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:
- studying on an eligible programme at a university in England
- eligible for tuition fees and maintenance support from the Student Loans Company, either through: Student Finance England (SFE), Student Finance Wales (SFW), Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS), Student Finance Northern Ireland (SFNI)
- actively in study, whether academic or practice learning
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 (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. Details of the main funding you are entitled to can be found on our Student Finance 2023/24 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.
To apply for the Exceptional Support Fund you must first apply to the University's Financial Support Fund. Evidence of this is required, even if no award is made by the University. Multiple applications to the Exceptional Support Fund can be made during the academic year (subject to a total amount of £3000).
The Learning Support Fund also funds excess travel costs/dual accommodation costs when you are on placement. It is important that you read the qualifying criteria carefully.
For students starting after 2021/22 there is an extra £1,000.00 available for some specialist subject area such as:
- mental health nursing
- learning disability nursing
- radiography (diagnostic and therapeutic)
- prosthetics and orthotics
- orthoptics and podiatry
Details about the new fund can be accessed by following these links:
***IMPORTANT UPDATE***
The Department of Health has confirmed that the Learning Support Fund is not available for students who are repeating a year of study for reasons of academic failure only. Repeat funding may be available for those repeating for Compelling Personal Reasons and will be considered on a case by case basis.
Last updated: February 2024