NHS bursary - when are you classed as independent?

[amy2705598]

From the NHS bursary booklet, you are independent if:

• You have care of a child
• You have been married / civil partnership
• No living parents
• Supported yourself independently from own earnings for 36 months
• Parents cannot be traced / not practical to contact them
• Parents live abroad & assessment would endanger them
• Permanently estranged from parents
• In care at 18th birthday

My question is does any earnings from a job whilst you were at uni the first time (for grad students only) count towards the 36 months of independence?

I have earned between £8-£10K a year for the last four years, but two of those years was when I was still at university. Does anyone know how the bursary people view this? It doesn't make it clear in their booklet at all, all it says is that any student loans doesn't count towards it.

Anyone else feel like getting married to a random person & getting a quickie divorce just so you can get the bursary! it's going to make the difference of thousands of pounds

[kiya]

You may have to directly ask the NHS bursaries bods. After reading the booklet again, I would say that it does count. It says that "periods of employment (full or part time)" count towards the 36 months. So if you were employed part time and can prove it by producing P46s for the years you worked during uni. The emphasis appears to be on supporting yourself from your own earnings - if you were doing this at uni, it should count.

I had a similar dilemma in that I've lived with my parents since graduating in 2001 due to house/rent prices being greater than my salary. I wasn't sure I could be classed as "independent" even though I paid for everything, including a nominal rent to my parents. I sent P46s from the previous 5 years and that was proof enough.