Doctoral loan
Dear SFE
I am a PhD student and receive full funding from SFE. It looks like I might be able to complete my PhD earlier than the usual three years. What happens with my loan and funding if I do please?
Thanks
Sarah
I am a PhD student and receive full funding from SFE. It looks like I might be able to complete my PhD earlier than the usual three years. What happens with my loan and funding if I do please?
Thanks
Sarah
Reply 1
Hi there. Are you getting payments split over 3 years at the moment? What is the name of your course and university. Thanks, Leah.
Reply 2
Hi Leah
Yes they are split over 3 years. It is a PhD in English at Leeds Beckett University.
Thanks
Sarah
Yes they are split over 3 years. It is a PhD in English at Leeds Beckett University.
Thanks
Sarah
Reply 3
Original post
by Leah SLCHi there. Are you getting payments split over 3 years at the moment? What is the name of your course and university. Thanks, Leah.
Hi Leah
What I mean is, what happens if I present my thesis before the end of the three years?
Yes they are split over 3 years. It is a PhD in English at Leeds Beckett University.
Thanks
Sarah
Reply 4
Original post
by sarahjanenuttallHi Leah
What I mean is, what happens if I present my thesis before the end of the three years?
Yes they are split over 3 years. It is a PhD in English at Leeds Beckett University.
Thanks
Sarah
What I mean is, what happens if I present my thesis before the end of the three years?
Yes they are split over 3 years. It is a PhD in English at Leeds Beckett University.
Thanks
Sarah
Hi Sarah,
The university would need to send us a change of circumstances to confirm us of your new end date so we can amend the payments.
Thanks,
Claire
Reply 5
Original post
by Claire SFEHi Sarah,
The university would need to send us a change of circumstances to confirm us of your new end date so we can amend the payments.
Thanks,
Claire
The university would need to send us a change of circumstances to confirm us of your new end date so we can amend the payments.
Thanks,
Claire
What do you mean by amend the payments?
Reply 6
Original post
by Claire SFEHi Sarah,
The university would need to send us a change of circumstances to confirm us of your new end date so we can amend the payments.
Thanks,
Claire
The university would need to send us a change of circumstances to confirm us of your new end date so we can amend the payments.
Thanks,
Claire
Hi Claire
Sorry I maybe didn't phrase my original question well. If I am doing a three year PhD course and I have funding for those three years, what happens if I present my thesis at the end of year two? When you say amend, do you mean that my payments would stop after only two years' of payments or that I would get three years' funding over two years?
Thanks
Sarah
Reply 7
Hi sarahjanenuttall,
Your funding would stop once you have submitted your thesis and completed your course. Your university would need to notify us that you have completed your course in 2 years rather than 3. This may affect the amount of funding you are eligible for each academic year.
Thanks,
Calum
Your funding would stop once you have submitted your thesis and completed your course. Your university would need to notify us that you have completed your course in 2 years rather than 3. This may affect the amount of funding you are eligible for each academic year.
Thanks,
Calum
Reply 8
Thanks Calum. How would the amount of funding per academic year be affected? Could you please clarify?
Reply 9
Hi sarahjanenuttall,
A Doctoral Loan entitlement can be up to £29,390 over the length of the course for 24/25 and up to £12,471. per academic year. So for example if you have currently been awarded £10000 per academic year on the assumption that you will be studying for 3 years and the university then informs us you are studying over 2 your entitlement per academic year could increase.
Thanks,
Calum
A Doctoral Loan entitlement can be up to £29,390 over the length of the course for 24/25 and up to £12,471. per academic year. So for example if you have currently been awarded £10000 per academic year on the assumption that you will be studying for 3 years and the university then informs us you are studying over 2 your entitlement per academic year could increase.
Thanks,
Calum
Reply 10
Original post
by Calum SLCHi sarahjanenuttall,
A Doctoral Loan entitlement can be up to £29,390 over the length of the course for 24/25 and up to £12,471. per academic year. So for example if you have currently been awarded £10000 per academic year on the assumption that you will be studying for 3 years and the university then informs us you are studying over 2 your entitlement per academic year could increase.
Thanks,
Calum
A Doctoral Loan entitlement can be up to £29,390 over the length of the course for 24/25 and up to £12,471. per academic year. So for example if you have currently been awarded £10000 per academic year on the assumption that you will be studying for 3 years and the university then informs us you are studying over 2 your entitlement per academic year could increase.
Thanks,
Calum
Thanks Calum. I understand now.
Reply 11
You're welcome. If you have any further questions you can ask us on this platform.
Thanks, Drew
Thanks, Drew
Reply 12
Re the thread above I am having a lot of difficulty getting my student loan for this year. I submitted my PhD thesis on 30 September 2025. However, I have not had my viva and I am still enrolled as a student at my university. I have therefore started year 3. Even after the viva, I may well have amendments to do and will still be registered as a student while I do these. My university has already passed this information on to SFE. I am at my wit's end. I was expecting a payment around 2 Oct this year and have had no money to pay rent or food.
Reply 13
Hi Sarah,
When you log into your online account what does the payment status say or has the payments been removed?
Thanks, Drew
When you log into your online account what does the payment status say or has the payments been removed?
Thanks, Drew
Reply 14
Hi Drew
It says Blocked. SFE keep asking for information about whether I have started my third year. The university have already answered. I have an overdue letter for my fees for this year too.
Sarah
It says Blocked. SFE keep asking for information about whether I have started my third year. The university have already answered. I have an overdue letter for my fees for this year too.
Sarah
Reply 15
Hi Sarah,
There should be no reason for the payments to be showing as blocked if we were only awaiting confirmation of registration.
I would advise for to contact us for to check this for you to see why the payments are showing as blocked. Stephen
There should be no reason for the payments to be showing as blocked if we were only awaiting confirmation of registration.
I would advise for to contact us for to check this for you to see why the payments are showing as blocked. Stephen
Reply 16
Hi
I have rung several times. I was told it would be unblocked by 21 November. It wasn’t. In the next phone call I was told they were asking for clarification that I had started year three. I have been constantly chasing this up and still have no loan.
I have rung several times. I was told it would be unblocked by 21 November. It wasn’t. In the next phone call I was told they were asking for clarification that I had started year three. I have been constantly chasing this up and still have no loan.
Reply 17
Original post
by sarahjanenuttallHi
I have rung several times. I was told it would be unblocked by 21 November. It wasn’t. In the next phone call I was told they were asking for clarification that I had started year three. I have been constantly chasing this up and still have no loan.
I have rung several times. I was told it would be unblocked by 21 November. It wasn’t. In the next phone call I was told they were asking for clarification that I had started year three. I have been constantly chasing this up and still have no loan.
Hi Sarah,
If the university have sent us confirmation you're on the course and its still showing blocked, they can contact us on their helpline to see we have received this confirmation from them.
Thanks,
Claire
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