NHS Bursaries

• Chiropody.
• Dental hygiene.
• Dental therapy.
• Dietetics.
• Nursing (including conversion courses for second level nurses (ENs) who have not practised for a year or more).
• Midwifery.
• Occupational therapy.
• Operating department practice (in England only).
• Orthoptics.
• Physiotherapy.
• Prosthetics and orthotics.
• Radiography.
• Speech and language therapy.

Who is eligible?

• Students accepted for an NHS funded place.

• For nursing and midwifery courses you will not have to satisfy any residence conditions regardless of your country of origin, but it is for you to ensure that you have any necessary immigration clearance.

• For degree courses you will have to meet residence conditions.

• Pre-registration students of medicine and dentistry in their fifth and later years of study in any UK university will be eligible for bursaries.

Help Available

• The NHS will pay your tuition fee liability in full. No contribution will be required from you or your family.

• For nursing and midwifery courses you will be eligible for a maintenance grant that is not income assessed, but you will not be able to get a loan or help from Access Funds.

• For degree courses, you will be eligible for an income-assessed, maintenance grant.

• A contribution may be required from your income or your family's.

• Unless your course is part-time or at post-graduate level, you will be able to get a student loan for the balance of your living costs.

• You will also be eligible for help from Access Funds, hardship loans, and, exceptionally, from NHS hardship grants.

• Pre-registration students of medicine and dentistry in their fifth and later years of study, support for your first four years of study will be on the same basis as for other Higher Education students, so that if you started in 2004/2005 any NHS bursary becomes payable from 2008/2009.

• English domiciled students on the new four year medical courses for graduate entrants will be eligible for NHS bursaries in years two, three and four of the medical course.

• During the period for which the NHS bursary is payable, the NHS will pay your tuition fee contribution in full. No contribution will be required from you or your family toward your fees.

• You will be eligible for an income-assessed maintenance grant, to which you or your family may be asked to contribute.

• You will also be able to get a reduced rate, non-income-assessed loan for the balance of your maintenance support.

• All NHS funded students are eligible to apply for hardship loans and payments from the Access to Learning Fund. 

How do I apply?

Medical and Dental Courses

• If you are accepted for a pre-registration medical or dental course, you should apply to your Local Authority for help.

• You will automatically receive further advice on applying for an NHS bursary well in advance of one becoming payable.

Other Health Professional Courses

• If a college in England offers you a place on a health professional course, which is funded by the NHS, they will supply you with an application pack.

• You should also apply to your Local Authority for a loan as soon as possible.

• If you plan to study in Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales you should contact the following: