Financial support for students on pre-registration nursing courses - 2012

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Financial support for students on pre-registration nursing courses

This page describes the new financial support arrangements that students on approved pre-registration nursing courses may be eligible to receive. The review of the NHS bursary scheme concluded that students on NHS funded courses will all have access to the same package of financial support from September 2012.

These arrangements will provide new students with a small non-means tested grant, a larger means tested bursary and a reduced rate non-means tested loan. Different rates of means tested bursary and loan will apply according to where a student lives in the country.

The new arrangements remove the discrepancy between funding available to students on a diploma course or a degree course.

Changes will only apply to new students who begin their training on or after the date the new arrangements come into effect. Existing students will remain on the current scheme.

Financial support

All students on university courses in nursing (leading to registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council) will be eligible for some financial help from the NHS while studying.

Eligible students who are accepted onto approved courses will usually have their tuition fees paid in full and may receive financial support in the form of a bursary.

All eligible students will receive a £1,000 grant each year. They will also be eligible to apply for an additional means-tested bursary of up to £4,395 per year. Students in London will qualify for more (up to £5,460)

NHS Student Bursaries provides financial support to eligible students taking approved (NHS funded) courses in nursing.

(Note that the above arrangements relate to students commencing courses from September 2012. Eligible students starting approved NHS-funded courses in 2011 will usually have their tuition fees paid in full and are eligible for a bursary. This is means tested for students on approved degree programmes and non-means tested for those on approved diploma of higher education programmes).