Living Costs

UK students are entitled to Maintenance Loans to help pay for essential expenses such as accommodation, food, books and travel. This is a contribution to living costs to help cover your essential expenses.

The amount you can get depends on: 

• If you will be living with parents or away from your parental home
• Your household income 

All eligible students can receive the minimum amount of loan. 

Please note that the rates below are for 2025 entry, as 2026 entry rates have not yet been released.

The maximum and minimum loan rates for 2025 entrants are:

An additional amount is available, which depends on your household income. 

This table shows the amount of funds available for living costs for a single student studying at Leeds Conservatoire, and living away from home, according to household income level (as determined by the household income assessment) for 2025 entry. The rates are estimated and are subject to confirmation from the government.

Please note that the rates below are for 2025 entry, as 2026 entry rates have not yet been released.

• Most applicants who will be under the age of 25 on 1 September 2026, will be assessed on the income of the parent(s) with whom they normally live. 
• If the applicant only lives with one parent, but that parent has a partner or spouse who lives in the household, their income is included in the assessment. 
• The income of a parent who lives elsewhere is not included. 
• Students who are married will be assessed as a couple, and students who are classed as independent* or over 25, will be assessed on their own income and that of their partner/spouse where applicable.
• For 2026 entrants, the income assessment will normally be based on the tax year 2024-2025. There is an opportunity to be re-assessed on the current tax year if there has been a significant reduction in income (at least 15%).
• You will be re-assessed for each year of the course.  
• Where the resulting assessment has been subject to parent’s household income, and less than the maximum support is available, then it is the parent’s responsibility to make up the difference      

*The criteria for independent assessment for those aged under 25 are very specific – simply not living with your parents is not enough to claim independent status. You can find out more information about independent status here.

Loans are paid directly into your bank account in three instalments, at the start of each term.

You can apply for a maintenance loan and a tuition fee loan at the same time. Please see our 'Applying for Student Finance' guide for more information about how to apply.

The application process depends on where you live. 

England
https://www.gov.uk/student-finance
0300 100 0607 

Scotland
http://www.saas.gov.uk/
0300 555 0505 

Wales
http://www.studentfinancewales.co.uk/
0300 200 4050 

Northern Ireland
http://www.studentfinanceni.co.uk/
0300 100 0077 

You can apply for all of the support listed above, in one online application.  You will need to provide your:

• Passport number (or Birth Certificate if you do not have a passport),
• National Insurance number,
• Correct course details – please ensure that you check the exact course code on your UCAS form
• Bank account details
• Household income details for tax year 2024-2025

If you decide to apply for the full income assessed finance (advised if your household income was below around £63,000 in 2024-2025), your parent(s) will also need to supply their personal details and income information, which will be verified by HMRC. They will not usually be required to supply paper evidence. Once you have applied and set up a Student Finance account, you will have a unique customer reference number and will be able to log back in and change details where necessary, and view all the correspondence relating to your Student Finance.

You can apply for student Finance from around March prior to the start of the course. You do NOT need to wait until your place on the course has been confirmed. Apply early and if any of your details change, you can log back into your account and update them. The deadline for on-time applications is the end of May. 

Students entitled to DWP benefits

Students who are entitled to certain DWP benefits, such as Income support, Housing Benefit or Universal Credit, or certain disability benefits, may qualify for an increased loan for living costs. 

Students in this category would include single parents or student couples with a dependent child, students who have been treated as incapable of work for a continuous period of at last 28 weeks, and students who are entitled to a disability premium, PIP or DLA. 

A proportion of the increased loan, known as the Special Support element, which is a contribution towards the cost of books, equipment and travel, is disregarded when benefits are calculated.

Students with dependent children

Students with dependent children can apply for a Parents Learning Allowance and a Childcare Grant.

Students with an adult dependant

Students with an adult dependant can apply for an Adult Dependants Grant.

Disabled students

Students with a disability or a specific learning difficulty can apply for the Disabled Students Allowance to help with any extra costs incurred whilst studying, as a direct result of a disability.

If you have a disability and wish to discuss your application for Disabled Students Allowance, please email [email protected]

An accommodation start up voucher worth £150 is available to applicants, starting their course in September 2026, who have been receiving benefits or are estranged from their family. See our Scholarships & Bursaries page for more information.

Your living costs will vary according to your circumstances and your lifestyle expectations, but for students in year one, living away from home, the following is a guide.

Please note that the rates below are for 2025 entry, as 2026 entry rates have not yet been released.

As a student, it's important to manage your money carefully to avoid unnecessary overdraft charges and even worse - big credit card bills. Below are some resources which may be useful when it comes to managing your money:

• Blackbullion is an online resource filled with videos, graphics and quizzes designed to help you manage your money, and understand your finances. Prospects can sign up for free, and our students have access to a full bank of resources and learning pathways.
• Blackbullion 'Money Manager' app is an app specifically designed to help students manage their money. It uses open banking to give you a financial overview, and can give you money-saving tips and insights. 
• Save the Student is the home to a wealth of money resources for students. From discounts to informative articles, they have plenty of information to help you understand the importance of saving money when you can.
• Money Saving Expert has a section just for students, with essential articles on topics such as budgeting, student bank accounts, and a parental contribution calculator.

Inflationary Increases
Fees, loans and grants may be subject to annual inflationary increases. Figures quoted here apply to new entrants in the academic year 2026/27 unless otherwise stated.

Eligibility
In order to be considered eligible for maintenance support, you will need to meet the residence requirements.

You can apply if:

• you’re a UK national or have ‘settled status’ (no restrictions on how long you can stay)
• you normally live in England
• you’ve been living in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for 3 years before starting your course i.e. from 1 September 2023 for 2026 entry.
• Non-UK nationals must have settled status on the first day of the first academic year of the course (1 September 2026 for 2026 entry). 

Previous Study
Eligibility for Student Finance will be affected if you have been in Higher Education before, regardless of the amount of support you received, even if you had no loan or grant.  For further advice about the effect of previous study, please contact us.

If you already hold an equivalent level qualification, from any country, you will not be entitled to Student Finance, other than possibly the specialist support for disabled students or those with dependants. For further advice on this matter please contact the Student Funding Team.

If you are an EU national and have Pre-Settled or Settled Status under the EU settlement scheme and have been living in the UK for 3 years prior to 1st September 2026 you may be eligible for student finance. The financial support you will receive will depend on how long you have lived in the UK or EEA, and /or whether you or a family member have been working in the UK.

If you came to the UK primarily to work and intend to carry on working whilst you study, you may be classed as a migrant worker and be able to claim help for living costs. For the latest information on which EU/EEA nationals may qualify for the ‘Home’ fee rate and Student Finance, please read up-to-date information on the GOV.UK and UKCISA websites. Student Finance England will ask you to provide evidence in order to be awarded further education financial support.

Irish citizens are covered by the Common Travel Area arrangement and do not need to apply for a visa or to the EU Settlement Scheme.