Students are eligible for different amounts of Direct Loan per year depending on their grade level and dependency status. The level of subsidised and unsubsidised loan is decided by your Student Aid Index (SAI), shown on your Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR), which is made available online to the University upon completion of your FAFSA. The following tables show the level of loans available for 2026/27.
Students who are already enrolled in a programme at the University of Manchester before 01 July 2026, and who have received federal loans for the programme before this date, will continue to be eligible to borrow the same loan types as from 2025/26, and thereafter for a further 3 academic years or until the programme ends, whichever comes earlier. You may see your position referred to as a Legacy Loan/Student.
If you have not borrowed a Graduate PLUS loans before 01 July 2026 then you will not be eligible for them after this date. You may see your position referred to as a Non-Legacy Loan/Student.
| Dependent Undergraduates | Initial Subsidized | Additional Unsubsidized | Combined (maximum) Levels |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Year | $3,500.00 | $2,000.00 | $5,500.00 |
| 2nd Year | $4,500.00 | $2,000.00 | $6,500.00 |
| 3rd Year and Up | $5,500.00 | $2,000.00 | $7,500.00 |
| Independent Undergraduates (and dependant students whose parents are denied a Plus loan) | Initial Subsidized | Additional Unsubsidized | Combined (maximum) Levels |
| 1st Year | $3,500.00 | $6,000.00 | $9,500.00 |
| 2nd Year | $4,500.00 | $6,000.00 | $10,500.00 |
| 3rd Year and Up | $5,500.00 | $7,000.00 | $12,500.00 |
| ParentPLUS and GradPLUS Loans | No annual or aggregate limit, no higher than COA, other aid, Borrower requested amount, Lender approved amount, borrower can have multiple loans for multiple dependants in the same year. |
| Postgraduates | Initial Subsidized | Additional Unsubsidized | Combined (maximum) Levels |
| Any Year | $0.00 | $20,500.00 | $20,500.00 |
| Direct Loans Aggregate Loan Limits (all) | Subsidized Only | Total Aggregate (Sub and Unsub combined) | |
| Dependent Undergraduates | $23,000.00 | $31,000.00 | |
| Independent Undergraduates | $23,000.00 | $57,500.00 | |
| Postgraduates | $65,500.00 | $138,500.00 | |
| Dependent Undergraduates | Initial Subsidized | Additional Unsubsidized | Combined (maximum) Levels |
| 1st Year | $3,500.00 | $2,000.00 | $5,500.00 |
| 2nd Year | $4,500.00 | $2,000.00 | $6,500.00 |
| 3rd Year and Up | $5,500.00 | $2,000.00 | $7,500.00 |
| Independent Undergraduates (and dependant students whose parents are denied a Plus loan) | Initial Subsidized | Additional Unsubsidized | Combined (maximum) Levels |
| 1st Year | $3,500.00 | $6,000.00 | $9,500.00 |
| 2nd Year | $4,500.00 | $6,000.00 | $10,500.00 |
| 3rd Year and Up | $5,500.00 | $7,000.00 | $12,500.00 |
| Eligible Parents of Dependent Undergraduates | Loan Limit |
| ParentPLUS Loan | $20,000 per dependent student, max loan per student $65,000. Cannot have other parent loan. |
| GradPLUS Loan | Discontinued for all periods of study from 1st July 2026 |
| Postgraduates | Initial Subsidized | Additional Unsubsidized | Combined (maximum) Levels |
| Any Year | $0.00 | $20,500.00 | $20,500.00 |
| Students on a Professional Programme | Initial Subsidized | Additional Unsubsidized | Combined (maximum) Levels |
| Any year | $0.00 | $50,000.00 | $50,000.00 |
| Direct Loans Aggregate Loan Limits (all) | Subsidized Only | Total Aggregate (Sub and Unsub combined) | |
| Dependent Undergraduates | $23,000.00 | $31,000.00 | |
| Independent Undergraduates | $23,000.00 | $57,500.00 | |
| Postgraduates | $0.00 | $100,000 (not including undergraduate borrowing amounts) | |
| Postgraduates Professional | $0.00 | $200,000 (not including undergraduate borrowing amounts) | |
| Parent Plus | N/A | $65,000 per dependent child without any regard to any amounts repaid, forgiven, cancelled or other wise discharge | |
Cost of Attendance/tuition
You can borrow up to your cost of attendance and tuition fee costs in total. Usually your borrowings will be made up of government funded Direct Loans topped up by further loans.
Although being in a new city is fun, and should be enjoyed, remember that your loan(s) are for education. Each student is different, but your costs should still be broadly in line with our published Cost of Attendance (see below). If your Cost of Attendance needs to be higher, then you must prove and justify this to the Student Finance (DSE) Team. Your money has to last the whole academic year.
Cost of living in the UK
It is important to budget sensibly while you are a student to ensure that you have enough money to live on and to complete your studies.
N.B. You will not have immediate access to your loan funds when you arrive in the UK therefore you will need to prepare for this by bringing sufficient money with you to cover your first 5-6 weeks’ expenses.
Estimated costs
The table below is a breakdown of the essential living costs of an average Manchester student for one academic year.
The estimates are based on average annual expenditure of an undergraduate or postgraduate single student on a full-time course during 2026/27.
|
Estimated living costs 2026/27 |
UG |
PG |
|
Accommodation |
8,100 |
10,100 |
|
Meals |
2,500 |
3,000 |
|
Clothes |
420 |
504 |
|
Local transport |
700 |
840 |
|
Other general living expenses |
3,120 |
3,744 |
|
UK Visa health charge |
776 |
776 |
|
Flight Allowance |
1,750 |
1,750 |
|
Total |
17,366 |
20,714 |
We can also authorize a one off payment of up to £500 towards PC/equipment in your first year of study (please note some MBS courses include use of a laptop therefore this cost would not be applicable).
If you require a visa to come to the UK, you are granted it on condition that you can pay your tuition fees and living expenses (for you and your family) without having to depend on finding work in the UK. See the section on visa requirements under 'How to apply for Federal loans'.
Calculation of Loan Entitlement
All allowable costs in respect of US loan entitlement for 2026/27 will be calculated using the exchange rate of GBP £1 to USD $1.40.
N.B. The actual amount in GBP (£) received for each disbursement will vary depending on the exchange rate from USD ($) to GBP (£) at the time of disbursement.
Please note that any students undertaking distance learning courses are NOT eligible to receive US Government funding. This includes courses where there is only a partial element delivered online, such as our Global MBA programme.
Students undertaking distance learning courses provided by the University of Manchester can apply for Private loans to help cover costs of tuition and workshops.
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