Petition · past parliament · Department for Education

Extend student maintenance loans to full-time Distance Learning students

Closed 51 signatures

What the petition asks

The Government should extend student maintenance loans to Distance Learning students who study 120 university credits through an online institution.
Currently, those who study through an online or distance university, such as Arden University, or the Open University are counted as part-time learners. Even if they study full-time and take on 120 credits, they are ineligible for extra support such as maintenance loans and parents learner allowance.

Traditional universities are inaccessible for many, and online study is increasingly popular. Full-time study should be recognised no matter how you choose to attend.

Timeline

4 Nov 2021 Petition opened for signatures
4 May 2022 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 51
Status Closed
Department Department for Education
Opened 4 Nov 2021
Closed 4 May 2022

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.