Power up with StudentAssist

Power up with StudentAssist
Student loan

Power up with StudentAssist

Learn more

StudentAssist is a student loan designed to make higher education more accessible. We offer this loan in collaboration with the Malta Development Bank (MDB).

What it offers

  • Interest rate - 2.65% p.a.
  • Loan amount - up to €100,000, with repayments spread over up to 15 years.
  • A grant – this covers the interest on your loan during the moratorium period. This is a period where you do not make capital repayments and interest payments are fully subsidised. It covers the duration of your course and usually extends for 12 months after you finish.
  • A guarantee - that covers part of your student loan.
  • Waived processing and commitment fees.

The StudentAssist can be used to cover a wide range of study-related costs, such as tuition fees, living and accommodation costs, and travel expenses related to studying abroad.

Who can apply

StudentAssist is open to students who are living in Malta and fall into one of these categories:

  • Maltese citizens
  • EU/EEA nationals, or their family members, with permanent residence in Malta
  • EU/EEA nationals who live and work in Malta (including self-employed)
  • Non-EU nationals with long-term residence in Malta

You can apply if you are enrolling in an accredited course at MQF Levels 5 to 8, or in an internationally recognised certificate programme.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply.

How to apply

To apply for StudentAssist, complete the following forms:

You also need to submit:

  • Your letter of acceptance from the academic institution
  • Your Student Budget, listing your study-related expenses
  • The Grant Allocation Form, confirming you are not receiving double funding

How is it funded

StudentAssist is supported by the MDB, EU Funds, and the Ministry for European Funds, Equality, Reforms and Social Dialogue.

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Terms and Conditions

General Terms and Conditions, General Lending Terms and Conditions, and any additional conditions are available on apsbank.com.mt/terms-and-conditions.

Representative example of a StudentAssist loan

On a fully utilised StudentAssist loan of €40,000 for a study course of 2 years, at a variable nominal rate of 2.65% p.a. for a total term of 156 months (comprising a moratorium period of 36 months), then the APRC* will be 2.72% p.a. During the moratorium period, the student will be benefitting from an interest rate subsidy averaging €89.56 each for the first 36 months.

For the remaining 120 months, the loan will be repayable in equal instalments of €380.49 each. The total sum payable by the student throughout the whole term of the loan will be €45,658.45 (being capital of €40,000 and interest of €5,658.45). An additional €3,224.17 of subsidised interest will be paid by the MDB.

Any deviations from the assumptions could impact the APRC of the product.

Applications are subject to the Bank’s lending criteria. Terms and conditions apply and are available on request.

Assumptions in the APRC calculation 

The assumptions in the above APRC calculation are based on the following:

  • That the consumer lending bank base rate (currently at 2.25%) remains unchanged during the period of the loan.
  • During the moratorium period of the loan, the MDB will be paying €1,074.72 yearly as interest (i.e. 2.65% of the loan amount).
  • At the end of the moratorium period, the subsidised interest paid by MDB would have been €3,224.17. After the moratorium period, i.e. over the remaining 120 months, total interest payable by the student is that of €5,658.45.
  • The credit agreement is to remain valid for the period agreed between the Bank and the consumer, and that both parties will fulfil their obligations under the terms and by the dates specified in the credit agreement.
  • The consumer has the right to pay the loan in full or in part before the agreed termination. In such circumstances, no early repayment penalty fee is incurred.
  • No processing fees are being charged on the loan.

*APRC calculation is based on the total cost of the credit to the consumer, expressed as an annual percentage of the total amount of credit.

Approved and issued by APS Bank plc, APS Centre, Tower Street, B’Kara BKR 4012. APS Bank plc is regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority as a Credit Institution under the Banking Act 1994. Applications are subject to the Bank’s lending criteria. Terms and conditions apply and are available on apsbank.com.mt/terms-and-conditions.