addition to the above funding you may qualify for a Cardiff University Bursary.
Cost of living in Cardiff
Cardiff is considered to be one of the most affordable UK cities to live in while you study. See our living cost calculator for the average cost of living in Cardiff as a full time, undergraduate student.
Repaying your student loan
Those who take an undergraduate tuition fee loan or maintenance loan via Student Finance Wales in academic year 24/25 will repay this loan under Repayment Plan 2.
Welsh Loan Cancellation Scheme
This scheme applies to students who borrow a maintenance loan from Student Finance Wales and has been confirmed by the Welsh Government to be available to those who start a full time course in September 2024. If eligible, the Welsh Government could cancel up to £1,500 from your student loan balance when you start repaying. Please visit the Student Loans Company for further details.
How to apply for funding
Students who are ordinarily resident in Wales will apply to Student Finance Wales for their funding. We anticipate the application process for students who intend to start a course in September 2025 will open in March/April 2025.
Contact us
If you have any questions please get in touch with the Student Funding and Advice Team:
Student Funding and Advice team
We offer free, impartial and confidential advice on funding, scholarships, bursaries, managing your money and more.
