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 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 2020/21 page. You can also apply for Grants for Dependants and Disabled Students’ Allowance
Students with previous degrees
If you already have a degree but plan to pursue a second degree in nursing, midwifery or another health-related subject, you’ll have access to student loans through the student loans system. However, you will not be eligible for student funding if you have previously been registered in the field you intend to study.
Additional funding available
The Learning Support Fund, administered by NHSBA Bursaries, is available to assist student with living and course related costs.
What is the Learning Support Fund?
Some funding will be available to those students with child dependants; in cases of severe hardship; and where excess travel and extra accommodation expenses have been incurred as part of 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 student loan be actively involved in training, whether academic or practice
For new and continuing students there is a new Training Grant £5,000 per year. This does not need to be repaid.
For student parents, there is a Parental Support payment of £2,000.00 per year.
For new students starting in 20/21 there is an extra £1,000.00 available for specialist subject area, (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 on the 1st July for September 2020 for new starters & returners