Intercalation
There are different ways that an intercalated year can be financially supported.
The financial support available to you depends on the stage of your progression of your medicine or dentistry degree and the level of study for your intercalated year.
Please note that the information provided on this page is for illustrative purposes only and assumes that no previous or repeated study has been undertaken.
Your awarding authority or NHS Student Bursaries will confirm your eligibility.
Funding for intercalation at undergraduate level
Route one: Undergraduate intercalation after two years of medicine or dentistry
- Student Finance funding for years one and two
- Student Finance funding for intercalation year at undergraduate level
- Student Finance funding for year three
- NHS Bursary for years five and six
Student Finance would fund the intercalated year.
Students who started their course after 2016-17 academic year will receive a tuition fee loan and a maintenance loan.
Route two: Undergraduate intercalation after three years of medicine or dentistry
- Student Finance funding for years one, two and three
- Student Finance funding for intercalation year at undergraduate level
- NHS Bursary for years five and six
Student Finance would fund the intercalated year.
Students who started their course after 2016-17 academic year will receive a tuition fee loan and a maintenance loan.
Route three: Undergraduate intercalation after four years of medicine and dentistry
- Student Finance funding for years one, two, three and four
- NHS Bursary for intercalation year at undergraduate level
- NHS Bursary for year five
Intercalation is occurring at the fifth year of study.
If you meet the general eligibility criteria, the NHS Bursary will fund this undergraduate intercalated year which may consist of:
- Tuition fee grant
- NMT living costs grant
- MT monthly living costs grant.
None of the funding is repayable from the NHS Bursary.
You can also apply for a reduced rate maintenance loan from Student Finance in addition to the NHS Bursary funding.
Funding for intercalation at postgraduate level
Route four: Postgraduate intercalation after three years of medicine or dentistry
- Student Finance funding for years one, two and three
- Student Finance funding for intercalation year at postgraduate level
- NHS Bursary funding for years four and five
Students cannot receive any undergraduate funding during a postgraduate intercalated year.
Students will need to apply for postgraduate funding from Student Finance. This loan may not cover the full cost of study in this year.
Masters loans are paid in instalments directly to you rather than to the University.
When you return to medicine or dentistry following intercalation you will be able to apply for the NHS Bursary and a reduced rate maintenance loan from Student Finance.
Route five: Postgraduate intercalation after four years of medicine or dentistry
- Student Finance funding for years one, two, three and four
- Student Finance funding for intercalation year at postgraduate level
- NHS Bursary funding for year five
The NHS can contribute to this intercalated year which can include an NMT tuition fee grant, an NMT living costs grant and a means-tested month living costs grant.
You may need to top up the funding for the tuition fees yourself. The NHS Bursary will not cover the whole charge.
Students intercalating at postgraduate level in their fifth year of study cannot receive the reduced rate maintenance loan during the intercalated year as it is undergraduate funding.
Students cannot apply for a Masters loan from Student Finance in their fifth year of study because eligibility for the NHS Bursary makes students ineligible for the loan.
When you return to medicine or dentistry following intercalation you will be able to apply for the NHS Bursary and a reduced rate maintenance loan from Student Finance.
Route six: Postgraduate intercalation after four years clinical science, medicine or integral foundation year
- Student Finance funding for Foundation year and years one, two and three.
- NHS Bursary funding for intercalation at postgraduate level.
- NHS Bursary funding for years four and five.
Students with an integral foundation year become eligible to apply to the NHS Bursary for funding of the intercalated year at this point.
The NHS will contribute to this postgraduate intercalated year which can consist of a NMT tuition fee contribution grant, a NMT living costs grant and a means-tested monthly living costs grant.
You may need to top up the funding for the tuition fees yourself as the NHS Bursary will not cover the whole tuition fee charge.
Students intercalating at postgraduate level in their fifth year of study cannot receive the reduced rate maintenance loan during the intercalated year as the reduced rate Maintenance Loan is undergraduate funding.
Students cannot apply for a Masters Loan when intercalating at postgraduate level in their 5th year of study, because eligibility for the NHS Bursary makes students ineligible for the Masters Loan.
When you return to medicine or dentistry following intercalation you will be able to apply for the NHS Bursary and a reduced rate maintenance loan from Student Finance.
Funding you will receive
The following figures are for illustrative purposes only, are based on 2023/24 figures for a student not living with parents and are provided as a guide to approximately how much funding might be available to you.
Student Finance funding
If you started your studies after 2016 you could receive:
- Maximum means-tested Maintenance Loan up to £9,978.
- Reduced Rate Maintenance Loan: Non finalist £2,605/ Finalist £2,030.
- Master’s Loan from Student Finance: up to £12,167 available
NHS Bursary funding
- Non-means tested grant £1,000
- Non-means tested fees grant of up to £9,250 maximum (for an undergraduate course)
- Means tested basic year living costs grant up to £2,643 for 30 weeks & 3 days
- Extra weeks £84 pw / Courses over 45 weeks are assessed as 52