universal credit phd student

Phd stipend and universal credit

Quick Reply

Related discussions.

• PhD stipend and universal credit
• PhD stipend and universal credit issue
• Can I get universal credit/income support if my partner is doing a PhD
• PhD Stipend Recall after withdrawal
• Inquiries about the visa process
• Funding for accomodation during a PHD
• Has anyone combined a doctoral loan with uni funding?Please help!
• PhD & financial struggles
• Living cost in London as a PhD student
• UBC vs Cambridge
• PhD after PGCE?
• What are your feelings about finishing uni?
• PhD/Doctorate in the UK
• choosing a Cambridge college
• Failing my PhD and feeling I haven't had enough support/help
• Question about books/reading lists for uni
• Seeking Advice on Funding Options for 4th Year Full-Time PhD Student Without Stipend
• US Student Looking for Fully Funded Counselling Psych PHDs
• Can soon-to-be bachelor graduates apply for fellowship in psychology?

Last reply 2 days ago

Last reply 5 days ago

Last reply 1 week ago

Last reply 2 weeks ago

Last reply 3 weeks ago

Last reply 1 month ago

Articles for you

What is the Russell Group? List of Russell Group universities

Finding a university place in Ucas Clearing 2024: 10 top tips to help you get ready

Top 10 tips for Ucas Clearing 2024

Bringing business people into the classroom: what students learn from industry professionals

Try out the app

Continue on web

You are currently in the en section of the site.

Helping you understand, manage & improve your mental health and money issues

• Help & contacts
• I want to read in Welsh
• I want to read in English
• Northern Ireland
• Welfare Benefits /
• Universal Credit Mental Health Guide /
• Help with your Universal Credit claim /
• How to claim Universal Credit as a student?

Last updated: 12/04/2022

• Email this page
• What is Universal Credit?
• Can I claim Universal Credit?
• How much Universal Credit can I get for mental health?
• How and when is Universal Credit paid?
• How to apply for a Universal Credit advance payment
• What is Universal Credit transitional protection?
• What benefits is Universal Credit replacing?
• How will Universal Credit affect Child Tax Credits?
• How will Universal Credit affect Working Tax Credits?
• How will Universal Credit affect my Income Support?
• How will Universal Credit affect my ESA?
• How will Universal credit affect Housing Benefit?
• How will Universal Credit affect Council Tax?
• How to apply for Universal Credit
• How to fill in your Universal Credit application form
• How to reapply for Universal Credit
• What is the Universal Credit Claimant Commitment?
• How to claim Universal credit with a mental health condition
• How to prepare for your Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment
• How to claim Universal Credit when working
• How to claim Universal Credit when self employed
• What changes in circumstances affect Universal Credit?
• How to change your Universal Credit Claimant Commitment
• How to change your Universal Credit work-related requirements
• How to apply for Personal Budgeting Support
• How to budget your money on Universal Credit?
• What is a Universal Credit Sanction?
• How can I get financial help if I have a Universal Credit sanction?
• How to challenge a Universal Credit sanction?
• How to challenge a Universal Credit decision
• How to appeal against a Universal Credit decision
• What to do if your Universal Credit payment has been reduced or stopped?
• Universal Credit contact numbers
• Requesting evidence for Universal Credit letter template

In specific circumstances, you may be able to claim Universal Credit as a student. We explain if you can claim and what impact student income can have on your Universal Credit payment.

Claiming Universal Credit if you’re studying full-time

As a student, you can not usually get Universal Credit if you’re studying full-time. However, there are some exceptions.

You may be able to get Universal Credit if you’re studying full-time and any of the following applies to you:

• You’re 21 or younger and in full-time non-advanced education. Non-advanced education is any qualification up to A-Level, or equivalent.
• You’re responsible for a child.
• You live with your partner, and they are claiming Universal Credit.
• You are old enough to receive a state pension, and the partner you live with is under the state pension age.
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
• Disability Living Allowance.
• Attendance Allowance.
• Armed Forces Independence Payment.

If you’re 21 or younger, in non-advanced education and don’t have parental support, you may be eligible if:

• You’re in full-time non-advanced education or training where the course started before you reached 21.
• You reach 21 while you are studying.

If you meet this specific criterion, you will be able to claim Universal Credit until:

• The end of your academic course, if it finishes before you reach 21.
• The end of your academic year in which you become 21.

What is classed as a full-time course?

A course is classified as full-time by the education or training provider. You will be classed as a full-time student if you study for a full-time course on a part-time basis.

You will be classed as a full-time student if you are studying one of the following:

• Postgraduate degree.
• First degree.
• Diploma or higher education.
• Higher national diploma.
• Any course with a standard classified above an advanced GNVQ.
• National Qualification Framework level 3.
• Advanced Diploma.
• National Diploma.
• Level 3 NVQ.

If you’re studying part-time, you may still be eligible for Universal Credit. You will have to meet other Universal Credit requirements. It would be best if you spoke to a welfare benefits officer to find out more information.

How will my student income impact my Universal Credit payments?

Student income will affect your Universal Credit payment. Universal Credit is paid once a month and is assessed on your specific circumstances for the month - known as a Universal Credit assessment period.

During each assessment period, you will be deducted money from your Universal Credit payment for any student income you receive. The calculation is based on your student income for the month minus an amount for expenses.

The maximum student loan you can get will be taken into account. This applies even if you have:

• Not applied for a student loan.
• Not accepted the student loan.
• Choose not to take the full amount offered to you.
• Received a reduced loan because your parents or partner have offered to contribute to your living costs.

You will not receive student income deductions from your Universal Credit payment for months where the following apply:

• Your assessment period includes the first day of your summer holiday.
• You're on summer holiday for the entirety of your assessment period.
• The course you are studying ends during an assessment period.

Student loans

You may still receive Universal Credit with a student loan. There are different student loan types, and each one will affect your Universal Credit differently depending on which loan you receive:

• Student loans that are intended to cover tuition fees will be excluded from your Universal Credit payment.
• Maintenance loans that are intended to cover your living costs will be deducted from your Universal Credit payment.
• Special Support loans and Grants which are intended to support you for study equipment and travel will be deducted from your Universal Credit payment.

Postgraduate Doctoral Loan

Postgraduate Master’s and Doctoral loans are paid as one payment in three instalments over each year of your study. The loan is a contribution to both your tuition fees and living costs.

When calculating your Universal Credit payments, 30% of the loan will be considered while the rest will be excluded.

Will I have a Claimant Commitment as a student?

To claim Universal Credit everyone has to agree to a Claimant Commitment . However, if you are claiming Universal Credit as a student, what you will have to do to comply with your Claimant Commitment will vary depending on your circumstances.

If you claim Universal Credit as a student who is 21 or under that equates to a qualification up to A level or equivalent, you will not be required to do any actions under the Claimant Commitment. Likewise, if you receive student income such as a loan or grant.

Even if you don't fall into the above two categories, you might not have to do any actions as part of your Claimant Commitment. It would help if you spoke to your work coach, and they will be able to guide you further.

If you have taken time out from your course

If you are claiming Universal Credit and have taken time out from studying your course, you will be expected to complete actions as part of your Claimant Commitment. Your work coach will be able to offer further guidance.

• Share this article

Within this subject

Universal credit mental health guide, help with your universal credit claim, is this article helpful to you, was this article helpful to you, sorry it wasn’t helpful, could you say why.

For urgent help, please see Help & contacts

Great to hear it was useful! Could you say why?

• Print this article

Have you read something you think others need to know? Simply use the buttons below to share on your social network.

Share this article on Facebook

So we give the right advice for you, can you answer which Nation you're from?

We spent a while translating the site into Welsh, would you like to read in Welsh?

We have translated the site; would you prefer to read in Welsh?

News from the Student Advice Service at the University of Brighton

Are you eligible for Universal Credit? How does it affect your funding?

We know that many students have to exist on very little money and so when looking for options to raise more money we often get asked if students are eligible for Universal Credit .

Generally speaking, if you are enrolled on a full time course, whether you are Undergraduate or Postgraduate the answer is no.

You count as a student from the first day until the last day of the course or if you do not complete it, until the day you are dismissed from or abandon the course. This means that you count as a student even during holiday periods and unless you are in your final year of study you get some additional maintenance loan from Student Finance to cover this.

However, as with everything there are some exceptions. You can claim Universal Credit as a full time student if you are

• Responsible for a child or qualifying young person​
• You are in receipt of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

​If you were in receipt of Universal Credit before you enrolled as a full time student at University then you must tell DWP that you are a full time student, and, you must upload your Student Finance award letter to your Universal Credit online account (journal). This is because your entitlement to Universal Credit will need to be reassessed over the relevant number of assessment periods.

The DWP will take some of your student loan into account as income when they reassess you and your Universal Credit award will be reduced. However, not everything is included pound for pound in a benefits calculation – for Undergraduate students, the ‘special support element’ of the maintenance loan, the parents’ learning allowance and any childcare grant will not be included as income. There is also an additional disregard of £110 per month. For Postgraduate students, only 30% of the full Masters Loan available is included within a Universal Credit assessment.

Please note: DWP will include this student income within your assessment of benefits, whether you choose to take out a loan or not. This may seem unfair, but these are the regulations.

Health Science students – the NHS Training Grant is not included as income in your Universal Credit assessment.

These assessments are complex and the DWP do sometimes make mistakes and miscalculate someone’s entitlement, so if you are in any doubt please contact us at the Student Advice Service as we can check this for you.

If you are a full time student but are repeating a year “part-time” you are still classed as a full time student by DWP as you are enrolled on a full time course even though for that year you are doing it “part-time” to complete the required modules.

The organisation Turn2us have a useful students and benefits guide which you may find helpful.

If you are in any doubt about your entitlement to benefits, or how to fund a repeat year of study, contact the Student Advice Service for bespoke advice. DWP do not always get it right and even if it is their mistake and they have made you an award in error, they can and will ask you for it back. You don’t want to be in a position where you end up having to pay back a significant overpayment of Universal Credit.

It’s what we do so please ask us!

Best wishes

Student Advice Service

↞ Previous Post

Next Post ↠

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published / Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Subscribe By Email

Get every new post delivered right to your inbox.

Your Email Leave this field blank

This form is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

We use cookies to personalise content, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. Read our detailed cookie policy

Students in England

If you are  eligible to claim Universal Credit as a student and your course has a student grant or loan available, these could be counted as income and cause a deduction to your UC payments during the academic year. UC will take into account any regarded student income you are eligible for, whether you choose to apply or accept it.

You can follow our guide here to find out what will be regarded as income by UC and how much you can expect to have deducted during the academic year. This deduction figure is only helpful if you know what you are entitled to from UC before deduction for student income - Calculate your UC payment .

The formula for student income deduction for UC is fairly simple. Amount of regarded student income divided by relevant number of assessment periods and ignore £110. This figure is applied as a deduction to your total UC entitlement £ for £ (it is not treated as earnings).

How much will be regarded as income

If you have a maintenance loan available  (jump to rules specific to Postgraduate Loan ):

Your maintenance loan will regarded as income, excluding any Special Support Element.

Most of the people on UC who have qualify for Special Support Element are single parents or students with disability benefit (PIP or DLA).

If you qualify for Special Support Element, Student Finance England replace part of the Maintenance Loan with an amount that does not need repaid. Special Support Element is disregarded as income by Universal Credit.

If you have Special Support Element, it may be clearly labelled on your student finance award letter: Maintenance Loan £xxxx, of which the Special Support Element equals £xxxx.

Other times it may be vague and state: The Department of Work and Pensions will only consider any amount over £xxxx of your Maintenance Loan as student income when they work out how much state benefits you can get.

Any grant or bursary intended for the maintenance of someone else on your claim (Dependants' Grant) depending on who this is for will be regarded as income.

Any grant or bursary specifically intended for housing costs that UC also provides housing element for will be regarded as income. All other grants or bursary will be disregarded.

If you do not have a maintenance loan available:

All grants and bursaries will be counted as income, except for any grant or bursary intended for:

for tuition or examination fees

for disability (DSA)

for childcare costs

for maintaining a home other than that at which they reside during the course if not met through the housing costs

for books and equipment (Initial fees expenses, etc.)

for travel expenses incurred for course attendance

to meet the needs of another person but not a joint claimant or child dependant

for additional expenditure in connection with term time residential study away from the students educational establishment

Number of relevant assessment periods

You will need your official course dates to work out the number of relevant assessment periods that UC will apply a deduction.  You can usually find your official course dates on course provider website, academic planner or by contacting your course provider.

The first deduction will be the assessment period your course starts in. There will be a deduction for each assessment period throughout your course.

There will not be a deduction for the assessment period the academic ends in or long vacation starts in (for example, break between 1st and 2nd year).

Example:  

Assessment  period 17th to 16th.

Course starts: 28th September.

The first deduction will be for assessment period 17th September to 16th October.

Course ends: 19th June.

There will be no deduction for assessment period 17th June to 16th July.

The last deduction will be for assessment period 17th May to 16th June.

This is 9 relevant assessment periods.

Working out the deduction

Now you have your regarded amount of student income and the relevant number of assessment periods , you can work out the deduction from your UC payment during the academic year. Total regarded student income divided by number of assessment periods then deduct £110. This figure will be deducted per relevant assessment period, regardless of your student income payment schedule.

We have a calculator for you to help with the maths. You can access this calculator by clicking here  but we have provided some real life examples with the working out for you.

Example Zoe

Zoe has a maintenance loan and Special Support Element so all grants and bursaries are disregarded unless they are awarded for particular circumstances specified .

Maintenance Loan of £12,141 of which Special Support Element £4,014  (Amount of maintenance loan minus Special Support Element is regarded)

Parents' Learning Allowance £1,821  (i gnored as this is a grant and there is a Maintenance Loan. This grant is not intended for the maintenance of someone else on the  claim and it is not intended for housing costs)

Childcare Allowance £7,640 (always ignored)

Total regarded student income is £12,141 - £4014 is £8,127.

UC assessment period is 13th to 12th.

Course starts 21st September.

First deduction is 13th September to 12thOctober.

Course ends 23rd June.

No deduction 13th June to 12th July.

Last deduction is 13th June to 12th July.​

1. 13th September to 12th October

2. 13th October to 12th November

3. 13th November to 12th December

4. 13th December to 12th January

5. 13th January to 12th February

6. 13th February to 12th March

7. 13th March to 12th April

8. 13th April to 12th May

£8,127 divided by 8 assessment periods is £1,015.88

£1,015.88 - £110 is £905.88

A reminder that we have a calculator that does the maths for you . You can access this calculator by clicking here .

Zoe will have £905.88 deducted per month from assessment period ending 12th October to 12th May.

There will be no deduction for assessment period ending 12th June onwards.

Example Ellie:

Ellie has a maintenance loan so all grants and bursaries are disregarded unless they are awarded for particular circumstances specified .

Maintenance Loan of £10,610 with no special support element (always regarded)

Adult Dependant Grant £3,094 (regarded as this is a grant for the maintenance of her partner who is on the UC claim)

Parents' Learning Allowance £1,812  (i gnored as this is a grant and there is a Maintenance Loan. This grant is not intended for the maintenance of someone else on the  claim and it is not intended for housing costs)

Total regarded student income is £13,704

UC assessment period is 26th to 25th.

Course starts 23rd September.

First deduction is 26th August to 25th September.

Course ends 28th June.

No deduction 26th June to 25th July.

Last deduction is 26th May to 25th June.​

1. 26th September to 25th October

2. 26th October to 25th November

3. 26th November to 25th December

4. 26th December to 25th January

5. 26th January to 25th February

6. 26th February to 25th March

7. 26th March to 25th April

8. 26th April to 25th May

9. 26th May to 25th June

£13,704 divided by 9 assessment periods is £1522.67

£1522.67 - £110 is £1,412.67.

Ellie will have £1,412.67 deducted per month from assessment period ending 25th October to 25th June.

There will be no deduction for assessment period ending 25th July onwards.

Example Tim

Tim has a maintenance loan and Special Support Element so all grants and bursaries are disregarded unless they are awarded for particular circumstances specified .

Maintenance Loan of £13,059 of which Special Support Element £4,014  (Amount of maintenance loan minus Special Support Element is regarded)

NHS Learning Support Fund Training Grant £5000 (i gnored as this is a grant and there is a Maintenance Loan. This grant is not intended for the maintenance of someone else on the  claim and it is not intended for housing costs)

NHS Learning Support Fund Parental Support £2,000  (i gnored as this is a grant and there is a Maintenance Loan. This grant is not intended for the maintenance of someone else on the  claim and it is not intended for housing costs)

Childcare Allowance £6,341  (always ignored)

Total regarded student income is £13,059 - £4014 is £9,045.

First deduction is 13th September to 12th October.

Course ends 23rd July.

No deduction 13th July to 12th August.

9. 13th March to 12th June

10. 13th June to 12th July

£9,045 divided by 10 assessment periods is £904.50

£904.50 - £110 is £794.50

Tim will have £905.88 deducted per month from assessment period ending 12th October to 12th May.

Example Sam

Sam doesn't have a maintenance loan so all grants and bursaries are regarded unless they are awarded for particular circumstances specified in the list .

Basic Grant £3,362.50  (regarded as this is not specified as ignored)

Maintenance Grant £2,721  (regarded as this is not specified as ignored)

Adult Dependant Grant £3,094 (regarded as this is a grant for the maintenance of their partner who is on the UC claim)

Parent Leaning Allowance £1,573 (ignored as this is for for books and equipment (Initial fees expenses, etc.))

Placement Travel Allowance £862.50  (ignored as this is for travel expenses incurred for course attendance)

Childcare Allowance £7,917.24  (always ignored)

Total regarded student income is £3,362.50 + £2,721 + £3,094 = £9,177.50

UC assessment period is 17th to 16th.

Course starts 18th September.

First deduction is 17th September to 16th October.

Course ends 26th August.

No deduction 17th August to 16th September.

Last deduction is 17th July to 16th August.​

1. 17th August to 16th September

2. 17th September to 16th October

3. 17th October to 16th November

4. 17th November to 16th December

5. 17th December to 16th January

6. 17th January to 16th February

7. 17th February to 16th March

8. 17th March to 16th April

9. 17 th April to 16 th May

10. 17 th May to 16 th June

11. 17 th June to 16 th July

12. 17 th July to 16 th August

£9,177.50 divided by 12 assessment periods is £764.92

£764.79 - £110 is £654.79

Sam will have £654.79 deducted per month from assessment period ending 16th September to 16th August.

There will be no deduction for assessment period ending 16th September onwards (if she is going back to studying, her new academic year deductions may start then as she has such a short break between years)

Postgraduate Loan

If you are studying Postgraduate and are eligible for Postgraduate Master's Loan or Postgraduate 

Doctoral Loan, the regarded amount of student income will be 30% of your loan. This is because it is assumed you will need to pay course fees from your loan.

If your course will be one year, your relevant number of assessment periods will be 12.

If your course will be two years, your relevant number of assessment periods will be 24.

If your course will be three years, your relevant number of assessment periods will be 36.

Now you have your regarded amount of student income and the relevant number of assessment periods , you can work out the deduction from your UC payment during the academic year.

Total regarded student income divided by number of assessment periods then deduct £110. This figure will be deducted per relevant assessment period, regardless of your student income payment schedule.

We have a calculator for you to help with the maths. You can access this calculator by clicking here  but we have provided a real life examples with the working out for you.

Example Harry

Harry has a Postgraduate Master's Loan of £11,570 and is completing course in one year.

30% of £11,570 is £3,471

£3,471 divided by 12 is £289.25

£289.25 - £110 is £179.25

Harry will have £179.25 deducted per month for 12 months.

Universal Credit and students

You cannot usually get Universal Credit if you are studying full-time. There are some exceptions

Studying full-time

You may be able to get Universal Credit if you are studying full-time and any of the following apply:

• you’re aged 21 or under, in full-time  non-advanced education
• and do not have parental support
• you are responsible for a child
• you live with your partner and they are eligible for Universal Credit
• you have reached the  qualifying age for Pension Credit
• and live with a partner who is under that age
• Personal Independence Payment
• Disability Living Allowance
• Attendance Allowance
• Armed Forces Independence Payment

You may also be able to get Universal Credit if you’re studying in full-time  non-advanced education , you do not get a student loan or maintenance grant and you are available for work. If the course is more than 12 hours a week, this only applies from 1 September following your 19th birthday. This is because your parents can claim benefits for you before that date.

You may be asked to provide evidence of the course you are doing .

Aged 21 or under, in non-advanced education and do not have parental support

This includes if you have left care provided by the local council or you are without parental support.

You may be eligible for Universal Credit if :

• you’re on a full-time course of  non-advanced education  or training that started before you reached age 21
• you reach age 21 while you are on the course

You can continue to get Universal Credit until:

the end of the academic year in which you reach age 21

the end of the course, if it ends before you reach age 21 You are responsible for a child

The child may be adopted or a foster child.

For couples, one of you or both of you may be a student.

What counts as a full-time course

The education or training provider usually decides whether a course is full-time.

If you attend a full-time course on a part-time basis, you will be treated as studying full-time.

A course is an arrangement of study, tuition or training. It can be academic, practical, or a combination of both. It is usually done at, or by arrangement with, an education or training provider.

It will often lead to a qualification when it is completed. Some non-advanced study, tuition or training, may not lead to a qualification. This does not mean that it is not a course.

Examples of full-time courses of advanced education

Full-time courses of advanced education include those leading to:

• a postgraduate degree or comparable qualification
• a first degree or comparable qualification
• a diploma of higher education
• a higher national diploma
• advanced GNVQ or equivalent
• a Scottish higher or advanced higher national qualification

Examples of full-time courses of non-advanced education

Non-advanced education is any qualification up to A Level, or equivalent. Full-time courses include:

• National Qualification Framework level 3 or the Scottish Qualification framework level 6
• General Certificate of Education Advanced level (A Level)
• Advanced Diploma
• National Diploma, Certificate or Award
• Level 3 NVQ, Award, Certificate or Diploma

Studying part-time study

• You may be able to get Universal Credit if you are available for work and studying part time.
• If the course is more than 12 hours a week  non-advanced education , this only applies from 1 September following your 19th birthday. This is because your parents can claim benefits for you before that date.
• You may be asked to provide evidence of the course you are doing.

Student income and your Universal Credit

Your student income can affect how much Universal Credit you get.

Universal Credit is usually paid once a month and is based on your circumstances during that month. This is called your ‘assessment period’.

For each assessment period that you attend the course, an amount for any student income you get will be taken off your Universal Credit. The amount is worked out from the actual student income you get that month less a set amount for expenses.

However, no student income will be taken off your Universal Credit if:

• the assessment period covers the first day of the summer holidays
• you are on summer holiday for the whole of a subsequent assessment period
• your course ends during the assessment period

Student loans

• You may be entitled to Universal Credit if you receive a student loan. There are different types of student loans and there are different rules depending on which loan you receive.
• When working out your Universal Credit, any loan amount that is intended to cover tuition fees and other costs of study will be excluded.
• Loans that cover maintenance, such as living expenses, rent and bills, will be deducted from your Universal Credit. Most loans pay tuition and maintenance in separate payments.
• However, if you receive a Special Support Loan or Grant, this will not be deducted from your Universal Credit. This provides help towards costs of study, such as for books, equipment, travel etc.

Special Support Loan or Grant

You may get a Special Support Loan or Grant if you get or qualify for:

• Income Support
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Housing Benefit
• the housing element of Universal Credit

You may get the Special Support Loan or Grant if, for example, you are a lone parent or have certain disabilities.

If you live in England the Special Support Grant was replaced by the Special Support Loan from the beginning of the 2016 to 2017 academic year. If you live in Wales, it is called a Special Support Grant.

You will be told if you can get the Loan or Grant when you apply for student finance.

If you receive a loan that pays maintenance and tuition in a single payment, for example a Postgraduate Master’s Degree Loan, a proportion of your loan will be excluded from your Universal Credit payment and the rest is deducted.

Postgraduate Master’s Loan

A Postgraduate Master’s Loan can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate master’s course.

Funding for postgraduate loans is different if you normally live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. Moving somewhere to study does not count as normally living there.

Postgraduate Doctoral Loan

A Postgraduate Doctoral Loan can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate doctoral course, such as a PhD.

Funding for a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan is different if you normally live in Wales.

The Postgraduate Master’s and Doctoral loans are paid as one payment in 3 instalments over each year of the course and are all treated the same way when working out your Universal Credit. They are all a contribution to both living costs and tuition fees.

When working out your Universal Credit, 30% of the loan will be taken into account and the rest will be excluded.

If you are a full-time higher education student, you may be able to get a non-repayable grant from the government to help with accommodation and other living costs. There are also other types of grants that can help with things like childcare, tuition fees or examination fees. If you are in receipt of Universal Credit and you receive a student grant, it will be fully excluded from the calculation if the grant is for the following:

• tuition and examination fees
• your disability
• expenses for residential study away from an educational establishment
• living away from your usual place of study
• maintenance of dependent adult
• books and equipment
• travel expenses
• childcare costs

Claimant commitment

• To be able to get Universal Credit, everyone has to agree to a claimant commitment.
• If you are claiming Universal Credit as a student who has taken time out from your course, you may be expected to take some actions as part of your claimant commitment. You will have to talk with your work coach to find out.
• If you are claiming Universal Credit as a student under 21 doing a course that leads to qualifications up to A level standard, you will not have to do anything under your claimant commitment.
• If you are claiming Universal Credit as a student and you receive student income such as a grant or loan, you will not have to do anything under your claimant commitment.

Even if you do not fall into either of these two groups, you might not have to do anything under the normal rules on claimant commitments.

CALCULATING STUDENT INCOME

UC is paid for an ‘assessment period’ of one month. Student income counts as income in assessment periods that fall during the course, as well as in the assessment period in which the course, and any subsequent year of the course, begins. Student income is ignored in the assessment period in which the end of the course or the start of the long vacation falls. The long vacation is the longest holiday, lasting at least a month, in a course which is at least two years long. Student income is also ignored in any other assessment period that falls completely within the long vacation.

In each assessment period, £110 of student income is disregarded.

To work out how much of your student income is taken into account:

Step one:  calculate your annual loan or grant or, if the course lasts for less than a year, the amount of loan or grant for the course.

Step two:  work out how many assessment periods apply for that year, or for the course if it is less than a year long.

Step three:  divide the amount from Step one by the number of assessment periods in Step two.

Step four:  deduct £110.

Claire gets a student loan of £10,815 in total. This includes a special support element of £4,014, which is disregarded, leaving £6,801. Year one of her course runs from 27th September 2021 to 13th May 2022. Her assessment periods run from the 20th of the month to the 19th of the following month. Her loan counts as income for seven assessment periods.

£6,801 ÷ 7 = £971.57

£971.57 - £110 = £861.57

Claire’s UC is calculated on student income of £861.57 a month from 20th September 2021 to 19th April 2022.

• Skip to main content
• Skip to footer

•   Student Services Online
• Type to search Student Services Online

What welfare benefits can I claim when my course ends?

If you are about to graduate, looking for a new job may be challenging for a while, so you need to know what your options are with respect to financial support and where you stand with bills and banking . In this article we address some key questions which may be concerning you:  

• I don’t have a full-time job; can I claim welfare benefits?
• Are there any conditions around residence for claiming benefits?
• What is the difference between Universal Credit and Job Seekers Allowance?
• If I have savings does this affect my eligibility for benefits?
• What if I am unable to work due to sickness or disability?
• Can I still receive money and housing advice from King’s if I experience financial issues after I graduate?

Most full-time students don’t qualify for welfare benefits but once your course officially ends you may be eligible to apply for help with living and housing costs, if you don’t have sufficient income or savings to live on. You may have some concerns about claiming welfare benefits, but you shouldn’t feel bad about claiming Universal Credit or Job Seekers Allowance .  As a graduate, these benefits are in place to help you transition from full-time study to work, even if you are living at home or have job lined up in a few weeks.  This is an important safety net, which you should claim just in case anything changes.  If you meet the eligibility criteria below you should claim from the day after your official course end date. Important to know:

• It is essential that you apply on time, as backdating the claim is not always possible and it can take at least 5 weeks to process your application.
• To claim out of work or low-income benefits, you will need to demonstrate that the UK (or Ireland, Channel Islands or Isle of Man) is your main home and you plan to stay.
• You must also have the right to reside in the UK, so if you are not a UK national there may be restrictions on what you can claim or further evidence that you must provide.

You can claim universal credit if you're classed as ' habitually resident ' in the UK, Ireland, Channel Islands or Isle of Man . ‘Habitual residence’ means you're settled here for the foreseeable future and you would have been living in the UK for a minimum of the last 2 years.

Important to know: There are further criteria if you are returning to the UK to settle and have been temporarily overseas. We advise that you please seek advice on your personal situation. If you  require a visa   to live, work or study in the UK , the rules are complex  You can usually claim Universal Credit if you have been granted Indefinite Leave to remain (ILR) , unless your ILR was granted because of a relative sponsoring you – 5 years must have passed or the sponsor has died. If you have limited leave to remain , and you are on a Student Visa (previously known as Tier 4) or as a dependant on a Tier 1 or Tier 2 you are likely to have a “no recourse to public funds” condition on your visa.  This prohibits you from claiming most welfare benefits. However there are some benefits that are linked to national insurance contribution, and therefore not considered public funds, so if you have worked in the past you may qualify for them:

• Bereavement benefits
• Contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) (or ‘new style’ JSA)*
• NHS treatment - but you may have paid a fee for this when you applied to stay in the UK (this is called the ‘immigration health surcharge’)
• State-funded schools
• State Pension
• Statutory maternity pay

You can check what’s included in public funds from the UK government website .  

If you have worked and paid National Insurance (NI) contributions during the last 2 years it is best to claim contribution-based or the new style Job Seeker’s Allowance (JSA) (if you are in a Universal Credit area). This is because your savings, capital and partner’s income won’t affect your claim.  It also doesn’t matter what country you are from because JSA is based on NI contributions and is not a public fund. This is paid for 6 months only but may be the support you need while you seek graduate work.

Important to know: You can also claim contribution based JSA up to 3 months before you need it, but the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) don’t always accept this. If you are not sure if you have paid enough NI contributions you can check this here - Check your National Insurance record . If you have not been working and are eligible to do so you can claim Universal Credit instead. If you are working but only receiving a low income, you may also qualify for help from Universal Credit but your savings will be taken into consideration, and as a public fund non-EEA nationals will not be able to claim it.  

If you are applying for Universal Credit, and you or your partner have £16,000 or more in savings you will not be entitled to help from the benefit.  If you have between £6,000 and £16,000 in savings, then a reduction is calculated based on the amount you have.  Any savings under £6,000 are ignored.  You can find out more from the Money Advice Service .  

You may be entitled to additional payments or you could apply for supplementary benefits .  Some of these are ‘ means-tested ’ but most are based on how your illness or disability affects you and the amount of support you need.  Important to know: If you have a “no recourse to public funds” condition on your visa then you are not permitted to apply, but we advise that you seek advice on your rights and any other options available to you.

The Money & Housing Advice team at King’s College London are happy to provide advice and information for up to 4 months after you complete your studies, but we may not be able to act on your behalf.  If you do need an advocate, we can signpost you to relevant services. 

Related Articles (3)

Student FAQs

These are some of the common queries we receive concerning disabled students. If you cannot find the answer to your question among these FAQs then why not call our  Disabled Students Helpline .

Can I claim Universal Credit as a full-time disabled student?

Universal Credit is a new benefit which has been rolled out across the UK to replace the following “legacy” working age means-tested benefits: income support; income-based jobseeker's allowance; income-related employment and support allowance; child tax credit and working tax credit; and housing benefit.

Most full-time students are not eligible for Universal Credit. However, there are some exceptions to this rule.

You can claim Universal Credit if you are receiving education and:

• are in non-advanced education, are under the age of 21 (or are 21 and reached that age while undertaking the course) and have no parental support;
• are responsible for a child or ‘qualifying young person’;
• are over pension age and have a partner who has not reached that age;
• are waiting to return to your course after taking time out because of illness or caring responsibilities;
• you live with your partner and they’re eligible for Universal Credit;
• you’ve received a Migration Notice telling you to move to Universal Credit;
• are entitled to attendance allowance, disability living allowance or personal independence payment and you have been assessed as having a “limited capability for work” before starting your course.

If you have not been assessed as having a “limited capability for work” before starting full-time study, the DWP will refuse your Universal Credit claim.

If you’re a student who is able to claim Universal Credit you will be placed in the ‘no work-related requirements’ group while you’re:

• studying if you’re in receipt of student income such as a maintenance loan  
• under 21 (or are 21 and reached that age while undertaking the course), in full-time non-advanced education and have no parental support.

Normally this applies over the whole academic year but during the summer vacation you may be subject to work-related requirements. If you aren’t exempt from work-related requirements under these rules you may still be exempt under the general rules, for example if you have a limited capability for work related activity.

Universal Credit is means-tested. If you are entitled to student income, it is likely to be counted as income for Universal Credit and reduce the award that you get.

For detailed information on how student income affects Universal Credit and an example of how student income is calculated see the Child Poverty Action Group factsheet  Universal Credit and Students .

For more information on Universal Credit please see also our factsheet –  Universal Credit .

BACK TO START

Can I continue to claim Universal Credit as a part-time student?

As a part-time student you can continue to claim Universal Credit if your course is compatible with your work-related requirements. If you are subject to all work-related requirements under Universal Credit you must show that you meet these, despite being on a part-time course. What your work-related activities are will depend on your circumstances. For example, if you are expected to look for work and be available for work, you will have to show that your course won’t stop you from doing this.

I receive Universal Credit and PIP.  I have been assessed as having a limited capability for work.

I will be starting a full-time undergraduate degree course and will be entitled to a tuition fee loan, maintenance loan and Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA). How will my entitlement affect my Universal Credit?

Your student income can affect how much Universal Credit you get. Universal Credit is paid monthly and is based on your circumstances during that month. This is called your ‘assessment period’. For each assessment period that you attend the course, an amount for student income you receive or are entitled to receive is taken off your Universal Credit.

The tuition fee loan and DSA are ignored as income for Universal Credit.

If you’re eligible for a maintenance loan, part of it counts as income even if you choose not to take it.

As an undergraduate student, if you qualify for certain benefits such as DLA or PIP you will be entitled to receive more support with living costs. The loan has a maintenance element and a special support element (up to £4,221). The special support element will be ignored as income for means-tested benefits.

It can be complicated to calculate how much Universal Credit you might finally receive, but here is an example.

If you’re a first-year student, the maximum loan for the 2023/24 year outside of London is £11,374. This includes a special support element of £4,221.

After ignoring the special support element, the remainder £7,153 will be the maximum maintenance loan.

For this example, I have counted the loan as income over eight assessment periods in the first year of the course. If the remaining £7,153 is divided over 8 assessment periods, your monthly loan will be £894.13. 

£110 is disregarded for expenses in each assessment period.

After £110 has been disregarded, the remaining £784.13 will be treated as income and your Universal Credit will be reduced by this amount each month over the eight assessment periods.

You will get full Universal Credit during the summer vacation between the first and second year of the course. Your Universal Credit will reduce again in the assessment period in which the second year of the course begins.

Can I claim employment and support allowance as a full time advanced higher education student?

You can claim  New Style ESA  if you have paid enough national insurance (NI) contributions over a certain period of time, normally the last 2 to 3 years. You will have to satisfy the limited capability for work test.

You can check your national insurance record online or by calling HMRC. For more on this see: Check if you are eligible for ESA at  www.citizensadvice.org.uk   

It is no longer possible to make new claims for income-related ESA. Income-related ESA has been replaced for new claimants by Universal Credit.

As a full-time student you will be able to continue an existing claim for income-related ESA if you receive DLA or PIP and your circumstances do not change.

Income-related ESA is means-tested. If you are entitled to student income, it may be counted as income and reduce the award that you get.

I receive income-related Employment and Support Allowance, PIP and Housing Benefit. How will my entitlement to loans as a full-time undergraduate student affect my means-tested benefits?

In higher education, if you’re eligible for a student maintenance loan, part of it will be considered as income.

It can be complicated to calculate how much benefit you might finally receive, but here is an example of a full-time student.

After ignoring the special support element, the remainder £7,153 will be the maximum maintenance loan. The benefit rules allow you £303 a year for travel costs and £390 a year for books and equipment.

The remaining £6,460 is divided over 42 or 43 weeks, depending on the total number of term weeks.

A further £10 a week is disregarded.

The rest counts as income.

So if your term weeks add up to 42, your weekly loan will be £153.81.

After £10 has been disregarded the remaining £143.81 will be treated as income.

How will my entitlement to a full-time postgraduate or doctoral loan affect means-tested benefits?

If are entitled to a postgraduate or doctoral loan, 30% of this loan will be taken into account as student income for means-tested benefits. You will be treated as having this income if you are entitled to it, even if you choose not to take it. There is no differentiation on whether the payments are for fees or living costs. Disregards are applied.

Is it possible to get Housing Benefit to help pay for student halls?

You can continue to claim Housing Benefit to help pay for rent of student halls if you are an existing Housing Benefit claimant and move to new accommodation within the same local authority area.

Please see our factsheet -  Housing Benefit  for more information on all the different routes through which you may qualify for Housing Benefit as a full-time student.

If you don’t already claim Housing Benefit you may be eligible for Universal Credit to help cover your rent instead.

What support can I get with my disability on my course? 

If you have a disability you may need support to access the course and successfully complete your studies.

Support can include many different things, for example:

• Specialist equipment, such as a voice-activated computer
• Sign-language interpreters
• Tape or digital recorder for lectures and notes
• Extra tutorial help
• Changing the height of desks
• Allowing you extra time to complete essays or exams
• Providing handouts on different colour paper, or in a larger font
• Transport to and from college

What is considered reasonable depends on each individual case. You can get more suggestions on possible adjustments by reading our factsheet -  adjustments for disabled students and apprentices .

You should be able to have a confidential discussion with the staff member responsible for disability, usually called the additional learning support adviser or disability adviser. They should arrange for a needs assessment – a face-to-face meeting with a trained assessor who understands about your disability. The assessor will send you a report summarising the extra help that you will receive.

If you have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan, with your permission your school/careers adviser will pass on information about your support needs to the college.

Further education colleges get money from their funding body to provide support. This is usually called Learning Support. If you’re aged 19-24 and have very high support needs, you’ll likely to have an EHC plan and will get individual funding from your local authority. If not, the college can apply for extra money called Exceptional Learning Support.

In higher education, you can apply for Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA). DSAs are for extra costs you have on your course because of your disability. They are divided into four categories: specialist equipment, non-medical helper, general expenditure and travel. You can get more information on DSA from our factsheet -  applying for disabled students’ allowance .

How do I pay for transport to college?

There are several organisations involved in providing transport to and from college.

In England the Local Authority (LA) must publish a transport policy statement each year which sets out the travel arrangements available to all young learners aged 16 to 19 to participate in education. This can include subsidised bus passes or transport provided by the local authority such as a mini bus or taxi.

The LA also has a duty to encourage and assist disabled young people to participate in education up to the age of 25. It therefore follows that it is good practice for LA’s to include information about what transport arrangements are available for disabled young learners. Guidance says that transport should enable a young person to reach their place of education or training without such stress, strain or difficulty that would prevent them from benefiting from the education provided.

The LA does not have to provide free transport and can ask you to contribute towards the costs of travel.

There are different sources of funding to help with help with travel costs. The 16-19 bursary can help with education-related costs, including transport if you meet the eligibility criteria. Young people over 19 can apply for financial assistance through the colleges discretionary support fund.

By law, Social Services also have the power to pay for transport to and from college. But Social Services may have limited resources and are allowed to take this into account when deciding whether to provide services, including transport.    If you’re unable to get the funding you need for transport from any of the sources we have listed, you could consider applying to a charitable trust. For more information refer to our information factsheet -  funding from charitable trusts .

Who pays for my personal care at university?

Social services have a legal responsibility to meet the day-to-day needs of disabled people and this includes personal care support as well as practical and emotional support that you may need to manage your life and be independent. Education providers on the other hand have a duty to provide educational support.

If you have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan this will cease when you start higher education. Even though the EHC plan will cease, the health and care support you are entitled to will continue. The care part of the EHC plan, known as the Care and Support Plan, will continue in its own right as a statutory plan. Care and Support needs are reassessed by Social Services annually and when there is a change in circumstances such as leaving home to attend a course. If you move away from your home area to attend a course, the funding responsibilities rest with the Social Services Department of the local authority where you are ‘ordinarily resident’. For most students this will be the local authority where they are coming from, where they feel most settled and have the strongest ties.

If you’re considering care and support for the first time, you need to contact your local Adult Social Care Department. You can ask for an assessment of all your care and support needs, carried out by a trained assessor or social worker who will focus on your needs and outcomes that matter to you in your life.

You should not be denied an assessment if it is apparent to the local authority that you have needs for care and support. The assessment will look at the total extent of your needs before your eligibility is considered. The local authority will use the national eligibility criteria to determine your eligibility for care and support by looking at whether:

• Your needs are related to your physical, cognitive, sensory or mental disability or illness
• As a result of those needs, you are unable to achieve at least two of the outcomes specified in the Care Act (such as managing nutrition and personal hygiene)
• There is likely to be a significant impact on your well-being as a consequence of being unable to achieve these outcomes.

The needs assessment should decide whether you’re eligible for services, what needs you have and which of these needs social services will pay for. Social services are allowed to make a charge for services but they should also take into consideration your ability to pay following a financial assessment.

All universities and further education colleges are covered by the Public Sector Equality Duty This came into force in April 2011 and requires them to:

• Eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation
• Advance equality of opportunity.
• Foster good relations.

Actions could include adapting  accommodation  for you and arranging assistance from volunteers.

I want to complain about the way I've been treated on my course. I think it might be discrimination. What should I do? 

It’s usually best to try to resolve the complaint informally first. If you’re thinking about making a complaint you may find it easier to approach your tutor, additional learning support adviser or disability adviser first. This is a more informal way to resolve the problem. If you’re not satisfied with the outcome of this, you can make a formal complaint in writing. You can find out about the internal complaints procedure from your student handbook, the college or university website or directly from the university or college.   For support in resolving the issue informally, advice on using conciliation or mediation services and information about civil legal aid, please contact our  Disabled Students Helpline  .      For more information on taking your complaint further, see our Factsheet F47 -  making a complaint .

Further help or information

For further information on the support that is available for disabled students, please contact our  Disabled Students Helpline  -  0330 995 0414 .

We also produce a range of  education factsheets  covering these subjects and frequently asked questions which you can access through our website at  disabilityrightsuk.org .

26 July 2023

• Weekly email
• Martin's Blog
• Deals Hunters' Blog
• About the site

PhD writing up and universal credit. Advice?

• All Categories
• 345.6K Banking & Borrowing
• 251K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
• 450.8K Spending & Discounts
• 237.6K Work, Benefits & Business
• 612.3K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
• 174.2K Life & Family
• 250.7K Travel & Transport
• 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
• 16K Discuss & Feedback
• 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards

The cost of standard first-class stamps will rise by an inflation-busting 22% from Monday 7 October, Royal Mail has confirmed – but if you buy some now, you'll still be able to use them after prices go up.

Nationwide will raise the fee on its popular FlexPlus packaged bank account from £13 a month to £18 a month in December, the building society has announced. If you've got the account, it's likely worth sticking with for now – though you should diarise to look at alternatives when the new fee kicks in. Here's what you need to know.

You can get FREE access to many historical sites and tourist attractions this month including National Trust sites, castles, locations used for TV and film including Pride and Prejudice , The King's Speech , and Bridgerton, and more. It's all part of heritage open days across the UK.

If you're on certain benefits, such as Universal Credit, you may be able to get up to £200 to put toward the cost of your child's school uniform in the form of a non-repayable grant. We've pulled together a list of the councils that offer the support and how to apply.

There are many versions of the classic Monopoly game these days but one that many fast-foodies look forward to each year is McDonald's Monopoly. If you're going to eat under the golden arches or order a McDelivery, this promo can be a fun way to win a 'free' bite to eat, or if you're lucky, something bigger.  

If you're a Halifax or Lloyds mortgage borrower you'll soon only be able to lock in a new rate up to four months ahead of your current deal ending – down from six months. It means you've less time to insure yourself against rates rising before your existing mortgage comes to an end – though rates have been on a downward trajectory for the past few months.

If you've got a Tesco Clubcard, check if you have any vouchers close to expiring, as £14 million-worth are due to run out by the end of today (Saturday 31 August). Don't want to spend your vouchers yet? We've got a trick to extend their validity.

Walking has great value – not just to your health, or to the environment, but also monetary value. This is because there are a plethora of free apps (or ones you can use if you have certain health/life insurance plans) that effectively pay you to walk.

Is this how you want to be seen?

Get our free weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free.

Cookies on GOV.UK

We use some essential cookies to make this website work.

We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.

We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

Universal Credit

What you'll get.

Universal Credit is paid monthly . How much you get depends on:

• your standard allowance
• any extra amounts that apply to you
• any money taken off your payment
• if you’re working, how much you earn

See how much you could get by using a benefits calculator .

Standard allowance

You’ll get one standard allowance for your household.

Extra amounts

You may get more money on top of your standard allowance if you’re eligible.

If you have children

You could get an extra amount for your children if they live with you. You would get the extra amount until the 31 August after their:

• 16th birthday
• 19th birthday, if they’re in eligible education or training – for example, they’re studying for GCSEs, A levels, BTECs, Scottish Highers and SVQs or NVQs up to level 3

You’ll only get an extra amount for your first and second child. You will not get an extra amount for any more children unless:

• your children were born before 6 April 2017
• you were already claiming for 3 or more children before 6 April 2017
• other exceptions apply

You’ll also get an extra amount if any of your children are disabled. You’re eligible for this extra amount no matter how many children you have.

You’ll get:

• £156.11 if your child is disabled
• £487.58 if your child is severely disabled

Childcare costs

You can claim back up to 85% of your childcare costs if you’re working. If you live with your partner both of you need to be working, unless one of you is unable to work due to a disability or health condition.

The childcare needs to be from a registered provider. You can get help paying for childcare including nurseries, childminders, breakfast clubs, after school care and holiday clubs.

The most you can get each month is:

£1,014.63 for one child

£1,739.37 for 2 or more children

You need to pay your childcare costs up front and claim the money back as part of your payment. You can get support to help you pay your childcare costs up front. Talk to your work coach after you’ve made your claim.

Read more about childcare costs and Universal Credit .

If you have a disability or health condition

If you live with your partner and you both have limited capability for work and work-related activity, you’ll only get one extra monthly amount.

If you get the severe disability premium and you’re moving to Universal Credit, you might also be entitled to a ‘transitional protection’ payment.

Read more about health conditions, disability and Universal Credit .

If you care for someone who gets a health or disability-related benefit

You could get an extra amount if you care for someone who gets one of the following benefits:

• Adult Disability Payment – standard or enhanced award
• Armed Forces Independence Payment  
• Attendance Allowance
• Child Disability Payment – middle or highest care award
• Constant Attendance Allowance - full day rate, intermediate rate or exceptional rate with Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
• Constant Attendance Allowance - full day rate with a War Disablement Pension
• Disability Living Allowance – middle or highest care rate
• Personal Independence Payment – either rate of the daily living part

You need to provide care for them for at least 35 hours a week.

You’ll get an extra monthly amount of £198.31.

This is on top of any extra amount you get if you have a disabled child.

Housing costs

You could get money to help pay your housing costs . The payment can cover rent and some service charges.

If you’re a homeowner, you might be able to get a loan to help with interest payments on your mortgage.

Money taken off your payment

Your payments might be reduced if any of the following apply:

you are paying back an advance on a Universal Credit payment

you would get above the amount limited by the benefit cap

you’ve been overpaid benefits in the past

you owe money for Council Tax, court fines, electricity, gas, water or Child Maintenance

you pay your gas or electricity bill directly from your Universal Credit payment

you have a paid job

you have other income – for example, money from pensions or certain other benefits

you have more than £6,000 in money, savings and investments

If you have over £6,000 in money, savings and investments, your payment will be reduced by £4.35 for every £250 you have between £6,000 and £16,000. Another £4.35 is taken off for any remaining amount that is not a complete £250.

Find out more about money taken off your Universal Credit payment .

Benefits that affect how much Universal Credit you get

You can get Universal Credit at the same time as other benefits. Your Universal Credit payment will be reduced by an amount equal to the other benefit’s payment. This applies when you get Universal Credit and any of the following benefits:

• Armed Forces Pensions
• Carer’s Allowance
• Carer Support Payment (Scotland)
• Incapacity Benefit
• Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (excluding any increases where constant attendance is needed and for exceptionally severe disablement)
• Maternity Allowance
• New Style Employment and Support Allowance
• New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Severe Disablement Allowance
• State Pension
• Widowed Mother’s Allowance
• Widowed Parent’s Allowance

Moving to Universal Credit from other benefits

If you’ve applied for Universal Credit, you’ll keep getting your current benefit paid for 2 more weeks. You must still be eligible for your current benefit.

This only applies if you’re getting:

income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

income-related Employment and Support Allowance

Income Support

Housing Benefit

You will not need to pay back the extra payments and they will not affect the Universal Credit you might get.

If you’ve received a Migration Notice letter telling you to claim Universal Credit, you might also get a ‘transitional protection’ payment .

Other support you could get

If you receive Universal Credit you may also be able to get other financial support depending on your circumstances.

If your Universal Credit claim is reviewed

Your claim might be reviewed to make sure you’re getting the right payment and support. Find out more about Universal Credit reviews .

Related content

Is this page useful.

• Yes this page is useful
• No this page is not useful

Help us improve GOV.UK

Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.

To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. Please fill in this survey (opens in a new tab) .

Graduate tuition and fees

The net cost for a graduate education varies by individual student, graduate program, graduate assistantships (GA) and enrollment status.

Domestic student with GA

Tuition rates vary by graduate assistantship (e.g., 10-hours, 15-hours, 20-hours).

Domestic student without GA

Academic year 2024-2025 base tuition is $344.25 per-credit, but varies based on residency.

International student with GA

International student without GA

Online program tuition and fees

Tuition and fees vary by individual online graduate program.

• Online Master of Accountancy (MAcc)
• Online Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA)
• Online Master of Science in Cybersecurity (MSCY)
• Online Master of Public Health (MPH)
• Online Master of Social Work (MSW)