Student Loan Company Overpayment FAQ's

You are receiving this because you are, or were, enrolled on a course delivered on a weekend-only basis. The Department for Education, and the Student Loans Company (SLC) have clarified that courses delivered exclusively at weekends are classified as distance learning. This means they do not meet the criteria for maintenance funding or certain dependants’ grants under current regulations.

The Student Loans Company has reviewed how weekend-only delivery is categorised under student finance regulations and determined that it does not meet the requirements for in-attendance study.

This decision has been made by the Student Loans Company, based on student finance regulations. Leeds Trinity University and its partner providers are required to comply with this guidance and cannot override funding eligibility decisions.

The Student Loans Company has recently provided updated clarification on how these courses should be classified under student finance regulations. They have confirmed that weekend-only delivery should now be considered distance learning, which is not eligible for maintenance funding or certain dependants’ grants.

Leeds Trinity University and its partner providers are required to act in line with this updated guidance. Once this clarification was received, we took steps to inform affected students and outline the options available to support continuation of study where possible.

Yes. This is a sector-wide decision by the Student Loans Company. No provider can offer maintenance funding or dependants’ grants for weekend-only courses.

Following a recent government announcement, the Department for Education has asked the Student Loans Company to change how previously identified overpayments are handled.

Maintenance loan overpayments will now be treated as part of your overall student loan balance, rather than requiring immediate repayment. This means you will not need to make any repayments while you are studying, and repayment will be made under standard student loan terms after you leave your course.

In addition, recovery of any overpayments relating to dependants’ grants has been paused until at least September.

The Student Loans Company is also working to reinstate maintenance funding and any applicable grants for students who move onto eligible, in-attendance (weekday) courses.

No immediate action is required from you. We will contact you if anything further is needed.

Yes. Weekend delivery will no longer be offered by Leeds Trinity University.

To remain on an eligible, in-attendance course for student finance purposes, students must transfer to weekday delivery.

You have two main options: 

• Transfer to a weekday delivery programme, or  
• Confirm that you are unable to transfer and discuss your next steps with the University, which may include withdrawal.  

The deadline to complete the consent form has now passed. If you have not yet confirmed your choice, you must email SLCWeekend@leedstrinity.ac.uk as soon as possible to confirm whether you are able to transfer to weekday delivery or not. 

If you indicate that you are unable to transfer, a member of the team will contact you to discuss your circumstances and next steps. 

You can continue your studies by transferring to a weekday delivery model. These have been developed to meet Student Loans Company requirements for in attendance study. You will receive further communications from Leeds Trinity University directly which explain your options.

Transferring to a weekday delivery programme (an eligible, in-attendance course) means that your maintenance funding and any applicable grants are expected to be reinstated in line with your original entitlement for this academic year.

However, this is subject to the Student Loans Company processing your updated course details and confirming your individual circumstances. They will contact you directly with details of your entitlement and payment schedule.

The Student Loans Company determines eligibility for maintenance funding based on whether a course meets the requirements for ‘in-attendance’ study.

As part of this, courses must demonstrate regular, structured, in-person engagement across the teaching week.

Leeds Trinity University has designed weekday delivery models alongside your partner provider in line with this guidance to ensure that courses meet the Student Loans Company’s criteria for funding eligibility.

If you transfer to weekday delivery, you will remain on the same course and continue working towards the same qualification. 

The main change will be the days on which your teaching takes place. Your partner provider will confirm your timetable and any relevant details. 

If you are unable to transfer, you should confirm this through the form provided to you by Leeds Trinity University. A member of the team from your provider will then contact you to discuss your circumstances and available options, including withdrawal.

No. Weekend-only delivery will no longer be offered, as it does not meet funding eligibility requirements.

You may wish to explore alternative providers; however, weekend-only courses are not eligible for maintenance funding or dependants’ grants with any provider.

If you withdraw and have completed sufficient credits, you may be eligible for an exit award (such as a Certificate or Diploma of Higher Education), in line with Leeds Trinity University regulations.

If you believe you have received this communication in error and have been studying on a weekday delivery model, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can review your record. 

You should email SLCWeekend@leedstrinity.ac.uk and provide details of your course, campus, and timetable so we can investigate this with your partner provider.

Based on recent updates from the government and the Student Loans Company, maintenance loan payments previously identified as overpayments will now be treated as part of your overall student loan balance. This means you will not be required to make any repayments while you are studying.

Recovery of any overpayments relating to dependants’ grants is expected; however, this has been paused until at least September.

The Student Loans Company will contact you directly with information specific to your individual circumstances.

The Student Loans Company previously paused payments while reviewing eligibility for weekend-only courses.

Following recent government guidance, the Student Loans Company is now working to reinstate maintenance payments for students on eligible, in-attendance (weekday) courses.

If you transfer to weekday delivery, your payments are expected to be rescheduled once your updated course details have been processed.

If you transfer to a weekday delivery programme, your maintenance funding and any applicable grants are expected to be reinstated in line with your original entitlement, subject to Student Loans Company confirmation of your updated course details. 

Current guidance from the Student Loans Company indicates that payments are expected to be rescheduled for the beginning of June, although exact timings may vary depending on processing and system updates.

We are currently awaiting further clarification from the Student Loans Company on how funding eligibility applies where students have reached assessment periods or have no remaining scheduled in-person teaching sessions for the academic year.

This includes whether maintenance funding will continue to be paid in these circumstances.

Maintenance loan overpayments will now be treated as part of your overall student loan balance. You will not be required to make repayments while you are studying, and repayment will be made in line with standard student loan terms after you leave your course.

Any overpayments relating to dependants’ grants may still need to be repaid; however, recovery of these has been paused until at least September.

The Student Loans Company will confirm details directly with you.

The Student Loans Company has advised that students should disregard previous communications relating to immediate repayment of maintenance loan overpayments.

These overpayments will now be treated as part of your overall student loan balance and repaid under standard student loan repayment terms after you leave your course.

Any updates specific to your account will be confirmed directly by the Student Loans Company.

Any assessment of overpayments relating to dependants’ grants will be paused following the latest Student Loans Company guidance. The Student Loans Company has confirmed that recovery of these overpayments will not take place before at least September.

The Student Loans Company will provide further updates in due course, including how and when any reassessment or recovery will be carried out.

No. Only the Student Loans Company can confirm your overpayment amount.

Yes. Tuition fee loans are not affected.

Based on current guidance from the Student Loans Company, if you transfer to a weekday delivery programme (an eligible, in-attendance course), your maintenance funding and any applicable grants are expected to be reinstated in line with your original entitlement for this academic year.

Payments will be rescheduled once your updated course details have been processed by the Student Loans Company. Current guidance suggests this may be at the beginning of June, although timings are not yet confirmed.

Please note that we are currently awaiting further clarification from the Student Loans Company on how funding eligibility applies where students have reached assessment periods or have no remaining scheduled in-person teaching sessions for the academic year. This includes whether maintenance funding will continue to be paid in these circumstances.

You do not need to submit a new application at this stage for the current academic year. The Student Loans Company will reassess your current entitlement based on updated course information provided by the University.

They will contact you directly if any further action is required.

You will still need to apply for student funding for each new academic year as normal through the standard Student Finance application process.

Maintenance loan overpayments will now be incorporated into your overall student loan balance and repaid under standard repayment terms after you leave your course. 

If you have concerns about dependants’ grant overpayments, the Student Loans Company may be able to offer support or repayment arrangements. Recovery of these grants is currently paused until at least September. 

No, the Student Loans Company and Leeds Trinity University previously advised you about the Financial Hardship process in relation to deferring the deductions of your overpayment from your future funding entitlement. 

Following the latest update from the Student Loans Company, maintenance funding is expected to be reinstated for eligible students at the beginning of June as standard, subject to confirmation of your updated course details. As a result, you do not need to apply to the Student Loans Company Financial Hardship process in order to have your funding reinstated. 

Please note that we are currently awaiting further clarification from the Student Loans Company on how funding eligibility applies where students have reached assessment periods or have no remaining scheduled in-person teaching sessions for the academic year. This includes whether maintenance funding will continue to be paid in these circumstances. 

If your circumstances have changed and you require additional support, you should contact the Student Loans Company directly to discuss your DSA entitlement.

You may also wish to speak to your provider’s student support services for guidance.

No. You must contact the Student Loans Company directly regarding your financial account.

• Your response will be reviewed  
• Your student record will be updated once the Student Loans Company permits us to  
• The Student Loans Company will reassess your funding  

On 23 April 2026, the University was advised by the Student Loans Company (SLC) to wait for further instruction before submitting ‘change of circumstances’ updates to confirm students’ transfer to weekday delivery.

We have now completed the first stage of this process, which involved confirming your previous course delivery history in line with the Student Loans Company’s updated classification of weekend-delivered courses as distance learning.

We have also begun submitting the second stage of ‘change of circumstances’ updates (to confirm transfer to weekday delivery) to the Student Loans Company. However, at this stage, we have only been able to submit these for some students.

For some students, we are still awaiting additional information from partner providers, or further clarification from the Student Loans Company in cases such as where students are in assessment periods with no remaining scheduled teaching.

We will continue to submit these updates as soon as the required information and guidance is available. You will be contacted directly by email once your individual change of circumstances has been submitted to the Student Loans Company.

The Student Loans Company instructed universities to delay submitting certain ‘change of circumstances’ updates while they confirmed how these should be processed within their systems.

We have followed this guidance to ensure that the information is submitted in the correct format and can be processed without delay or error.

Yes. Leeds Trinity University will confirm when your change of circumstances has been submitted to the Student Loans Company.

The Student Loans Company will then contact you directly once your record has been updated about your funding entitlement.

If you do not complete the consent form, we will not be able to process your transfer to weekday delivery.

We strongly recommend responding to the communications from both Leeds Trinity University, and your partner institution, and ensuring you complete the form by the deadline provided.

Current guidance from the Student Loans Company indicates that this process is that any payments are rescheduled at the beginning of June, although exact timings have not yet been confirmed.

You must still complete the Leeds Trinity University form that has been emailed to you to formally confirm your choice. We cannot process any changes until this is received.

We are aware that some students have been advised that the Student Loans Company is waiting for updates from the University.

We have followed the instructions provided by the Student Loans Company regarding when and how to submit change of circumstances updates.

Where there have been delays, this has been due to the Student Loans Company confirming their internal processes and requirements.

We are now submitting the required updates and will continue to work with them to ensure these are processed as quickly as possible.

No. Your tuition fees will remain the same.

Tuition fees are applied in instalments across the academic year based on attendance confirmation. Depending on when you withdraw, you may not be liable for the full annual fee.

Maintenance loan overpayments will be treated as part of your overall student loan balance and repaid under standard student loan repayment terms after you leave your course.

Any overpayments relating to dependants’ grants may still be subject to recovery; however, this is currently paused until at least September, in line with recent Student Loans Company guidance.

Dependants’ grants are affected. Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA) are not affected.

No. If you are eligible for a university bursary, it will continue to be paid during the 2025/26 academic year. However, please note that payment dates may be subject to change and could be delayed depending on updates or processing times within the Student Loans Company systems. 

Yes. Attendance will be monitored to meet Student Loans Company requirements. Regular weekday attendance is required to maintain eligibility for funding.

You are being contacted because you received student finance while enrolled on a course that has been reviewed under updated Student Loans Company guidance. As a result of this review, some payments may be treated as part of your overall student loan balance, or as overpayments in relation to dependants’ grants.

The Student Loans Company will contact you directly with information about how this applies to your individual circumstances and any next steps.

• Togetherall (24/7 online mental health support)
• Student Minds (UK student mental health charity)
• NHS 111 for urgent support

If you are experiencing financial difficulty, the following organisations may be able to provide free, independent advice, including support with managing debt and negotiating with creditors while your funding is being reinstated: 

• StepChange Debt Charity – www.stepchange.org – 0800 138 1111
• Citizens Advice – www.citizensadvice.org.uk/
• National Debtline – www.nationaldebtline.org/ – 0808 808 4000
• PayPlan –www.payplan.com  – 0800 316 1833
• Find your local Credit Union – www.findyourcreditunion.co.uk/

You can contact Leeds Trinity University for guidance and support at: SLCWeekend@leedstrinity.ac.uk 

You can submit a complaint via the Student Complaints procedure using the University’s online form. 

If you remain dissatisfied, you can escalate your complaint to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) once the University issues a Completion of Procedures Letter.