Do I change degree now? Due to NHS funding!

Hey everyone,

Would really appreciate some advice!

I am currently a second year student at the Uni of Sheff doing English Language and Lit and wasn't really aware of Speech and Language Therapy as a possible study/career option until last Semester when I decided that what I would really like to do would be the 4-year postgrad. course in SLT once I have finished my English degree. Now, a significant factor of this would have been due to the NHS tuition funding, without of which I simply cannot afford to do the course (unless I want to get into loads more debt) but the Government are now scrapping this and so in order to still be able to get this funding it's looking like I will have to leave my current degree and apply for 2016 entry to SLT.

I have settled on SLT as it is a job where I feel like I would be helping people and the course just looks fantastic.

Please correct me if I'm being ignorant about the NHS funding thing, that's just what I've learnt from doing research. I would just like to know if there are any ways I could finish doing my current degree and still do SLT?
Or if I was to apply this year for SLT I would actually get the NHS funding if it is technically my second degree?

Thanks! There's just so much to think about I would really appreciate some advice! x

Ah okay, that's very true, I hadn't looked at it like that before! And I'm sure many others would be in the same position.

It just sucks so much because my friend managed to do her maths degree on 3k a year then go on to optometry completely NHS funded, haha!

Also another worry would be in the future if the govt. decided to change the rules about paying back student loans as they seem to have changed everything else but I guess there's no point being pessimistic.

Thankyou claireestelle so much, that's helped a lot. I think I will go see my careers advisor with what you have said in mind and go from there! x

Hey everyone,

Would really appreciate some advice!

I am currently a second year student at the Uni of Sheff doing English Language and Lit and wasn't really aware of Speech and Language Therapy as a possible study/career option until last Semester when I decided that what I would really like to do would be the 4-year postgrad. course in SLT once I have finished my English degree. Now, a significant factor of this would have been due to the NHS tuition funding, without of which I simply cannot afford to do the course (unless I want to get into loads more debt) but the Government are now scrapping this and so in order to still be able to get this funding it's looking like I will have to leave my current degree and apply for 2016 entry to SLT.

I have settled on SLT as it is a job where I feel like I would be helping people and the course just looks fantastic.

Please correct me if I'm being ignorant about the NHS funding thing, that's just what I've learnt from doing research. I would just like to know if there are any ways I could finish doing my current degree and still do SLT?
Or if I was to apply this year for SLT I would actually get the NHS funding if it is technically my second degree?

Thanks! There's just so much to think about I would really appreciate some advice! x

If you left your course after two years you could graduate with a certificate of higher education that shows you have completed 240 credits of university study.

Not finishing your degree would of course limit you to applying for the undergraduate course. But given the circumstances I do not think a 'late' application would be looked at negatively given the fact the universities have been surprised by this announcement too. Effectively, it has left you with just over a month over the Christmas period to get application ready when you expected to have at least another year or more. This is clearly not feasible for everyone and I think admissions tutors will cut you some slack. On top of this, the interviews for SLT only begin a week or two before Christmas and continue for a few months so you have plenty of time.

Having said that, universities are not likely to cut you any slack when it comes to selection so if there is there is a better candidate to pick from - say, someone who has already completed a degree - then they will pick them. In this sense, I would carefully consider which universities you select.

If you are interested in studying at Sheffield I would try to talk to the admissions tutor Sarah Spencer as soon as possible. She might be able to advise you further about the practicality of switching courses. They might be happy to switch you straight over and you might not have to formally apply at all.