Student Finance for HTQs: Everything You Need to Know

Yes – HTQ courses at learndirect Pathways are fully funded through Student Finance. You pay nothing upfront. The Student Loans Company (SLC) covers your tuition fees in full, and you may also be eligible for a maintenance loan to help with living costs. Repayments only begin once you're earning above £25,000 per year.

What funding is available?

As an HTQ student, you can access two types of funding:

• Tuition Fee Loan – covers 100% of your course fees (approximately £6,500 to £7,200 per year). This is paid directly to the institution.
• Maintenance Loan – up to £13,348 per year (2025/26 rates) to help with living costs. The exact amount depends on your household income, where you live, and your circumstances.

Am I eligible?

To qualify for Student Finance for an HTQ, you need to:

• Be a UK resident who has lived in England for at least three years before the start of your course
• Not already hold a qualification at the same level or higher (there are exceptions – ask our advisors)
• Be aged 18 or over
• Be studying an approved HTQ course at an approved provider

How to apply: step by step

Step 1: Check your eligibility at gov.uk/student-finance

Step 2: Create an account on the Student Finance England website

Step 3: Complete your application (you can apply up to 9 months before your course starts)

Step 4: Receive your funding notification and start studying

Our course advisors can walk you through the entire process – there's no need to figure it out alone.

When do I start repaying?

You only begin repayments when your annual income exceeds £25,000. At that point, you repay 9% of everything you earn above the threshold. If you earn £30,000, for example, you'd repay 9% of £5,000 – that's £450 per year, or about £37.50 per month. If your income drops below £25,000, repayments pause automatically.

Any remaining balance is written off after 40 years. Student loans do not affect your credit score, and repayments are collected automatically through PAYE if you're employed.

All three years are funded

If you complete the full Online Degree Pathway – Level 4 HTQ, Level 5 HTQ, then a top-up degree at a partner university – all three years are eligible for Student Finance. You're not locked into anything: you can stop after Year 1 with a valid qualification, continue to Year 2 for the full HTQ, or go all the way to an honours degree.