Part-time master’s: does the loan still apply?

Yes, for part-time courses of two to four years that are no more than twice the full-time length. How the loan is paid and repaid part-time.

  • 1 or 2 academic years

    Full-time

  • Part-time up to 3 years

    No full-time equivalent

Yes. The Master’s Loan covers part-time master’s lasting two to four academic years, as long as the course is no more than twice the length of the equivalent full-time course (or up to three years where no full-time version exists). The same £13,206 is spread across the years of the course.

ItemFigure
Full-time1 or 2 academic years
Part-time2 to 4 academic years, no more than twice the full-time length
No full-time equivalentPart-time up to 3 years
Amount£13,206 in total, split across the years
Repeat yearsNo extra loan

Courses for this guide

Part-time courses in the finder

Master’s and diplomas taught part-time; the PGDL has no loan. Enter your details once to see the loan position and the ways to pay for each.

You are seeing example figures, not yours

We have filled in figures for a typical applicant so you can see how the finder works. Change them to yours and every result updates.

Courses with a StepEx loan

StepEx Lender Ltd offers loans for these courses. Approval is not guaranteed.

The University of Law

StepEx loanSee the representative example
PGDL Non London / Online Part Time

PGDL · Part time · 2 years · Online

StepEx loan: 60 months · 4.9% APR representative

Fee
£12,950

Fee for 2027/28 · whole course, over 2 years

No SLC loan
Affordability
Outcomes
University employment rate: 90%

The University of Law

StepEx loanSee the representative example
MA Law (Conversion) Non London Part Time

MA · Part time · 2 years

StepEx loan: 60 months · 7.6% APR representative

Fee
£15,150

Fee for 2027/28 · whole course, over 2 years

£1,944 more than the SLC master's loan covers
Affordability
Outcomes
University employment rate: 90%

The University of Law

StepEx loanSee the representative example
LLM Legal Practice (SQE1&2) - Part-time Non London

LLM · Part time · 2 years

StepEx loan: 60 months · 5.1% APR representative

Fee
£15,450

Fee for 2027/28 · whole course, over 2 years

£2,244 more than the SLC master's loan covers
Affordability
Outcomes
University employment rate: 90%

Our ranking is impartial: whether a course has a StepEx loan is not a factor. All courses are ranked by affordability, then graduate pay at 5 years. Courses with a StepEx loan are also shown in a separate section above.

More about how we rank

Top 5 of 964 courses

938 likely affordable · affordable first, then highest graduate pay at 5 years

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City St George's

Corporate Risk Management MSc

MSc · Part time · 2 years

Fee
£16,000

Fee for 2026/27 (September 2026 entry) · whole course, over 2 years

£2,794 more than the SLC master's loan covers
Affordability
Outcomes
University employment rate: 89%

University of the West of England, Bristol

MSc Financial Technology (FinTech)

MSc · Part time · 2 years

Fee
£12,504

Fee for 2027/28 · whole course, over 2 years

The SLC master's loan covers the fee
Affordability
Outcomes
University employment rate: 80%

Birkbeck

Finance MSc

MSc · Part time · 2 years

Fee
£15,330

Fee for 2027-28 · whole course, over 2 years

£2,124 more than the SLC master's loan covers
Affordability
Outcomes
University employment rate: 82%

Birkbeck

Accounting and Finance MSc

MSc · Part time · 2 years

Fee
£16,080

Fee for 2027-28 · whole course, over 2 years

£2,874 more than the SLC master's loan covers
Affordability
Outcomes
University employment rate: 82%

Bath

MSc Business Analytics (online)

MSc · Part time · 27 months · Online

Fee
£14,994

Fee for 2027 · whole course, over 3 years

£1,788 more than the SLC master's loan covers
Affordability
Outcomes
University employment rate: 90%

Open Affordability or Outcomes on any course for the detail. Courses with a StepEx loan are marked and get no preference in the order. How we work it out

Paying the university directly assumes three instalments: at the start, after 4 months and after 7 months. Estimates based on the figures shown, not advice. A StepEx loan is subject to identity, affordability and credit checks; approval is not guaranteed.

How the money arrives

The total is divided across the years of the course and paid in three instalments each year, to you. Over two years that is about £6,603 a year. Where a university charges a part-time fee per year, compare the yearly fee with the yearly loan rather than the totals.

Working while you study

Repayments are based on income over £21,000 a year and are collected through tax. GOV.UK says the earliest you start repaying is the April after you leave the course, so you do not repay the new loan while still enrolled, even if you are working above the threshold. Interest runs from the first payment.

Ways to pay

  • Student loan. Where the course qualifies, the Master’s Loan of £13,206 (England; other UK nations differ, see the nations guide).
  • Pay the university. Ask about paying in instalments across the year; the university’s own page sets the dates.
  • Employer. Some employers pay all or part of a fee, usually with a condition that you stay for a period afterwards.
  • Scholarships and discounts. University scholarships and alumni discounts, see the scholarships guide.
  • StepEx loan. On the courses listed on the finance availability page, credit from StepEx Lender Ltd lets you pay the fee in monthly repayments after a deposit. Approval is not guaranteed. The representative example for each course is on the provider’s page.

A StepEx loan is credit from StepEx Lender Ltd, available on the courses listed on the finance availability page. Approval is not guaranteed. The representative example for each course is on the provider’s page.

Ways to pay

  • SLC

    The government SLC master's loan. The amount depends on where you live.

    How the SLC master's loan works
  • Pay the university directly

    Usually in three instalments: at the start, after 4 months and after 7 months.

  • StepEx loan

    Available on some courses here. See the representative example on the provider page.

    Check finance availability

Questions people ask

Tell Student Finance England; the loan is reassessed against the new course length, and the overall limits still apply.

No. They are certificates with no student loan. See career accelerators.

Related guides