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Welsh Government
Data Provider: Welsh Government Cumulative number of applications for student finance by academic year, type of support and cohort
None
Entry CohortGrouping of student finance applicants according to the student finance regulations against which the applicant was assessed for support. Student finance applications are covered by transitional protection which means they continue to be assessed against the regulations in place for their first year of study. Students changing courses, or starting a new period of study no longer receive transitional protection and will be assessed under the arrangements in place for their latest year of study. [Filtered]
Measure1
Academic Year[Filter]
Support TypeIn 2006/07, loans to cover the cost of tuition fees (TFLs) became available to all Welsh students and those EU domiciled students studying in Wales. Tuition fee payments can be deferred until students have left higher education and are earning over £15,000 (or £21,000 for those entering higher education from 2012/13). New arrangements have been put in place for the 2012/13 academic year following the introduction of higher variable tuition fees of up to £9,000. From the 1 September 2012, students who normally live in Wales and are entering an UK Higher Education Institution (HEI) or college charging variable tuition fees (of up to a maximum of £9,000) will be eligible to receive a Tuition Fee Grant (TFG) of up to £5,535. Welsh domiciled students and EU domiciled students studying in Wales who started their course between September 2006 and August 2010, are eligible for a non-means tested TFG of up to £2,085 (2012/13 level). The grants are not means-tested and are non-repayable. Students commencing their studies between 1 September 2010 and 31 August 2012 are not eligible for a TFG. These monthly updates may provide an early indication of student numbers compared with the previous year, though changes in the application process, such as timing, can affect comparisons.Applications are counted from the month in which they reach one of the following workstages: 1 Eligibility Incomplete; 2 Entitlement Incomplete; 3 Pending LEA Manual Assessment; 9 Awaiting Validation; 10 Awaiting LEA Approval; 12 Approved; 18 Held, 23 Approved - Awaiting Signature. [Filter]
MonthAs at last Sunday of the month (due to the way the Student Loans Company\'s database is updated). Applications received after March in each academic year are not reported in this table due to the rollover to the next academic year. Figures may change slightly due to late applications or appeals.[Filter]
[Collapse]2024/25Applications for 2024/25 are set as at the last Sunday of the month shown, compared to the corresponding point in the previous year.[Collapse]2023/24Applications for 2023/24 are set as at the last Sunday of the month shown, compared to the corresponding point in the previous year.[Collapse]2022/23Applications for 2022/23 are set as at the last Sunday of the month shown, compared to the corresponding point in the previous year.[Collapse]2021/22Applications for 2021/22 are set as at the last Sunday of the month shown, compared to the corresponding point in the previous year.[Expand]Click here to sort2020/21Applications for 2020/21 are set as at the last Sunday of the month shown, compared to the corresponding point in the previous year.[Expand]Click here to sort2019/20Applications for 2019/20 are set as at the last Sunday of the month shown, compared to the corresponding point in the previous year.[Expand]Click here to sort2018/19Applications for 2018/19 are set as at the last Sunday of the month shown, compared to the corresponding point in the previous year.[Expand]Click here to sort2017/18Applications for 2017/18 are set as at the last Sunday of the month shown, compared to the corresponding point in the previous year.[Expand]Click here to sort2016/17Applications for 2016/17 are set as at the last Sunday of the month shown, compared to the corresponding point in the previous year.[Expand]Click here to sort2015/16Applications for 2015/16 are set as at the last Sunday of the month shown, compared to the corresponding point in the previous year.[Expand]Click here to sort2014/15Applications for 2014/15 are set as at the last Sunday of the month shown, compared to the corresponding point in the previous year.[Expand]Click here to sort2013/14Applications for 2013/14 are set as at the last Sunday of the month shown, compared to the corresponding point in the previous year.[Expand]Click here to sort2012/13Applications for 2012/13 are set as at the last Sunday of the month shown.
Click here to sortStudent Finance ApplicationsClick here to sortApplications for Tuition Fee LoansClick here to sortAwards of a Tuition Fee Grant2012 Cohort students who normally live in Wales and entered a UK Higher Education Institution (HEI) or college charging variable tuition fees were eligible to receive a Tuition Fee Grant (non-repayable). EU domiciled students studying in Wales were eligible for this grant.<br />Note that, under new rules for the 2018/19 academic year, tuition fee grant is phasing out.Click here to sortStudent Finance ApplicationsClick here to sortApplications for Tuition Fee LoansClick here to sortAwards of a Tuition Fee Grant2012 Cohort students who normally live in Wales and entered a UK Higher Education Institution (HEI) or college charging variable tuition fees were eligible to receive a Tuition Fee Grant (non-repayable). EU domiciled students studying in Wales were eligible for this grant.<br />Note that, under new rules for the 2018/19 academic year, tuition fee grant is phasing out.Click here to sortStudent Finance ApplicationsClick here to sortApplications for Tuition Fee LoansClick here to sortAwards of a Tuition Fee Grant2012 Cohort students who normally live in Wales and entered a UK Higher Education Institution (HEI) or college charging variable tuition fees were eligible to receive a Tuition Fee Grant (non-repayable). EU domiciled students studying in Wales were eligible for this grant.<br />Note that, under new rules for the 2018/19 academic year, tuition fee grant is phasing out.Click here to sortStudent Finance ApplicationsClick here to sortApplications for Tuition Fee LoansClick here to sortAwards of a Tuition Fee Grant2012 Cohort students who normally live in Wales and entered a UK Higher Education Institution (HEI) or college charging variable tuition fees were eligible to receive a Tuition Fee Grant (non-repayable). EU domiciled students studying in Wales were eligible for this grant.<br />Note that, under new rules for the 2018/19 academic year, tuition fee grant is phasing out.
April24,25522,120522,76020,9852527,31524,9457010,6509,860110
May33,00530,1201035,88033,0753538,71035,4658031,19028,560305
June44,80041,0101045,87542,3203547,01043,02010549,36545,225535
July49,19544,850549,42545,4404053,43548,71012554,76550,045680
August54,87549,470557,83052,3355558,66052,94015061,35055,485820
September57,17051,0801058,62552,8155561,88055,27017564,29057,745935
October57,76051,0351059,33552,7405562,83055,69018065,23058,005960
November58,13050,9251059,85052,5155063,42055,29018565,82057,915965
December58,51051,0351060,21552,6005563,76055,14518566,24557,885960
January59,06051,2151060,66052,7555064,42055,28518066,70557,830945
February59,36051,3301061,00052,8855564,56055,33518567,12557,940950
March59,64051,4651061,34053,0505564,87055,38518067,35057,980955

Metadata

Title

Cumulative number of applications for student finance and Tuition Fee Loans and number of awards of a Tuition Fee Grant

Last update

24 April 2025 24 April 2025

Next update

29 May 2025

Publishing organisation

Welsh Government

Contact email

HigherEducationAndStudentFinance.Stats@gov.wales

Designation

None

Lowest level of geographical disaggregation

Wales

Geographical coverage

Wales

Languages covered

English only

Data licensing

You may use and re-use this data free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government License - see http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence

Keywords

Student Support; HE; Higher Education; Student Loans; Tuition Fee; Grants

General description

Source: Student Loans Company
Contact: HigherEducationAndStudentFinance.Stats@gov.wales

This table presents the number of applications for Student Finance, Tuition Fee Loans and awards of a Tuition Fee Grant, to date in the current academic year, from all Welsh domiciled students and those EU students studying in Wales.

Data collection and calculation

The data are based on applications received as at the last Sunday of each calendar month (due to the way the Student Loans Company's database is updated) and extracted by the SLC. It is possible for the number of applications or awards to fall from one month to the next since some of the applications may subsequently have been cancelled or the student withdrew from their course.

Frequency of publication

Monthly

Data reference periods

Data correct as at: 31 March 2025

Users, uses and context

More detailed information is available in SLC's annual November Statistical First Release, the first of which was published in November 2005 (provisional 2005/06 in-year data). Please note these data are taken from monthly SLC Management Reports which are not based on the same definitions used for the Statistical First Release, and therefore the figures published in November differ slightly from these tables.

Rounding applied

Figures are rounded to the nearest 5. Due to rounding the sums of some rows or columns may not add to the total figure given. Numbers less than 5 (but not zero) are represented by *.

Statistical quality

Applications for academic year 2012/13 began on the 21st March 2012, for 2013/14 began on the 1 February 2013, for 2014/15 began on the 9 March 2014, whereas applications for 2015/16 began on the 23rd February 2015. Therefore, for early months, differences seen when comparing these years may be the result of these changes in timescale.