The Student Room Group

Help for a graduate-entry medical student struggling with tuition fees and rent costs

Hi there.

So my story: I'm one of the smaller group of medical students in the UK who are studying as part of the graduate-entry courses which run at select medical schools across the UK. I graduated with a biology-related degree last year and managed to get into medical school straight after so I'm currently halfway through my first year.

For first-year graduate-entry students, we receive loans for the majority of our tuition fees but have to pay just over a third of the first year's fees out of our own pockets with no loan from SFE. This is what's messing me up. That's £3600ish I have to pay this year. As of now, I have paid 50% of this as it was due last month. However it has meant that I have nearly maxed out my £1250 overdraft and I'm now struggling to be able to pay March's rent, let alone the rest of the £3600 come mid-May when it is due.

A good chunk of the tuition fee was covered by my maintenance loan for living costs which I receive straight to my bank in 3 instalments over the year. However I only get the minimum loan because my parents' income is supposedly high enough to not need more, and this is meant for my rent for the year which it does not entirely cover, and has now gone on my tuition fees.

Short-term I should be able to afford next month's rent thanks to my parents. They cannot spare much more, however (I am the eldest of 6 and have 2 other siblings who are also at University who need help).

So basically: I'm short of time because my degree is so busy (key difference from a standard medical degree: ours is 4 years as opposed to 5, so we are cramming in the same amount of material of an already challenging degree into less time) and I'm short of money. I'll be able to work over Easter but working during my degree is risky because there is so much to learn. Is there anything anyone could recommend to help with my financial situation? Any charity for poor medical students like my self perhaps? (I joke, although that'd be great).
Original post by Rich_JW95
Hi there.

So my story: I'm one of the smaller group of medical students in the UK who are studying as part of the graduate-entry courses which run at select medical schools across the UK. I graduated with a biology-related degree last year and managed to get into medical school straight after so I'm currently halfway through my first year.

For first-year graduate-entry students, we receive loans for the majority of our tuition fees but have to pay just over a third of the first year's fees out of our own pockets with no loan from SFE. This is what's messing me up. That's £3600ish I have to pay this year. As of now, I have paid 50% of this as it was due last month. However it has meant that I have nearly maxed out my £1250 overdraft and I'm now struggling to be able to pay March's rent, let alone the rest of the £3600 come mid-May when it is due.

A good chunk of the tuition fee was covered by my maintenance loan for living costs which I receive straight to my bank in 3 instalments over the year. However I only get the minimum loan because my parents' income is supposedly high enough to not need more, and this is meant for my rent for the year which it does not entirely cover, and has now gone on my tuition fees.

Short-term I should be able to afford next month's rent thanks to my parents. They cannot spare much more, however (I am the eldest of 6 and have 2 other siblings who are also at University who need help).

So basically: I'm short of time because my degree is so busy (key difference from a standard medical degree: ours is 4 years as opposed to 5, so we are cramming in the same amount of material of an already challenging degree into less time) and I'm short of money. I'll be able to work over Easter but working during my degree is risky because there is so much to learn. Is there anything anyone could recommend to help with my financial situation? Any charity for poor medical students like my self perhaps? (I joke, although that'd be great).


I don't want to sound harsh, but surely making sure that sufficient funds are in place to meet the known costs of tuition before you go is what a prudent student would do as part of ensuring the course can be realistically completed?

I understand when students run into unexpected financial difficulties, but what you are describing are entirely foreseeable and really needed dealing with, or at least a realistic provision making, before you took up the place.
Reply 2
Original post by Reality Check
I don't want to sound harsh, but surely making sure that sufficient funds are in place to meet the known costs of tuition before you go is what a prudent student would do as part of ensuring the course can be realistically completed?

I understand when students run into unexpected financial difficulties, but what you are describing are entirely foreseeable and really needed dealing with, or at least a realistic provision making, before you took up the place.


I know that. I thought I'd save up in the Summer before which I did to an extent from a part-time job and has helped me thus far, but it wasn't enough. I also didn't want to back down from my dream just because I might struggle financially. So thank you, but here I am in the middle of the course and your answer isn't what I was looking for. If you have any other tips then please share.
Original post by Rich_JW95
I know that. I thought I'd save up in the Summer before which I did to an extent from a part-time job and has helped me thus far, but it wasn't enough. I also didn't want to back down from my dream just because I might struggle financially. So thank you, but here I am in the middle of the course and your answer isn't what I was looking for. If you have any other tips then please share.


Hopefully someone might be able to suggest sources of funding for you - I know of none which cater for foreseeable financial difficulties. Good luck with it all, anyway :smile:

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