Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to Student Loans Company (SLC) data showing that non-UK nationals received approximately £4 billion in student finance in the 2024-2025 academic year, what proportion of higher education lending this amount represents.

The total value of student loans issued, by nationality of recipient, for academic years 2020/21 through to 2024/25 was published in response to Question 296 from the right hon. Member for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston.

In the 2024/25 academic year, non-UK nationals received £3.97 billion in student loans, representing 20.4% of the total loan value of student loans issued in that year.

Eligibility for student finance is determined by immigration status and residency, rather than nationality alone, ensuring that access to support reflects an individual’s established connection to the UK. To be eligible, a student must ordinarily be a resident in England and be settled or have a recognised connection with the UK. Students must also have been ordinarily a resident in the UK, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and/or a British Overseas Territory for the 3 years prior to the first day of the first academic year of their course. Some individuals are exempt from these requirements. For example, those granted refugee status are not required to meet the standard settlement and residency criteria.