The Student Loans Company (SLC) has today, Monday 21 September 2026, paid £0.8 billion in first term Maintenance Loan payments into student bank accounts across the UK. This sum is being distributed to students who are either starting or returning to university.
This marks the largest payment date at the beginning of the 2026/27 academic year. It follows an earlier payment of £0.8 billion made this month, with the SLC expecting to pay a total of £3 billion in maintenance funding by the end of September.
Maintenance Loan payments are released once a university or college confirms a student's registration or enrolment. The SLC sends a text message a few days before the expected payment date to inform students that their loan is on its way.