What to do:
Fill out the loan request form at the end of the PN1 form or on www.studentfinancedirect.co.uk. There are two separate boxes to tick – one for the tuition fee loan (which will go straight to the uni to save you from having to pay fees until after you graduate) and one for the maintenance loan (which goes into your bank account at the start of term to give you some cash to live on).

When to do it:
At the same time you fill out PN1 – see Step 2 for details of the deadlines.

Why do it?
To get a student loan, which is likely to be your main source of student income and is probably worth applying for even if you think you’re too minted to need it. This part of the form is very short, so there’s no excuse for leaving it out.

Anything else?
You can choose whether you want to apply for the maximum loan allowed to you or specify a (lower) amount. You could ask for a higher amount, but there’s little point as you’re not going to get it. Push recommends just ticking the box to ask for the maximum amount as you never know when the cash is going to come in handy. 

You’ll need to supply your bank details, so they know where to pay the money to, and your National Insurance number, so they know who to get it back from once you start earning.

If all goes to plan, you should get a letter showing the amount of support you’ll get about six to eight weeks after you returned the form.

• A quick guide to student funding
• Alright, how do I apply then?
• Frequently asked questions

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