NHS Business Services Authority - Learning Disability Nursing - HHEDNBL

NHS Learning Support Fund for Learning Disability Nursing

Whilst studying nursing for people with learning disabilities at a university in England, you will receive at least 6,000 GBP per year (about 6,900 EUR) in addition to your regular student loans, which you will never have to repay. This amount consists of a training grant of 5,000 GBP per year and a subject-specific allowance of 1,000 GBP per year for students on priority courses, which include nursing for people with learning disabilities. Part-time students receive a pro-rata amount. Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to access additional funding:

• 2,000 GBP per year if you have at least one dependent child under the age of 15 (or under 17 if the child is registered as having special educational needs).
• Reimbursement of additional travel or accommodation costs incurred during clinical placements.
• Up to 3,000 GBP per year from a special assistance fund should you find yourself in unexpected financial difficulty.

The NHS provides the funding, and the NHS Business Services Authority administers it. For a 3-year full-time bachelor’s degree programme, the funding amounts to at least 18,000 GBP over the entire duration of the course.

Who can apply

• Course: You are enrolled on a pre-degree course in nursing for people with learning disabilities (full-time or part-time) at a university in England.
• Actively studying: You’re currently attending classes or on a work placement and aren’t on a study break.
• Residence: You are eligible for student finance and living costs grants from Student Finance. This usually means that you are resident in the United Kingdom.
• Nationality: Applicants of all nationalities are eligible to apply, provided they meet the above-mentioned UK regulations on funding for study.
• No employer pay or old bursary: No employer will pay you for the duration of your studies, and you will not receive the former NHS scholarship at the same time.
• Financial need: Not required for the main grants. You will receive the training grant and the specialist allowances regardless of your income.

How to apply

Open an online account with the NHSBSA for the NHS Learning Support Fund within one month of starting your active studies, and then submit your application within six months. You must reapply each academic year, as the grant is not automatically renewed.

How realistic are your chances?

This is not a selection process. The grants are an entitlement; so if you are studying an eligible course in nursing for people with learning disabilities in England and meet the eligibility criteria for student finance, you will receive these grants. The biggest risk is missing the registration and application deadlines, or forgetting to submit a new application for the coming year. If you set up the account right at the start of your course, you should receive the full amount.