There are no deadlines for applying before you start studying. In fact, you can apply up to 9 months after the first day of the academic year that your course started. The first day of the academic year depends on the exact start date of the course- See table above. We recommend that you apply for your Master’s Loan at least three months before your course starts if you are relying on postgraduate student finance to cover your fees and do not plan to use your savings to cover the tuition fees.