Hi all!

So I’m applying for the PhD loan, and it will be the only way I can fund my course. Along with my savings and fiancé’s wage, the £27300 split over 3 years would leave us comfortable. However, split over 4 years we would struggle. The course I want to do says ‘up to 4 years’. Do I get to choose how many years the PhD loan is spread across? Really worried about it!

Hi Ellen,

Your PhD is not funded ? If the loan is coming from the bank, surely they give it to you in one lump sum and you decided how to send it ? The bets person to ask would be the person given the loan.

If its a stipend it will state its tenable for X years- in my experinces stipends are paid over that time frame- usually monthly, but can be every 3-6 months

Hi!

My PhD is self funded - I know how difficult funding is to get for the humanities, so I’ve been working full time for two years to save up. But I’m talking about the student finance England PhD loan of £27,300, which is split across your course!

I thought the PhD loan got paid in 3 instalments over 3 years according the .gov website. If you are worried about the PhD taking "up to 4 years", that is the university covering themselves legally. Most PhDs aim for 3 years but it is common for people to take 3-6 months extension to write up, so the universities say up to 4 years.