Funding for intercalated masters?

I'm going into 3rd year and my med school suggests intercalating in between 3rd and 4th year but there seems to be little funding for a masters in that spot. So I was wondering how that would change if I intercalated in between 4th and 5th year. I'm not entirely sure what I want to do just yet but I just want to know for sure how funding will affect my options.

Reply 1

macpatgh-Sheldon

Hi,
Just a couple of suggestions I thought might be worth checking out on.

As far as I know, SFE does not provide support for a second BSc or BA (or in your case, MBBS or MBBCh). However, if you are doing an MSc or an MA after an undergraduate course, a PG loan has been introduced about five years ago. OK I understand that an intercalated masters is not quite a postgraduate degree in the sense that you will not have completed your UG degree before doing the masters, but worth finding out [I am assuming you have investigated funding for an intercalated degree specifically within a medical training situation RATHER THAN funding for a posthraduate degree].

Secondly, in today's world (where everything is done by "clicking rodents" and there are fixed rules decided by the software requirements of any system therefore are very rigid and discrete), it is extremely difficult [well nigh impossible] to get a discretionary award as I did a few years ago after an interview based on merit. However, I would push your bank to give you a physical appointment with your bank manager, explain to him/her verbally in person NOT by email [needless to say, go in a suit with tie [not halfway down your chest!] and clean-shaven], that you are planning to do this ICY course, and that you are going to be a doctor in two years time as well as the fact that an MSc/MA will greatly enhance your career progression in hospital medicine. Bank managers are well aware that the employment rate of doctors is over 98% (not to mention the current shortage in UK with e.g. bham.ac.uk taking 400 students per year) and that the income is reasonable - any sensible bank manager will readily provide a loan.

My view is that whether you intercalate after 3rd yr or after 4th year will have little bearing on the above - just apply early.

(Are you at Cambridge? - I know that the intercalated degree there is an MA NOT a BSc).

M (former medical student + holder of 4 other degrees - still on a student budget although 30+ haha).

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 2

F953

I did a masters between 4th and 5th year - NHS bursary will cover tuition fees as it’s your 5th year of study and some sort of bursary for living expenses (dependent on parents income and can be pretty terrible - I got £1000 for the YEAR).You aren’t able to get any postgraduate loan from SFE as you are eligible for alternative (NHS) funding, and you also can’t get the reduced SFE maintenance loan as the course is postgrad.I saved up around £2500 before starting, my uni also gave a bursary for those staying at the uni to intercalate of around £1000. In addition my masters was pretty low on contact hours and I had PLENTY of time for a job (worked around 20 hours a week), so I ended up financing it fairly easily.

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 3

lorry:)

If you do it between 3rd and 4th Years I believe you will be eligible for the postgraduate loan (there were a couple people on my masters who did it at this point and I believe thats how they funded it). If you do it between 4th and 5th Years you will be eligible for NHS funding - this is what I did. Be aware though, that many postgraduate degrees have tuition fees above £9000 - my research masters was £9500 and most of the taught masters at my uni were £12500+. The NHS will only fund tuition fees to the same level as your undergrad medical degree so you will be expected to cover the remaining fees if they are more than your current fees.

I know somebody above suggested trying to get a formal bank loan for it but I would probably advise against that - if you want to do postgraduate study but can’t do it without a bank loan in addition to student funding id probably suggest it’d be better to wait and do it once you have graduated rather than potentially graduate with three different sources of loans (ie: undergraduate finance, postgrad loan and a formal bank loan). Repaying that loan will also not wait until you start earning - the bank will expect you to start repayments once they lend you the money or quickly afterwards, student or no student.

Funding for intercalated masters?

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