Spires and top of crenelated wall of the Bodleian
Spires of the Bodleian Library
(Image Credit: Liam Peck / Graduate Photography Competition)

Other loans

If you are unable to obtain scholarship funding for your studies at Oxford, another option may be taking out a loan to meet your costs. 

Loan funding is normally 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 your government's 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 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 vary widely.

Wherever possible, apply for low interest government loans first and only apply for high interest private loans if you require additional funds. Be aware that some loan programmes may have a limit on the amount of funding that will be provided.

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. These loans and eligibility are subject to change at the relevant organisation's discretion and are beyond the University's control. 

Canadian loans

Canadian students should visit the Government of Canada student loans website for information about the loans the Government of Canada offers to eligible full- and part-time post-secondary students.

Provincial and Territorial Student Aid

If you need any loan, enrolment, tuition fee confirmation or deferment forms completed, please email the US loans team. It is the US loans team who must complete all forms relating to Canadian loans, rather than your department or college. 

If we have completed enrolment forms for your Canadian funding and you later suspend, withdraw or change status, please contact your loan provider to see if any further paperwork must be completed.

If your province or territory is not listed as designated for the University of Oxford, you will need to submit a designation application form. This should be available through your provincial website and once requested should be sent to the US loans team who will then submit this on your behalf. Please note that it takes six to eight weeks for a designation application form to be processed by the province and only once this has been approved can you begin your loan application.

Please note that all forms will need to be submitted for completion in English, as we are unable to complete forms in French.

We recommend that forms are submitted to your province/territory electronically where possible. Whilst we can post paper forms for you, postal delays can cause the forms to arrive after expiry which can lead to delays with your loan application and funding.

If you are looking for information on tax credits please see the US and Canadian tax credits page.

Indian loans

Indian students may be eligible for loans through the Credila Indian Student Loan Program offered via Global Education Management Services (GEMS) or through GyanDhan Loan Program available via GyanDhan. 

US loans

For more information please visit the US federal loans or US private loans pages. If you are looking for information on tax credits please see the US and Canadian tax credits page.

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