The Student Room Group

Student finance - medicine in 5th year

I’m studying medicine in September and I have been looking at what maintenance loan I will get, I was wondering if anybody could explain this to me. Gov.uk says in year 5 I could get £2458 maintenance loan from student finance England + means-tested NHS bursary of up to £2643 depending on my parents income (compared to £4289 from SFE for the first 4 years). My parents are already going to have to contribute quite a lot towards my living costs, I was wondering if it’s likely that I will end up getting much less than the previous £4289 in year 5 with the NHS means tested bursary + the reduced maintenance loan from SFE? Any advice would be appreciated
Original post by missdechino
I’m studying medicine in September and I have been looking at what maintenance loan I will get, I was wondering if anybody could explain this to me. Gov.uk says in year 5 I could get £2458 maintenance loan from student finance England + means-tested NHS bursary of up to £2643 depending on my parents income (compared to £4289 from SFE for the first 4 years). My parents are already going to have to contribute quite a lot towards my living costs, I was wondering if it’s likely that I will end up getting much less than the previous £4289 in year 5 with the NHS means tested bursary + the reduced maintenance loan from SFE? Any advice would be appreciated

Hi there, is this undergraduate medicine or graduate entry? Could you also advise me of your Nationality and what previous study you have?
Thanks, Isaac.
Original post by SFE Isaac
Hi there, is this undergraduate medicine or graduate entry? Could you also advise me of your Nationality and what previous study you have?
Thanks, Isaac.

Hello, this is undergraduate medicine, I’m British and I’m currently studying A levels. Thanks
Original post by missdechino
Hello, this is undergraduate medicine, I’m British and I’m currently studying A levels. Thanks

In the first 4 years of your studies you will receive the usual package of support which includes a higher amount of Maintenance Loan based on your household income. In the 5th year of the course you are entitled to an NHS Bursary and therefore will only be entitled to the very basic Reduced Rate Maintenance Loan. The reduced rate is around 2 thousand pound, we can't give you an exact figure as we only have the 20/21 figures available now, our figures/regulations are updated yearly.
Thanks, Isaac.
Original post by SFE Isaac
In the first 4 years of your studies you will receive the usual package of support which includes a higher amount of Maintenance Loan based on your household income. In the 5th year of the course you are entitled to an NHS Bursary and therefore will only be entitled to the very basic Reduced Rate Maintenance Loan. The reduced rate is around 2 thousand pound, we can't give you an exact figure as we only have the 20/21 figures available now, our figures/regulations are updated yearly.
Thanks, Isaac.

Thanks for your help :smile:
So in opting to take the NHS bursary, you will end up with even less overall?! I get the lowest maintenance loan of roughly 4k... that going down to 2k and then only realistically get 1k for the NHS will bankrupt me... how does that help yr5 students who are going to be really busy in their final year of medicine!? Can someone explain, I'm hoping that I'm misunderstanding. Do you have to take the NHS Bursary? What are the benefits of taking it?
Original post by buggly21
So in opting to take the NHS bursary, you will end up with even less overall?! I get the lowest maintenance loan of roughly 4k... that going down to 2k and then only realistically get 1k for the NHS will bankrupt me... how does that help yr5 students who are going to be really busy in their final year of medicine!? Can someone explain, I'm hoping that I'm misunderstanding. Do you have to take the NHS Bursary? What are the benefits of taking it?

Hi, I'd advise you to discuss this with the NHs as they can explain the advantages. As far as I'm aware you are not required to take the bursary. If you don't take the bursary you should get the normal rate of finance from us but I think the bursary has advantages as the NHS pay the course fee.
Thanks, Isaac
Original post by samah786khan
Hi Isaac,Just to clarify. I’m a 4th year student and if I opt for the NHS means tested bursary (I think the maximum is £3.5k something like that) and the NHS tutition fee bursary to fulfil the £9250. Am I still legible to apply for the means/income tested student finance loan or do I only get the non-income tested maintenance loan of around £5k? Please do clarify! As I am not sure whether I can apply for both student finance and the NHS bursary.

In the 5th year of an undergraduate Medicine degree you would be entitled to the Reduced Rate Maintenance Loan only. The figure for students living elsewhere is £1975, parental is £1443 and in London it is £2724.

Warm Regards,

Shaun.

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