Finance for Advanced Diploma in Nursing

For financial information regarding Bursaries for the Advanced Diploma in Nursing, please click here

Degree Student Finance

Funding

Students undertaking a 3 degree year programme who are offered a NHS funded place, and who  meet  UK residency criteria, will not have to pay tuition fees and may be able to apply for an income- assessed bursary.  For details visit the NHS Business Services Authority website at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/students.

Income Assessed Award (Degree)

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

Student 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

NB

  • Even if the student lives away from the parental home/or with partner they cannot be classed as independent just on those reasons.
  • 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 fulltime.

Dependent status

Award will be means tested on parental income.

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

PLEASE NOTE:  For degree students the basic award, Dependents allowance and Childcare allowance are all means tested on the relevant income i.e. from spouse/partner/civil partner or parents.

If a student is starting a degree level award and is claiming DEPENDENTS ALLOWANCE and/or CHILDCARE ALLOWANCE, due to the income assessment of all these elements of the bursary the amounts can be greatly reduced or even result in a nil award ( Please see Dependents Allowance/Childcare Allowance guide for further information)

Dependants' Allowance Guide

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 learning allowance (PLA) 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 claim the NHS Childcare Allowance in addition.

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 will pay up to £1,270 per academic year, to 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 an Dependents Allowance entitlement you may have.  Where there is still a residual income amount available this will then be applied on a pound for pound basis to your Childcare Allowance entitlement (if applicable) and then the Parents Learning Allowance, in that order.