About funding for Medics and Dentists

Funding for Medicine and Dentistry students changes from your 5th year of study, changing from repayable to mainly non-repayable funding.

Find out what funding you may be able to access during your Medicine or Dentistry degree according to your progression.

Intergrated Masters

Although Medicine and Dentistry lead to a postgraduate qualification, they are regarded as integrated Master’s courses and as such attract full undergraduate funding in the initial four years* of the course.

In the event of a repeat year within the first four years, the Student Loans Company will provide 1+ gift year of funding (as long as there is no other previous study).

Previous degrees

Undergraduate funding from the Student Loans Company (SLC) is aimed at students undertaking their first degree. However, since Medicine and Dentistry are on the SLC's  exceptions list, this means that students with previous degrees can get limited funding in the form of a Maintenance Loan only .  As long as you meet their other eligibility criteria, you would also be able to apply to the NHS Bursary for support in your 5th year of study. 

Year of study versus academic year

It is important to understand the distinction between the 'year of study' and the 'academic year' when working out your progression and therefore to whom you should apply for your student funding.  Certain years are not eligible years for NHS Bursary purposes and therefore impact progression;  for example, repeat years and gap years do not count, whereas an intercalating year does count as an eligible year.

For example, Tom studied for four years as follows - YR1, YR2, YR3 and YR4 and so will therefore be eligible for NHS Bursary and SLC funding in YR5.

Tanya studied YR1, YR2, YR2 repeat, YR3.  The repeat year is not counted as eligible so she will continue to be funded only by the SLC for one extra year.  She will therefore only become eligible for NHS and SLC funding when she reaches her academic year 5 (which will also be her 5th year of study).

Years of study 1-4

Here is an indication of the funding which you can potentially get in the first four years of your study providing that you meet the criteria.

  • If you started your studies before 2016 (but after 2012) you can apply to the SLC for:  

          Maintenance Loan (non-means tested/repayable)
          SLC Funding Maintenance Grant  (means tested/non-repayable) 
          Tuition Fee Loan   (non-means tested/repayable)

  • If you started your studies after August 2016 you can apply for: 

          Maintenance Loan (non-means tested & means tested/repayable)
          SLC Funding Tuition Fee Loan  (means tested/repayable)
   

Years of study 5+

Here’s an outline of both of the funding sources available in the 5th year of study and beyond.

Tuition Fees

The NHS  will pay your tuition fees up to £9250* if you fulfil the criteria for a 'home' student and usually live in England. This is a non-means tested non-repayable grant.

Living costs (NHS Grant and Income Assessed Bursary)

You can apply to the NHS for a non-means tested grant and income assessed bursary.  Both are non-repayable.

The non-means tested grant is £1000*.  

The means-tested bursary on 2023/24 figures is a basic rate of £2643* based on 30 weeks and 3 days, plus an extra weeks allowance of up to £84 per week. The University provides the NHS with the Medicine and Dentistry term-dates and these dates are used by the NHS to assess all students' applications.

The NHS Bursary have provided a booklet outlining how the NHS Bursary works including information about the eligible years.

Student Loan

You may be eligible for a Reduced Rate Maintenance Loan (RRML) from the Student Loans Company in addition to the NHS Bursary.  Please ensure that you indicate on your online Student Loan application that you are also applying for an NHS Bursary.  This will ensure that you get the correct level of funding from them and this will avoid over-payments. 

The amount that you receive will depend on where you live term-time (with your parents, in London or elsewhere) as well as whether you are in your final year or non-final year. The length of year does not affect this loan.  It is a fixed amount regardless of the number of weeks in attendance.

Figures taken from:

  • The Department of Health & Social Care: The NHS Bursary Scheme New Rules (12th Edition for the academic year  2023 to 2024) Published 1st September 2023
  • https://www.gov.uk/nhs-bursaries
  • NHS Guidance Higher Education Student Finance in England 2023/24 Version 1.0 February 2023

Student Finance England Travel Grant

Please see the SFE Travel Grant fact sheet for information.