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Student debt after doing medicine

Just want to gauge what the average student debt is for those who are in their final year of medicine degree for Scottish & RUK students. I know it would vary depending on various factors but its just to get an idea of what i may be facing.

If you don't mind sharing the value & Uni please.
Thanks

(edited 3 months ago)

Reply 1

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Busyb247

If you're being funded by SFE the student "debt" isn't the same as other debt and it's not helpful to think of it in that way. Unlike e.g. a bank loan, SFE debt you only repay when earning over a defined threshold, and it's always proportional to your income - so you never repay more than you can afford. It's effectively a graduate tax, and is essentially impossible to default on unless you're self employed and misrepresent your earnings (in which case HMRC are going to have bigger issues with you) or move abroad to work without notifying SFE.

If you're a Scottish student funded by SAAS I believe it's all funded by bursary anyway. Note also even for SFE funded students, the fifth (and if applicable sixth) years are funded by NHS bursary so you don't repay those costs anyway.

You can read some more about SFE loans here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/8-things-you-should-know-about-your-student-loan--2

Granted if you become a doctor in the UK you probably will eventually pay off the full loan and interest, but as per the above link it's worth noting 40 years (it's changed since that was written) any remaining balance is written off.

Reply 2

ash210

Original post by Busyb247

Just want to gauge what the average student debt is for those who are in their final year of medicine degree for Scottish & RUK students. I know it would vary depending on various factors but its just to get an idea of what i may be facing.
If you don't mind sharing the value & Uni please.
Thanks

You can calculate yourself online what maintenance you will get based on your circumstances and add another 40k for 4 years of tuition fee as 5/6 years are covered by NHS bursuries.