How to Apply for Postgraduate Student Loans in Northern Ireland

– Postgraduate Student Loans in Northern Ireland –

Postgraduate Student Loans in Northern Ireland: If you live in Northern Ireland you are also eligible for a postgraduate loan: there are things needed are simple thing you’ll need to do.

 

How Do I Apply for a Postgraduate Loan?

Applications can be made online or sent by post to Student Finance Northern Ireland. The closing date is no later than nine months after the course starts, and you have to apply each year of your course. I’ll advise you to apply sooner.

How Much Can I Get as a Postgraduate Loan?

If you’re a Northern Ireland student, you will be entitled to a tuition fee loan of up to £5,500. A loan for living costs is not available. The loan is not means-tested (it is unchanged by your financial status). It will be paid directly to your university.

If perhaps your tuition fees are lesser than £5,500, Student Finance Northern Ireland will only pay what your university charges. You do not get the outstanding money.

However, tuition fees have risen in recent years, and vary considerably. See our Reddin Survey of University Tuition Fees as a guide. If your course costs more than £5,500, you will need to pay the difference yourself.

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How Will my Postgraduate Loan be Received?

We can do getting your postgraduate loan received when the money is paid directly to the university. If perhaps you are applying to study a that lasts much longer than a year, they will divide the amount you get across the duration of the course.

In Northern Ireland, courses must be completed in three academic years or less, whether they are full- or part time. 

What are the Loans Repayments Like?

If you have already taken out an undergraduate loan with Student Finance Northern Ireland, it will automatically include your postgraduate loan. You’ll have to make repayments every month to settle the joint debt.

If you don’t already have an undergraduate loan, you will still pay off your in the same way.

They will repay postgraduate loans in Northern Ireland at a rate of 9% of all income above £18,330. You will repay your loan the April after your course ends if you are earning above this income threshold.

Additional Information

Note, repayments can be taken if you exceed the monthly or weekly threshold at any time (for example if you got a bonus, or worked overtime).

The loans will be subject to interest, which adds up once the first loan payment is made to your university. Interest has always remained at 1.5 percent since December 2017. This may be subject to alteration in the future.

After 25 years, if you haven’t paid off your loan in full, they will write the remaining amount off. As a postgraduate, qualification should add to your earning potential. It is presumed that you will pay off your loan in full before the 25-year cut-off point.

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Eligibility

To be eligible, the following is considered;

Personal criteria

To be eligible for a postgraduate loan in Northern Ireland, you must:

1. You must be a UK or Republic of Ireland national or have ‘settled status’ (i.e. with no restriction on how long you can stay in the UK).

2. You must have lived in Northern Ireland for at least three years prior to the first day of the academic year in which your course begins.

If you’re from elsewhere in the UK and studied an undergraduate degree in Northern Ireland, this does not count as being ‘ordinarily resident’ there. You will need to apply to your home nation.

Equally, if you are from Northern Ireland and studied an undergraduate degree elsewhere in the UK, you will be eligible for a postgraduate loan as your permanent residence is in Northern Ireland.

However, if you remained in your country of study to live and work after completing your degree, this may impact your residency status. If you’re unsure, contact Student Finance Northern Ireland or your university.

Funding criteria

1. Postgraduate loans in Northern Ireland can be combined with other types of funding. Like charitable grants or scholarships, Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA).

2. If perhaps you’re presently getting an undergraduate loan, you will not be able to receive a postgraduate loan. The rule is that you cannot receive two student loans the same time.

3. You can also only receive one postgraduate loan, so if you have initially received a postgraduate loan elsewhere in the UK you will be ineligible. Unless you had to stop studying for ‘compelling personal reasons’ such as bereavement or illness.

Course-based Criteria

Besides the above criteria, your course must meet the following requirements:

1. It must be a postgraduate qualification up to the master’s level. Unlike in England and Wales, where only master’s degrees are covered by the scheme. They will also entitle students in Northern Ireland to funding if they are studying a postgraduate certificate ().

2. A publicly funded higher education institution in the UK must provide the course. 

3. They must complete it in three academic years or less, whether it is full- or part-time.

4. It can be a taught or research course.

Unlike in England and Wales, in Northern Ireland, you can apply even if you already have an equivalent or higher level of qualification.

 If you already have a master’s degree, PGCert, PGDip, or any other postgraduate qualification, you will still be eligible for a postgraduate loan.

Notably, teaching qualifications such as PGCEs and PGDEs are ineligible for postgraduate loans, with alternative funding already available for students of these courses.

Additional Information

Students wishing to study an integrated master’s (where the program is combined with undergraduate study) should normally apply for an undergraduate loan. Although a Master of Architecture (MArch) may be an exception if you study part-time. The loan is not eligible for doctoral courses (Ph.D.).

What About EU Students?

If you are an EU student, you will be eligible for a postgraduate loan as long as you have been resident in the EEA or Switzerland for three years. Also, of you are living in Northern Ireland.

Brexit is not set to have any immediate impact on funding, with England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales all confirming that EU students starting a degree in 2018 (and even 2019) will be eligible.

If you’re from outside the EU, it is unlikely that you will be eligible for a postgraduate loan. Unless you have the right to permanently reside in the UK (e.g. having refugee status). There are also some exceptions for EEA migrant workers, Swiss or Turkish applicants.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Below are the frequently asked questions on Postgraduate loans;

Ques: Which province is best for student loans?

Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, and Manitoba Student Loans

Ques: Can you get a
student loan for Masters Northern Ireland?

Postgraduate loans are available in Northern Ireland for taught and research Master’s degrees, as well as Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) and Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) courses in any discipline.

Ques: What is the maximum student loan Northern Ireland?

Student Loan for Tuition Fees

Ques: What is the interest rate on student loans in Northern Ireland?

The interest rate is 1.5%

Ques: How much student loan do I pay back Northern Ireland?

You’ll pay back 9% of your earnings over the course of a year, or £341 per week, £1,481 per month, or £17,775 per year.
 
Your payback amounts will automatically adjust to reflect any changes in your income, whether they are positive or negative.

Ques: How long can you delay student loans?

Three years

Ques: Is university education free in Northern Ireland?

Tuition fees were abolished in the Republic of Ireland in 1996, and a yearly college registration payment, or ‘contribution fee,’ was introduced. 
 
Because the department paid the contribution fee on behalf of Northern Ireland students, hundreds of students could get a free education in the Republic.

Ques: How long until student loan is written off Northern Ireland?

25 years

Ques: How much does a masters cost in the UK?

Its cost is between 13,000 to 15,000 pounds

Ques: What is the ranking of Ulster University in UK?

 44th

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StudentsandScholarship Team.