The UK Government announced late last year that tuition fees for UK or ‘Home’ undergraduate students will rise in line with inflation to £9,535 a year. Maintenance loans will also increase to help students with the cost of living.
The rise represents an increase of £285 in tuition fees and will come into effect for new students beginning their studies, as well as those returning or moving into their next year of study, at the beginning of the 2025/26 academic year.
Why are fees increasing?
Before this uplift, university fees have been frozen at a maximum of £9,250 since 2017. Keeping pace with inflation stops the value of fees going down year after year and importantly, this change will not see most students paying more to study upfront, as repayments are linked to earnings above a £25,000 threshold.
Tuition fees form a significant part of the University’s income alongside government grants for teaching, research income, donations and income generated through commercial activities; much of which goes to support our teaching as well as wider services to support students including our IT, library, health, wellbeing and academic services as well as specialist teaching spaces and equipment. You can find out more information about University finances on our dedicated webpages.
The Student Loans Company (SLC) and repayments
The majority of students will not have to pay any more upfront and day to day living expenses will not increase as a result of the change. For most, fees are paid initially by SLC and repayments afterwards are linked to your earnings above a £25,000 threshold. The amount you repay each year after graduation depends entirely on what you earn, rather than what you borrow.
If you are self-financing tuition fees, you can pay for each year of study in a single payment or in instalments of three equal payments in November, January and April. You will receive an invoice at start of your course and again at the beginning of each year of study. This will confirm the total fee you are expected to pay for the academic year.
If you pay fees directly to the University, it is really important to ensure your tuition fees are paid by the deadlines outlined in your personal invoice, as late payments may prevent you from re-registering for the new academic year or graduating if you have reached the end of your studies. If you need to make changes to your payment plan, would like support or anticipate any financial difficulty, please contact the fees team on feesenq@liverpool.ac.uk – we’re here to help.
If your tuition fees are paid by a sponsor or a financial guarantee, they will be contacted directly regarding fee payments as long as you have submitted your proof of sponsor or financial guarantee before the deadline for each academic year to our Fees Team on feeenq@liverpool.ac.uk.
More information about paying for your studies is available on our webpages.
Maintenance loan increase
Alongside tuition fees, maintenance loans for those who access them will also increase in 2025/26 linked to the RPIX inflation measure. This will increase maintenance loan caps from £10,227 to £10,544 for students living away from their parents outside London.
Scholarships and bursaries
Affordability should never be a barrier to higher education. We have long been committed to ensuring that a university education is available to students from the widest possible range of backgrounds, based on their potential to succeed in their studies rather than their ability to pay. This has been our mission since day one, and that’s why we’re one of the leading universities in the sector for widening participation.
We offer a range of opportunities including access to scholarships and bursaries, as well as financial support for eligible students during their time with us.
Support
Whilst the news around the maintenance loan increase is important, managing your finances while at university is not always straightforward. Remember that our dedicated Money Advice and Guidance team are on hand to offer advice and support including budgeting advice and financial wellbeing as well as looking at ways to maximise your income and offer tips for making your money go further.
If you would like a confidential appointment with a Money Advisor to talk about how they can help you, please book an appointment or email money@liverpool.ac.uk.