Online applications for student finance in the academic year 08/09 are now available. Please register with our online service to apply online or log in to use your account.
Applications for the Academic year 07/08 can be downloaded from the Forms and Guides page.
The following is a guide to applying online if you are a new student. Information is also available for new students applying online and sponsors supporting an application online.
For extra help, try our step-by-step guide to applying for student finance online.
Step One: Login
Student Finance Direct online services are available to students who normally live in England.
As a continuing student you will already have the security details you need to login to your online account. From your account you can apply for student support and maintain your account details.
Login to my account
To login you need your security details:
ART ID
Your ART ID is a unique eleven-digit number used to identify you when you login to our website or contact us. It is printed on all correspondence we send you.
Password and Secret Answer
If you applied on paper in the first year of your course you would have been sent an automatically generated Password and a Secret Answer to access your account. When you use these details to login to the website for the first time you will be prompted to change them to something more memorable.
If you registered your details on the Student Finance Direct website in the first year of your course you would have created your own Password and Secret Answer.
If you have forgotten your security details
If you have forgotten your Password and Secret Answer, or misplace your ART ID, you can request these online from the Forgotten your Details link. When you reset your passwords these will be sent to your email address - it is important that you keep your email address up-to-date.
Step Two: Create and submit an application
Once you have logged in to your account, select ‘Apply for Student Support’. This will start your application.
Some of the details in your application will be pre-populated from the information you have given to us previously, making it faster and easier to apply online for returning students.
You can exit the application at any stage and the information in each completed section will be saved. You can review or change the information you have entered up until you submit your application. Once you have submitted your application it will be automatically sent to your Local Authority to be processed.
You are able to view the assessment status of your application from your online account so you can see when your application has been assessed. You will be notified of your entitlement to financial support in writing.
Step Three: Send in your evidence
As a continuing student you probably won't need to send any evidence to your Local Authority in support of your application, unless your circumstances have changed this year.
You will be shown the types of evidence that are required, and the address to send this evidence to, after you have submitted your application. You can use your online account to track any evidence you send.
Step Four: Maintaining your account
From your account you can update your contact and bank details, view information and correspondence about your student finance application, and ask or search for the answer to your questions about student finance.
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