Applying for student finance: PhD

Meeting room in the School of Communication Studios, White City (photo: Richard Haughton)

You only apply once for Student Finance, and your loan will be spread over the number of years of your programme.

The programme length is rounded up. For example, if your programme takes three years and one month this is a four-year programme. For full-time programmes you will initially be put on a four-year programme, for part-time programme, a seven-year programme. If your programme length changes, your remaining payments will be rescheduled.

If you are/will be getting funding through the UKRI, you cannot get the Doctoral Loan from Student Finance as well.

Please click on your relevant funding body for more information on how to apply.

Funding body:

Student Finance England

You can find out more about the Student Finance you may be entitled to and the eligibility criteria on the Student Finance England website.

If you wish to take out the Doctoral Loan, you can apply online. Applications for new students will open in the June before you are due to start. Straightforward applications will take 4–6 weeks to be processed by Student Finance England. The RCA has also summarised the key facts.

Student Finance Wales

You can find out more about the Student Finance you may be entitled to and your Student Finance Journey on the Student Finance Wales website.

If you wish to take out the Doctoral Loan, you can apply online. Applications for new students will open in the June before you are due to start. Straightforward applications will take 4–6 weeks to be processed by Student Finance Wales.

Ask a question

Any further questions? Email our Student Support team.

Email us at
student-support@rca.ac.uk