Dr Sam Blaxland and Professor Georgina Brewis (both UCL IOE) explain how student finance has shifted from generous grants to loan-based systems, while student activism has remained a key force shaping support. Student finance in England is up for debate once again, with extensive discussion on the perceived unfairness of the Plan 2 student loan repayment system But concerns about how to pay for a university degree are far from new. Our new book Student London: A New History of Higher Education