RMBF Charity - RMBF Medical Student Hardship Fund

RMBF Medical Student Hardship Fund

During your medical studies, you will receive financial support of grant to cover essential living costs, for example to help with rent, bills and food. There is no set amount. Each grant is tailored to your individual needs and does not need to be repaid. The money must not be used to pay tuition fees. The fund is managed by the Royal Medical Benevolent Fund (RMBF), a UK charity that supports doctors and medical students.

Who can apply

• Course: You are enrolled as a medical student at a British university and are following a degree programme that entitles you to register with the General Medical Council (GMC), the body responsible for the regulation of doctors in the United Kingdom.
• Stage of studies: You are in the final two years of your training and expect to be provisionally registered as a doctor within two years.
• Why you need help: You are facing a sudden, unexpected financial hardship caused by illness, disability or the death of a relative. This does not apply to cases where your parents have simply stopped providing you with financial support.
• Risk: The money pressure puts you at serious risk of not qualifying as a doctor.
• After qualifying: You are planning to work in the UK once you have completed your training.
• Nationality: Any nationality can apply.

How to apply

Start with the eligibility tool on the RMBF's medical students page. If it confirms you may qualify, you submit a full application. You will need a reference from your medical school. There is no fixed deadline, and each application is decided case by case.

How realistic are your chances?

This fund is very narrowly defined. Only medical students in the United Kingdom who are in the final two years of their degree and who are in a demonstrably genuine emergency situation due to illness, disability or bereavement may apply, meaning that very few people meet the criteria. If your situation clearly meets the criteria and your medical school supports your application, your chances are good. What matters most is an honest, well-documented account of your circumstances, rather than a polished sales pitch.