Northern Ireland (SFNI)
Student Finance Northern Ireland (SFNI) maintains a distinct system, keeping tuition fees significantly lower for local students and retaining the Plan 1 repayment model.
Plan 1: The 'Original' Plan
Northern Irish students are typically on Plan 1.
- Threshold: The repayment threshold is currently £24,990. This is lower than Plan 2 or Plan 4, meaning you start repaying on a lower salary.
- Interest Rate: Plan 1 has a very low interest rate cap. It is set at the lower of the RPI or the Bank of England Base Rate + 1%. This means your loan balance grows much slower than Plan 2 loans.
- Write-off: Loans are written off after 25 years (if you started before 2006) or 25 years (if you started after 2006).
Lower Tuition Fees
One of the biggest advantages for Northern Ireland students is the tuition fee cap.
If you are from NI and study at a university in Northern Ireland, your tuition fees are capped at approximately £4,750 per year.
💡Studying in GB?
If you choose to study in England, Scotland, or Wales, you can be charged up to the standard UK rate of £9,250 (or £9,535 from 2025/26). SFNI will provide a tuition fee loan to cover this higher amount, but your debt will be significantly larger.
Maintenance Grants
SFNI still offers a Maintenance Grant for students from lower-income households.
This grant (up to approx £3,475) does not need to be repaid. It replaces part of your maintenance loan, reducing the amount you have to borrow.