Why is the NHS Bursary paid monthly?

Ok, so I'm off to uni in September to study Nursing and I am currently trying to sort out all my finances. I couldn't help but notice that with my accommodation rent coming out in three installments and my bursary being paid monthly, it leaves me with hardly any money a week from September to April. But then in May, June, July and August when I won't need as much money I'll have £453 a month to spend! Why don't they do it in 3 installments like the Student Finance? It just doesn't make sense. I'm worrying as to how I'm going to survive for the first 9 months of Uni..

Reply 1

InArduisFouette

21

fopr everyone who whines about this there would be as many if not more wqhines if the bursary was paid in 3 chunks

salaries, pensions etc i nthe NHS are paid monthly therefore the bursary ( which if you'd done the slightest amount of research replaced a salary when pre-reg moved to HE and becoame supernumerary) is paid monthly as well.

i'm unsure where you concerns comes from - other than the big lump for the first payment ...

Reply 2

superwolf

18

You presumably won't be living in halls for the entirety of uni, and neither will most students. So for the majority of people the majority of the time rent will be paid on a monthly basis. Plus food, bills and other expenses are generally an ongoing affair, rather than being paid all together in one big lump. If you ask me it's Student Finance that could do with changing to a monthly system, rather than the other way round.

Reply 3

SalfordRep_Rachel

Original post by Annaleigh_B

Ok, so I'm off to uni in September to study Nursing and I am currently trying to sort out all my finances. I couldn't help but notice that with my accommodation rent coming out in three installments and my bursary being paid monthly, it leaves me with hardly any money a week from September to April. But then in May, June, July and August when I won't need as much money I'll have £453 a month to spend! Why don't they do it in 3 installments like the Student Finance? It just doesn't make sense. I'm worrying as to how I'm going to survive for the first 9 months of Uni..

Hi! Not sure where you're going to be studying, but at the University of Salford the halls I've lived in were really accommodating to this. Most of them are fully aware of the differing payment scheme that NHS students have, so they were quite happy to change my payments to monthly instead of semesterly. So for your uni, it might be worth speaking to the accommodation and seeing if they can sort something out for you?

Not sure how old you are/previous experience, but the monthly payments are more in line with receiving an actual wage (though obviously nowhere near as much!)- it's much easier to go from infrequent loan payments to a monthly 'income' and as most NHS students are doing just that, I think that's why they do it. I know I wouldn't be able to manage my money well enough to last 4 months at a time, especially not having the time to have a part time job!!

Hope that helps! :smile:

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 4

Annaleigh_B

OP

I fully understand why they do it but I still think they should give you some sort of choice as to how you get it. Or as you said student finance should change. Nevertheless for me it is really inconvenient and they really should match up. For the first 9 months of uni I'll be living off like £22 a week and the rest of the time I'll be living off £110 a week!

Reply 5

superwolf

18

At the end of the day it's free money, I wouldn't complain too much. :tongue:

Reply 6

Annaleigh_B

OP

Original post by superwolf

At the end of the day it's free money, I wouldn't complain too much. :tongue:

Yeah I know :smile:

It's just stressful organising everything for uni and when I get there I'm pretty sure I'll have to buy books instead of eat food! But most importantly I'll be doing something I'll enjoy so it will allll be ok :smile:

Reply 7

moonkatt

19

Original post by Annaleigh_B

I fully understand why they do it but I still think they should give you some sort of choice as to how you get it. Or as you said student finance should change. Nevertheless for me it is really inconvenient and they really should match up. For the first 9 months of uni I'll be living off like £22 a week and the rest of the time I'll be living off £110 a week!

Speak to accommodation at your university and see if they will accept monthly payments for rent instead, a lot of universities do for healthcare students who receive a monthly bursary.

Reply 8

amyc123

9

In second and third year I pay my rent monthly and all other bills too. They can't just fit it around first years. Also, it's a lot nicer having that consistent flow of money!

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