Doing medicine as a second degree

The amount of financial help you’ll get depends on which country of the UK you normally live in and the type of course you’re following.

Living in England or Wales

Accelerated 4 year graduate entry programme

First year

• You’ll have to pay the tuition fees yourself. These will be at least £3290 for the year in 2010/11.
• For living costs you’ll be eligible to apply to Student Finance England or Student Finance Wales for:

Student loan for maintenance
Adult Dependants’ Grant
Childcare Grant
Parents’ Learning Allowance
Disabled Students’ Allowances
Travel Costs (additional for all home students) 

Years 2 to 4

• You’ll be eligible for support from the NHS Students Grant Unit or the NHS Wales Student Award Unit.
• This support is the same as that received in year 5 by students doing medicine as a first degree.
  

Standard 5+ years medical degree

Years 1-4

• You’ll have to pay the tuition fees yourself for the first four years.
• These fees can vary considerably so check the amount with individual medical schools before you commit yourself to the course.
• For living costs you’ll be eligible to apply to Student Finance England or Student Finance Wales for:

Student loan for maintenance  
Adult Dependants’ Grant
Childcare Grant
Parents’ Learning Allowance
Disabled Students’ Allowance
Travel Costs (additional for all home students)

Year 5

• You’ll be eligible for support from the NHS Students Grant Unit.
• This support is the same as that received in year 5 by students doing medicine as a first degree.
• If you are taking a shortened version of the standard undergraduate degree you may be eligible for NHS funding from the fifth year of the course which could be your 4th or earlier year of study.

Living in Northern Ireland

Accelerated 4 year graduate entry programme

• You’ll have to pay the tuition fees yourself each year. These will be at least £3290 in the year 2010/11.
• For living costs you’ll be eligible  to apply to Student Finance NI for:

Student loan for maintenance
Adult Dependants’ Grant
Childcare Grant
Parents’ Learning Allowance
Disabled Students’ Allowance
Travel Costs (additional for all home students)

Standard 5+ years medical degree

• You’ll have to pay the tuition fees yourself throughout the course. 
• These fees can vary considerably so check the amount with individual medical schools before you commit yourself to the course.
• For living costs you’ll be eligible to apply to Student Finance NI for:

Student loan for maintenance
Adult Dependants’ Grant
Childcare Grant
Parents’ Learning Allowance
Disabled Students’ Allowance
Travel Costs (additional for all home students)

NB Year 5

You'll only be entitled to the same support package you receive in Years 1-4. This means you'll have to pay your own tuition fees. You'll not receive a DHSSPS bursary as you would have done if you'd been studying medicine as first degree.

Living in Scotland

Accelerated 4 year graduate entry programme

• You’ll have to pay the tuition fees yourself. These will be at least £3290 for the year in 2010/11.
• For living costs you’ll be able to apply to SAAS for the:

Student loan for maintenance
Adult Dependant’s Grant
Lone Parents’ Grant
Additional Childcare Grant for Lone Parents
Travelling Expenses
Travelling Expenses (additional) for medical students
Disabled Students’ Allowance

Standard 5+ years medical degree

• You’ll have to pay the tuition fees yourself for the first four years if you study in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. Fees can vary considerably so you should check the amount with individual medical schools before you commit yourself to the course
• But, if you study in Scotland and you are not eligible to have your fees paid because of your previous study, you’ll only have to pay the standard £1285 fee to your University in 2010/11. You can apply to SAAS for the difference between the standard £1285 tuition fee and the higher tuition fee of £2895.*
• For living costs you’ll be able to apply to SAAS for the:

Student loan for maintenance
Adult Dependant’s Grant 
Lone Parents’ Grant
Additional Childcare Grant for Lone Parents
Travelling Expenses
Travelling Expenses (additional) for medical students
Disabled Students’ Allowance

Year 5

• You’ll be eligible to apply for a Scottish Government Health Directorate Bursary through SAAS.
• This support is the same as that received in year 5 by students doing medicine as a first degree.  
• If you're taking a shortened version of the standard undergraduate degree you may be eligible for NHS funding from the fifth year of the course which could be your 4th or earlier year of study.

Check out the related link 'Will I be an independent student?'