Student loans online app for 2009-10

[brianfall]

Hello all,

I'm filling in my online application for 2009-2010. I'll be going into my 5th year so will be eligible for an NHS bursary. Two questions on the form are confusing me. They are;

Q1. Have you applied, or will you be applying, for any bursary or award from the National Health Service (NHS) or the Department of Health (DoH)?

Q2. Is it means tested?

The answers to these questions seemed straightforward, i.e. 'yes' and 'yes'. Until I read the info that came with the little "help" button. It says

"If you have applied, or will be applying, for a bursary from the National Helth Service Authority (NHSBSA) you should answer “no” to this question because this is a separate bursary to those offered by the NHS or the DoH.

If you are receiving or are likely to receive an income assessed bursary or award, the only element of student finance you are eligible to apply for is the non-income assessed part of the Maintenance Loan and this will be at a reduced rate.

If you are receiving or are likely to receive a means tested (or non-income assessed) bursary then you are NOT eligible for any other student finance unless you are a seconded student studying a health related course and you have been advised that you cannot apply for any bursary at all, either income or non-income assessed."

So I rang my uni, who told me that it's only nurses and midwives who get the NHSBSA bursary, and that the NHS bursary is means assessed.

Then I rang the NHS Pensions Agency Student Grants Unit on 0845 358 6655 and they told me that medical students *DO* get the NHSBSA bursary, so i should have answered "no". Doh. Too late, already filled the form in.

Then I moved on to the next two paragraphs in the "help" box. What does it mean? Isn't means tested the same as income assessed? Why does it say "...means tested (or non-income assessed) bursary..."?

Anyone got any ideas? I fear it's too late now because I ended up answering yes to Q1 and no to Q2, which I think is the exact opposite of what I should have answered!

How on earth did I get into 4th year when I can't even fill in my student loans application!! :-)

[Diya]

I think you went for the right choices there. You are applying for an NHS grant (so automatically, you'll only be allowed a max non-income assessed loan) and yes it is means tested cos they ask for your parents incomes on the NHS bursary form and use it to work out how much to give u

[brianfall]

have looked into this a bit more and the web based version has errors and omissions. the paper based version makes it clearer. The answer to the first questions should be "yes". The answer to the second is more debatable, because people from higher income families may not get any more than just their fees paid, but will automatically only get a non-means assessed student loan. hmmmm.