I live in Wales 08/09

Fees

• You won’t have to pay any tuition fees before you start your course or while you are studying.
• In 2008/09, if you normally live in Wales, started your course in 2006/07 onwards and study at a Medical School in Wales you may be entitled to a non income -assessed fee grant of £1890 which does not have to be repaid. This grant is to fund the difference between  the standard non-variable fee of £1255 and the £3145 you will be charged for your course. 
• But you'll  still be liable to pay the first £1255 of the course fee charged although you can fund this by means of a non income -assessed repayable tuition fee loan. 
• You can also take out a tuition fee loan even if you started your course before 2006/07, and you were, or are, assessed to pay all or part of your fees. Otherwise the fee grant of up to £1255 will remain.
• In your fifth and later years your fees will be paid in full by the NHS Wales Student Awards Unit.
   

Living costs

For the first four years, depending on your personal circumstances, you may be eligible to apply for:

Assembly Learning Grant
Higher Education Grant(if you started before 2006/07)
Special Support Grant (2006/07 starters onwards)
Student Loan for maintenance
Adult Dependants’ Grant
Parents’ Learning Allowance
Childcare Grant
Travel Costs
Disabled Students’ Allowances

In the fifth and later years of your course, depending on your personal circumstances and when you started your course, you may be eligible to apply to the NHS Wales Students Awards Unit for living cost support (2007/08 information only available as yet in July 2008):

NHS Bursary
Student Loan for maintenance (apply to LA)
Childcare Allowances
Dependants’ Allowance
Disabled Students’ Allowance
Older Students’ Allowance
Practice Placement Expenses
Single Parent Addition
Two Homes Grant

Many of these grants are similar to those you may have received, but with slightly different names, during the first four years of your course. But there are also additional allowances depending on when you started your course. If you look at the NHS Wales Students Awards Unit site (follow the link for NHS Bursaries on the left side of the NLIAH website homepage on the related website link) you will find full information about the basic living cost support available to you if you started your course after 1 September 2007.

What other financial help might I get?

• Welsh Bursary Scheme (07/08 onwards) – similar to the Access Agreement Bursaries in England(see related  link).
• Financial Contingency Funds(see related link). 
• University Funds – your University may have its own Hardship Funds. Check out the University’s website to see what is available.
• Child tax credit.
• Working tax credit.
• Welfare benefits.

What financial help might I get if I study in England, Northern Ireland or Scotland?

You will be entitled to the same living cost support as if you studied in Wales throughout your course but there are differences in the amount of fees you will pay:

• You will pay fees of £3145 per year in England and Northern Ireland or £2825 in Scotland in 2008/09, if you started your course from 2006/07 onwards. 
• You won’t have to pay any tuition fees before you start your course or while you are studying.
• You may apply for a student loan for fees which is non income-assessed for the first four years of your course.
• You can also do this, even if you started your course before 2006/07, and you were, or are, assessed to pay all or part of your fees. Otherwise the fee grant of up to £1225 will remain.
• In your fifth and later years your fees will be paid in full by the NHS Wales Student Awards Unit.

• Access Agreement Bursaries in England/ similar scheme in NI /possible fee waiver/bursary scheme in Scotland(see related link) 
• Access to Learning Fund/Financial Contingency Funds/Discretionary Funds(see related link)
• University Funds – your University may have its own Hardship Funds. Check out the University’s website to see what is available.
• Child tax credit.
• Working tax credit.
• Welfare benefits.