Version 1.0 - Last Updated: 25 Oct 2023

Creating a postgraduate doctoral course - Eligibility

Attendance method


Students may be eligible for a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan whether they are in attendance or distance learning.

Students on a distance learning course must be resident in England or Wales on the first day of the first academic year of the course. This rule applies to all residency categories.

There is an exception to this rule for:

  • UK Armed Forces personnel posted outside of their place of domicile
  • certain family members who are living with them during the posting

For student funding purposes these applicants are temporarily resident at the posting address. They'll be ordinarily resident in the place where they lived before moving to the posting location.

If the course includes a period of overseas study, at least 50% of the study time over the whole course must be within the UK.