Applying for a SLC loan
To have your studies funded by the Student Loans Company (SLC), you need to make your application to one of the following organisations. Which organisation you apply to depends on where you live within the UK.
- Student Finance England (SFE)
- Student Finance Wales (SFW)
- Student Finance Northern Ireland (SFNI)
- Student Award Agency Scotland (SAAS)
Read more about loans and grants for undergraduates, or explore scholarships and funding for foundation students.
Apply for your loan as soon as possible.
Undergraduate students: SLC loans and enrolment
You can start online registration before your SLC loan is approved.
If you're planning to apply for an SLC loan, submit your student loan application before starting online enrolment.
You'll be able to enrol with an application in-progress. If you don't have an application in-progress or an approved SLC loan you will be asked to pay your tuition fees in full.
Approved SLC loan applications
Your loan details should appear on your UAL Portal from 24 hours after your Student Loan Company (SLC) application is approved.
- Log into your UAL Portal
- Go to 'my Online registration' and select ‘Fee details’ to see the Tuition Fee loan amount.
The SLC will make payments to UAL directly. You will not need to make any tuition fee payment to us yourself as long as:
- your loan amount covers the full tuition fee owed for your course.
In-progress SLC loan applications
You can still complete the online registration step of enrolment if your loan has not yet been approved.
To complete this section:
- log in to your UAL Portal
- go to 'my Online registration' and select ‘Fee details’
- choose 'Undergraduate SLC/SAAS Loan' from the dropdown
- select 'Add Source.' Upload a screenshot showing you’ve submitted your SLC application to receive funding in the 2025/26 academic year.
If your SLC loan application is approved, we’ll be notified within 24 hours.
If your SLC loan application isn’t approved, you will need to pay your full tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year directly to us. This also applies to any future years you attend while waiting for a final decision on your funding.
Making changes to your SLC loan application
Before 1 September you can make changes to your SLC loan application yourself.
To make changes, log in to your student finance application. You’ll be able to change details about your course, College, course fees, additional funding (if applicable), your address and your bank details.
You'll need to upload a new screenshot of your updated application to your UAL Portal. Follow the instructions for 'In-progress SLC loan applications' above.
After 1 September, any changes to your chosen programme or course fees will need to be submitted to the SLC by our Funding team. Request changes by completing the funding enquiry form.
How we'll receive your SLC tuition fee loan payments
The terms of your SLC loan include a requirement for UAL to confirm your course attendance to them throughout the year – we will do this.
Your tuition fee is paid to UAL in 3 instalments:
- Term 1: 25% of tuition fee loan
- Term 2: 25% of tuition fee loan
- Term 3: 50% of tuition fee loan.
Postgraduate students (including Research): SLC loans and enrolment
If you’re funding your postgraduate studies in 2025/26 with a student loan from the Student Loans Company (SLC):
- you’ll be able to pay your fees in instalments
- the payment dates will match the dates your loan instalments are paid to you.
If your SLC loan application isn’t approved, you'll need to pay your full tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year directly to us. You can still pay in instalments.
How to complete online registration
When it’s time to complete your online registration step of enrolment:
- log in to your UAL Portal
- go to 'my Online registration' and select ‘Fee details’
- upload evidence of your student loan application for 2025/26, such as:
- a screenshot showing you’ve submitted your SLC application to receive funding in the 2025/26 academic year
- a copy of your SLC loan entitlement letter.
If it covers your full tuition fees, we’ll set-up an instalment plan that matches your loan payment dates.
Making your postgraduate fee payments to UAL
It’s your responsibility to make your instalment payments to UAL when they are due because your loan is issued directly to you by the SLC.
- Once your loan is available to you, you must then make your payments to us.
- To make a payment, log in to your UAL Portal and make your payment via Flywire.
Find out more about paying your postgradute fees by instalment.
Instalment plan payment dates
Typically, our instalment plans for postgraduate courses starting in 2025/26 are:
- Courses lasting up to 12 months: A total of 3 instalments paid in September/October 2025, then January and April 2026.
- Courses lasting 4 terms: A total of 6 instalments paid in September/October 2025, then January, April, September, October and November 2026.
- Please also read our important note for students on courses lasting 4 terms below.*
- Courses lasting 2 years: A total of 6 instalments paid in September 2025, January, April, September 2026, and January, April 2027.
- PhD and MPhil courses: 3 instalments per year paid in September/October 2025, and January, April 2026.
Find out more about paying your postgraduate fees by instalment.
*Important information for students on courses lasting 4 terms
We’re required by the SLC to set up payments for courses lasting more than 12 months as 2-year courses. Loan payments for the first year are paid in termly instalments, and payments for the final term are made each month for 3 months.
Your payment schedule may initially show termly instalments for the second year of your course, which don't match the instalment plan listed above. Don’t worry – this will change in the summer of 2026 when we let the SLC know our term dates for the 2026/27 academic year.
Help and support
Watch a short video to see how to confirm your funding in the UAL Portal.
- Play from 00:26 for SLC and other loans.
- View on YouTube for other useful timestamps.