Is there a government loan for international students doing a postgraduate degree in UK?

No. The UK Government's Postgraduate Loan scheme (up to £12,167 for a Master's and up to £28,673 for a doctoral degree) is only available to UK nationals and those with settled status or pre-settled status. International students on a Student visa are not eligible.

Alternatives for international postgraduate students:

1. Scholarships (best option):
- Chevening (Master's): Full funding from UK Government
- Commonwealth Scholarships (PhD and Master's): For Commonwealth citizens
- University scholarships: Many universities offer partial or full funding for postgraduate students
- Departmental funding (for PhDs): Often includes fee waiver + stipend

2. Home country government loans/scholarships:
Most countries have their own study abroad funding:
- India: Vidya Lakshmi portal, State Bank of India Global Ed-Vantage loan
- Nigeria: PTDF Scholarship
- Pakistan: HEC Overseas Scholarships
- Kenya: Government bursaries through HELB
- China: CSC (China Scholarship Council) — for Chinese citizens

3. Private international education loans:
- Prodigy Finance: Specifically for international students at top-ranked universities; no co-signer needed; loans up to £100,000; repayment based on expected salary
- MPOWER Financing: For students at partner universities
- Your home bank (education loan with property collateral)

4. Research assistant positions:
For PhD students, working as an RA or teaching assistant within your department can provide income and sometimes fee discounts.

Always research scholarship options 12–18 months before your intended start date — deadlines are often much earlier than you expect.