Medicine MBBS BSc Funding / Allied Health Courses NHS Learning Support Fund

NHS Learning Support Fund at UCL

You get a Training Grant of about EUR 5,900 per year (£5,000) on top of your student loan, and you do not have to pay it back. This applies to the two-year MSc courses in Speech and Language Sciences, Dietetics and Orthoptics at UCL. Part-time students get a proportional amount. You may also get extra money:

• Orthoptics students: an extra Specialist Subject Payment of about EUR 1,180 per year (£1,000).
• Parental Support: about EUR 2,360 per year (£2,000) if you have at least one dependent child under 15 (or under 17 with registered special educational needs). It is paid once per student, not per child.
• Travel and accommodation: you can claim back extra travel and temporary accommodation costs from your practice placements.
• Exceptional Support Fund: up to about EUR 3,540 (£3,000) if you hit unexpected financial hardship. You can only claim it after using every other source, including UCL's own Financial Assistance Fund.

The fund comes from the NHS. It is separate from your main tuition fee loan and maintenance loan from Student Finance, which you also apply for. If you have children, you can claim the NHS Parental Support alongside Student Finance's Childcare Grant and Parents' Learning Allowance.

Who can apply

• Course: You study the MSc in Speech and Language Sciences, Dietetics or Orthoptics at UCL. Foundation years do not count.
• Where you study: You are at a university in England and are actively studying, in class or on placement.
• Student finance: You qualify for tuition fee and maintenance support from Student Finance England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
• No NHS Bursary: You do not receive an NHS Bursary. That is a separate system for medical and dental students, and you cannot hold both.

How to apply

Register for an NHS Learning Support Fund account on the NHSBSA website and apply within six months of your academic year starting. You reapply every year, and continuing students get a reminder email. You will need your Student Finance confirmation letter, plus a birth certificate if you claim Parental Support.

How realistic are your chances?

This is not a competitive award. If you are on one of the three eligible UCL courses, qualify for a student loan and are not on an NHS Bursary, you receive the Training Grant. Just register within the six-month window each year to avoid missing out.