Students with a previous degree or previous study
If you already have a degree but plan to pursue a second degree in nursing, midwifery or another health-related subject*, or you have previous years of study at degree level, you’ll have access to student loans through the student loans system. More information can be found on our Student Finance page.
However, you will not be eligible for student funding if you have previously been registered in the field you intend to study.
*Paramedicine is not automatically classed an exception course with SFE, which means that you will not be eligible for funding if you already have a degree. Paramedicine is only treated as an exception course if you will be receiving funding from the Ambulance Service Trust.
Financial Support from NHSBA Learning Support Fund
What is the Learning Support Fund?
Some financial assistance is available to those students with child dependants; in cases of severe hardship; and where travel and dual accommodation expenses have been incurred as part of attending placements.
Students must meet the following criteria to apply:
- usually live in England
- be studying on an eligible programme at a university in England
- be in receipt, or accepted for, a Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan from SFE
- be actively involved in training, whether academic or practice
Students starting and continuing their course from September 2020 can apply for the NHS Learning Support Fund (NHS LSF) if they’re on one of the following pre-registration undergraduate or postgraduate courses:
- dental therapy/dental hygiene (level 5 and 6 courses)
- dietetics
- midwifery
- nursing (adult, child, mental health, learning disability, joint nursing/social work)
- occupational therapy
- operating department practitioner (level 5 and 6 courses)
- orthoptics
- orthotics and prosthetics
- paramedics (bachelors and masters courses are eligible, DipHE and FD courses are not eligible for NHS LSF)
- physiotherapy
- podiatry/chiropody
- radiography (diagnostic and therapeutic)
- speech and language therapy
What funding do you need to apply for?
You first need to apply for student finance in the same way as non-health professionals from Student Finance England. Details of the main funding you are entitled to can be found on our Student Finance 2021/22 page. You can also apply for Grants for Dependants and Disabled Students’ Allowance.
Learning Support Funds available
For new and continuing students there is a Training Grant of £5,000 per year. This does not need to be repaid. Students who are studying for part of the academic year will receive a pro rata payment unless they are interrupting their studies due to pregnancy.
For student parents, there is a Parental Support payment of £2,000.00 per year.
For new students starting in 2021/22 there is an extra £1,000.00 available for some specialist subject area such as Mental Health nursing and an extra £1,000.00 per year regional incentive (shortage areas).
Details about the new fund can be accessed by following these links:
Applications will open shortly for new starters & continuing students.
***IMPORTANT UPDATE***
The Department of Health has just announced that the availability of the Learning Support Fund for students who are repeating a year of study is not automatic. Funding for an additional 12 month period will only be authorised where the NHSBA, having consulted with the University, concludes that there is a reasonable prospect of the student qualifying.
Last updated: August 2021