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Postgraduate Law & LLM Loans

Unless you are studying towards a PhD in law – which has different government loan offerings in different parts of the UK – then you should be able to avail of Government masters students’ loans in the UK as a British student.

Plus, as the salaries of legal professionals tend to be higher than average salaries in the UK, private and commercial loan providers will often be happier to lend law students money compared with other students in other subject areas.

Government law masters loans in England

What law students are eligible?

Any postgraduate law student or LLM student under the age of 60 can gain access to student loans for masters studies in law in England, and in England PhD law students are also eligible to apply for a UK Government postgraduate loan.

Eligibility is usually restricted to students who are UK nationals or have settled status and are normally resident in England, or to EU and other nationals with specific forms of residence or immigration status as defined by Student Finance England. Unless you already have a masters or PhD, regardless of what topic it was, then you are eligible to apply for a student loan. The law school you attend must be in the UK or if you are studying at a combination of universities at PhD level, then you must spend 50% of your time at a UK-based university. For students applying in England, the law school must be a publicly funded one.

From the 2025–26 academic year, eligible masters students in England can borrow up to £12,858 as a Postgraduate Masters Loan to contribute towards tuition fees and living costs.

Where & when are LLM & postgraduate law loan applications made?

All students must apply through Student Finance England and applications must be completed within nine months of starting the course. You must have a confirmed place on a postgraduate law course before you apply, but you can apply before the course starts.

What about the loan repayments

Postgraduate law and LLM students must start making repayments once they earn over the student loan threshold. For current English postgraduate loans, repayments are made at 6% of income over £21,000 per year and are collected via the UK tax system. For qualified lawyers, they will immediately start making loan repayments when they begin in the April after graduation. The debt is cancelled after 30 years or if the former student becomes too ill to work.

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Government law masters loans in Scotland

What law students are eligible?

In Scotland, only law students who are studying either an LLM or another masters level law course are eligible to apply for a Government-funded loan, as PhD or Doctorate level funding is not available in this nation.

For 2025–26, eligible Scottish students can receive up to £13,900 in combined tuition fee and living cost support for masters-level study from the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS). Postgraduate law masters students and LLM students who are under 60 years old at the start of the course and studying full time are eligible for maintenance loans that form part of this overall £13,900 postgraduate funding package. Tuition fee support can be up to £7,000 for full-time students, with the remainder available as a living cost loan, subject to eligibility. All students of any age and studying full-time or part-time courses can access the tuition fee component, provided they meet SAAS residence and course criteria. Postgraduate law students must also be normally resident in Scotland or have permanent right to remain in the UK. The LLM or masters course must be at a UK-based university that is publicly funded.

Where & when are LLM & postgraduate law loan applications made?

Loan applications are made to the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) and they start receiving loan applications online from the summer before the course starts. Applications must be made by 31 March of the relevant academic year, although SAAS recommends earlier applications (by the end of June the previous year) to ensure funding is in place for course start dates.

What about the repayments?

For Scottish students, postgraduate loan repayments are currently set at 9% of income over £31,395 per year. These payments are made via the tax system, either through PAYE if you are employed or through the self-assessment tax system if you earn over the self-assessment threshold or are self-employed. Just like in England, the debt can be cancelled if a student becomes unable to work due to health reasons or after 30 years, or depending on when they took out their loan, when they become 65 years old.

Government law masters loans in Wales

What law students are eligible?

Any postgraduate law student who has been resident in Wales for the past three years or if they are in the armed services or dependent on someone who is usually based in Wales but deployed elsewhere can apply for student loans and grants in Wales for LLM, masters and PhD studies in the law.

For 2025–26, masters students ordinarily resident in Wales can receive up to £19,255 in combined loan support towards course fees and living costs from Student Finance Wales. This funding is not means tested.

Students may also be able to access help with living costs through a mix of loan and grants – this is based on where you live and the total household income. Rates vary each year.

Students must be aged under 60 years of age on the first day of their course and studying an LLM or masters course in a publicly funded UK university. PhD students must spend at least 50% of their time in a UK-based university and all level of law students can study at a private university if the Welsh Government approves of the course.

Where & when are LLM and Postgraduate Law loan applications made?

Applications are made through Student Finance Wales and must be made within nine months of the course starting. Students who miss this deadline can still apply, but may not get the grant and may not receive the payment in time to pay tuition fees.

What about the repayments?

Postgraduate loan repayments in Wales are currently charged at 6% of income over £21,000 per year, with repayments collected via the UK tax system. Cancellations to debt are only in the cases of illness or disability, or once 30 years have passed.

Government law masters loans in Northern Ireland

What law students are eligible?

Any law masters student can access student loans at any age in Northern Ireland, however, the Northern Irish Government only lends money to postgraduate masters students for tuition fees and does not fund PhD or Doctoral courses. This means that only LLM or masters courses in law qualify for Northern Irish Government funding and the student must be usually resident in Northern Ireland to be eligible. Applications are open to UK citizens and those with a permanent right to remain in the UK or who are refugees or dependent on someone with refugee status.

Eligible students can currently borrow up to £6,500 towards tuition fees for an approved postgraduate masters course in Northern Ireland, with the money paid directly to the university or college.

Where & when are LLM & postgraduate law loan applications made?

Applications are made by the forms available on the Student Finance Northern Ireland website and they advertise here when their loan applications are accepted for that academic year. Students should ensure they make their application within nine months of starting their course to get the funding. You will need to reapply for your loan for each year of your course, though subsequent applications require less information.

What about the repayments?

The loan repayments in Northern Ireland are 9% of income over £24,990.

How much can you borrow in a nutshell?

The amount you can borrow from the UK Government is different for nation to nation and is not related to the course fees – here’s a brief summary of what you can borrow.

Nation	LLM & Masters Degree	PhD
England	£12,858	£30,301
Scotland	£13,900	£0
Wales	£19,255	£29,130
Northern Ireland	£6,500	£0

What are the interest rates for UK Government loans?

This table shows the interest rates you are expected to pay for a UK Government loan.

Government Loan	Interest rates
Student Finance England	Retail Price Index (RPI) +3%
Student Finance Wales	Retail Price Index (RPI) +3%
Student Finance Northern Ireland	Retail Price Index (RPI) +1%
Student Awards Agency Scotland	3.2%

Current postgraduate loan interest rates and repayment thresholds can change annually, so students should always check the latest details on the official GOV.UK website and devolved administration websites before applying.

Can you combine UK Governments loans with other loans?

Yes, having a UK Government loan doesn't necessarily exclude you from other loans. If you have funding from another UK Government source, then you won't be able to access UK Government student loans. However, for most law students, this is will not be the case, so you can avail of other funding sources such as private loans, bank loans or employer contributions.

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LLM & postgraduate law-specific private loans

There are private student lenders who have loans tailor made for postgraduate law students and LLM students. Many of these private lenders will require you to either pay a small amount – such as £5 per month each month – while you study, or will let you wait until six months after graduation before the repayments have to start. Private student loan providers do credit checks in the same way as a traditional commercial bank would, but in most cases they do not usually require a guarantor. Lendwise and Prodigy Finance are two of these lenders and they all have different benefits.

Commercial bank loans

If you are already working, then you might be able to access a commercial bank loan. In some instances these might have more favourable interest rates than private student loans, but they will require a guarantor if you have only a little or poor credit history. For part-time law students who are also working in a well-paid position, this could be a good option for funding if you can afford the repayments, and these will start as soon as you take the loan out.

Employer sponsorship

If you are already working in a relevant role and have an established legal career, then you may find that your employer is happy to fund or part-fund some of your studies. Some employers may offer loans to their employees, so they can borrow money from them to pay for tuition fees. Of course, you will have to pay this back even if you leave their employment, and be aware that if your employer funds or part funds your tuition fees, then you should expect to have to agree to work for them for two or three years at least after you have graduated. Students who agree to this and then decide to leave their employer will be liable to pay back any money that their employer had invested in them.

Here we have compiled answers to frequently asked questions about UK masters loans.

Do postgraduate law courses qualify for a UK Government masters loan?

Yes – masters-level postgraduate law courses included LLM programs do qualify for a UK Government masters loan.

Are UK Government masters loans means-tested?

No – all that matters is that you and your masters course are eligible for the loan, your income and savings do not affect your eligibility.

Can I apply for a UK Government masters loan if I’ve lived outside the UK in the last three years?

No – to apply for a loan as a UK student you must have lived in the UK for three years prior to your masters course. You can have travelled from the UK for holidays or periods of temporary absence during these three years, but you shouldn’t have become ordinarily resident in another country.

Will my credit history be checked?

Your personal credit rating and existing debts won’t matter for UK Government masters loans unless you are in arrears with the Student Loans Company. Your credit history will usually be checked with private funding companies like Prodigy Finance and Lendwise.

Can I get a law masters loan whilst working?

Yes – you can have a job during your masters studies and still access UK Government masters student finance. You will also be able to apply for a private loan from companies like Prodigy Finance and Lendwise if studying your masters whilst working.

Can I apply for a second UK Government masters loan?

No – you can’t apply for a second masters loan if you have already had one for a previous masters course.

Can I get a UK Government masters loan if I already have a masters degree?

No – UK Government masters loans are only available to people who do not have existing masters-level qualifications (or higher).

Can I apply for a UK Government masters loan if I already have a Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma?

Yes – you can apply for a loan for a masters degree if you already have a PG qualification below masters level, such as a PGCert or PGDip.

Can I apply for a UK Government masters loan if I already have a PGCE?

Yes – you can still apply for a masters loan if you already have a PGCE.

Can I get a UK Government masters loan if I already have a PhD?

No you can’t apply for a loan if you already hold a PhD (or other doctorate), they are only available if you don’t already have existing qualifications at masters level or higher.

When will I have to start making my loan repayments?

Your loan repayments will depend on what home nation or private company you got your loan from as this table illustrates.

Agency	Repayment Terms
Student Finance England	Start repayments the April after graduation, once earning over the repayment threshold.
Student Awards Agency Scotland	Start repayments the April after graduation, once earning over the repayment threshold.
Student Finance Wales	Start repayments the April after graduation, once earning over the repayment threshold.
Student Finance Northern Ireland	Start repayments the April after graduation, once earning over the repayment threshold.