Other loans
If you are unable to obtain scholarship or grant funding for your studies at Oxford, another option may be take out a loan to meet your costs. Loan funding is dependent on your country of residence, as it is often linked to government or state-run schemes, so you should contact your local education authority or Department of Education for more information.
If government or local authority funding is not an option (particularly for countries which do not fund students to study abroad), you could look into the possibility of private education loans. UK banks rarely lend funds to non-UK residents, so you will need to approach lending institutions in your home country if you are an EU or international student. UK residents should compare bank loans before making an application: although some UK banks offer loans specifically for graduate students to fund their studies, interest rates and terms and conditions will vary widely.
Wherever possible, apply for lower interest government or subsidised loans first, and only then apply for higher-interest private loans if you require additional funds. Be aware that some loan programmes may have a limit on the amount of funding they can provide - will this be sufficient for the duration of your course?
We are aware of a small number of education-specific loan schemes available to graduate students at Oxford, and these are listed below by region.
UK / EU students
Professional and Career Development Loans (PCDL)
These loans are provided by Barclays Bank and the Co-operative Bank, with the interest paid by the Learning and Skills Council for two years while you are undertaking your course. Loans are between £300 and £10,000 and can cover fees and living costs, with fees payable directly to your college. Loans are available for up to two years and are open to UK and EU graduates. For more information, visit the Directgov website or call 0800 585 505.
Canadian students
Canadian students may be eligible for support through two different government student loan programmes:
The federal programme, called the Canada Student Loans Program.
Provincial and territorial programmes. In four provinces (Ontario; Saskatchewan; Newfoundland and Labrador; New Brunswick), provincial-federal loan programmes are integrated. You apply to only one agency in your province of residence and the loan management and repayment will be made through the National Student Loans Service Centre. All remaining provinces and territories, with the exception of Yukon, offer stand-alone loan programmes. Students apply to one agency to receive their student financial assistance, but will receive and manage two separate loans. To learn more about the programmes go to the CanLearn website.
If you take out a loan through one of these programmes and need to have enrolment forms and tuition fee confirmation forms completed, please email us.loans@admin.ox.ac.uk
Indian students
Indian students may be eligible for loans through the Credila Indian Student Loan Program offered via Global Education Management Services (GEMS).