This post first published: 12 February 2018
The funding available to NHS students depends on when they started their course.
Until last year, students starting a nursing, midwifery or Allied Health Professional course in England could get an NHS bursary. From 1 August 2017, these students could apply for all of their student finance from us instead. This usually means they can get a Tuition Fee Loan and a Maintenance Loan like other undergraduate students. Loans have to be paid back, but not until they’ve finished or left their course and their income is over the repayment threshold. There’s also extra help available for students with a disability, or those with children or an adult who depends on them financially.
It doesn’t matter if they already have a degree, they can still get full support from us if they’re starting a pre-registration nursing, midwifery or Allied Health Professional course in England on or after 1 August 2017. But to get funding, they must not be professionally registered within the healthcare profession they’re training for.
Students studying a pre-registration, postgraduate healthcare course which starts on or after 1 August 2018 can also apply for the same package of support as undergraduate students.
Students who started their course before 1 August 2017 will to continue to have their tuition fees paid by the NHS. They’ll also get an NHS grant that doesn’t depend on their household income, along with a bursary that does. These don’t usually need to be paid back. If students are getting income-assessed funding from the NHS, Local Education and Training Boards or Local Ambulance Service Trust, they can also get a reduced-rate Maintenance Loan from us. How much they can get depends on where they’re living and studying. This needs to be paid back.
Students who are studying an undergraduate medicine or dentistry course will get full funding from us for the first four years of their course. From their fifth year onwards, they’ll get a reduced-rate Maintenance Loan from us and a bursary from the NHS.
To find out more about the funding available to students on NHS-funded courses, visit www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/student-services
