Undergraduate Student Finance (NHS Courses)

Funding

Students undertaking a 3 degree year programme who are offered a NHS funded place, and who meet NHS residency criteria, will not have to pay tuition fees and will be eligible to apply for additional financial support. 

Full details of NHS student funding are detailed at the NHS Business Services Authority website at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/students 

This website also contains a bursary calculator, which applicants can use to see the level of funding that they would be entitled to as students, based on their personal circumstances.

Non Means Tested Grant

All new eligible students from Sept 2012 will recieve a £1,000 non means tested grant, and will also be eligible to apply for a means tested bursary and a maintenance loan.

Means Tested Bursary

Bursary entitlement is calculated using parent's, spouse, civil partner or partner's income depending on whether the student is classed as dependent or independent.

All students will be classed as having either dependent or independent status using the criteria below:

Independent Status

Students must fulfil one of the following to be classed as independent:

• Be married/in a civil partnership/divorced
• Have care of a child
• Be estranged from their parents
• If they have supported themselves from their earnings for a total of 36 months prior to the start of the course
• Have no living parents
• Please note:

• Even if the student lives away from the parental home/or with partner they cannot be classed as independent if they do not fulfil one of the criteria above 
• Students must show they have been self supporting i.e. from wage slips, P60 or employer's letters

The bursary will be assessed on partner/spouse or civil partner's income from the previous tax year.  (P60 or March/week 52 wage slip required as proof).  Unearned income will also be used if the student is studying full time.

Dependent Status

Any bursary award will be means tested on parental income.

Note:Step-parents income will not be used unless they have legally adopted the student.

Dependants' Allowance

The Dependant's allowance:

• Is a means tested element of the NHS Bursary entitlement
• Can only be awarded for dependants that are wholly or mainly dependent on the student
• Is calculated using spouse or partner's residual income

How is the Dependants' Allowance calculated?

The calculation is assessed using the gross income of all dependents.

How to get the figure used in the calculation:

Income from employment (gross), self-employment (net profit), pensions, dividends, rented properties, taxable allowances, maintenance.

LESS

Tax, National Insurance, pension, rent, mortgage, maintenance payments, life insurance.

EQUALS

Residual income  i.e. figure used in the calculation

PLEASE NOTE:  The Parent's Learning Allowance  is awarded to all students claiming the dependants allowance.  This is also means tested and included when the Dependants Allowance is calculated.

There is a bursary calculator available on the NHS website at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/students

Childcare Allowance

This allowance is available to students with dependent children aged 15 or under (or aged 17 and under for children with special educational needs), on the first day of the academic year. 

As this allowance is subject to income-assessment the level of support you receive will be dependent upon your individual circumstances.  The allowance pays up to 85% or your actual childcare costs to a net maximum payable currently of £123.25 per week for one child and £182.75 per week for two or more children.

However, the amount awarded will depend on your circumstances and the income available to you and your family.  Therefore, not all students who apply for childcare allowance will be entitled to receive it.

The childcare you use must be from a registered childcare provider.

Childcare Allowance and Working Tax Credit

The childcare element of Working Tax Credit is available to lone parents or couple who work for at least 16 hours per week, it is not normally awarded where an individual is not in paid employment or is in full time education. 

NHS students who are eligible for and in receipt of the childcare element of Working Tax Credit cannot receive both types of childcare award; where a student or their spouse, partner or civil partner is in receipt of the childcare element of Working Tax Credit, the student cannot also claim the NHS Childcare Allowance.

Therefore, students who have childcare costs and who will be eligible for both allowances, must decide which one they wish to apply for.

More information about student entitlement to Working Tax Credit and the childcare element can be found on the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) website at:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/students/tma-claiming-tax-credits.shtml

Parents' Learning Allowance

Currently this is up to £1,303 per academic year, for students who have dependent child or children, subject to income assessment.  The amount of Parents' Learning Allowance a student may receive will be determined by the amount of income available to the student and their household in the academic year.

This is calculated by determining your residual income and applying this firstly to any Dependents Allowance entitlement you may have. 

European Union Students

Non-UK EU Students who do not have EEA Migrant Worker status or a right of permanent residence in the UK may be awarded an "EU Fees Only" award, meaning that they will receive tuition fee support through the NHS bursary scheme, but they will not receive the maintenance grant/bursary element.

EU students are not normally eligible for student loans, NHS Hardship Grants or University Access to Learning funds or Disabled Students Allowances.