What financial support would I get?

[Britney]

Hi everyone,

I am currently pregnant and I have been putting things into place for going to medical school. It probably wont be for a couple of years still as I have a number of OU courses that I need to complete but I wanted to get an idea of what Id be entitled too. At present, I dont have a degree even though I started a dipHe before, but I didnt complete it and it was a pre-registration training programme. I just wanted to know what financial aid I would be entitled too with a small child. I am 23 at the moment, but will probably 25-26 by the time I get to medical scool. I am currently engaged and he is at university at the moment. I will be applying for all 5 year programmes. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Britney]

Anyone at all?

[aspirant doc]

Britney

You might get your fees paid, depending on how your local education authority views your first year first time round.

You will be entitled to a student loan. if you are under 25 you get less for this (they consider you get money from your parents if under 25, whether that isd true or not).

You are entitled to a grant from your education authority if you are the main care provider (c. £1.5K?? but I'm not sure).

Your uni may grant you nursery costs.

That's about it..others may know more. don't think you are entitled to any benefits, but I may be wrong - any benefits will be assessed with your man's income taken into consideration.

[heavenlyjohnson]

Hi everyone,

I am currently pregnant and I have been putting things into place for going to medical school. It probably wont be for a couple of years still as I have a number of OU courses that I need to complete but I wanted to get an idea of what Id be entitled too. At present, I dont have a degree even though I started a dipHe before, but I didnt complete it and it was a pre-registration training programme. I just wanted to know what financial aid I would be entitled too with a small child. I am 23 at the moment, but will probably 25-26 by the time I get to medical scool. I am currently engaged and he is at university at the moment. I will be applying for all 5 year programmes. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Hi Britney, you get a lot! I'm a dad and main wage earner so had written off medical school until recently. At my wife's suggestion I looked into it again and was realy surprised to find out how much help is out there. I wrote an article about it here:

Funding Options for UK Medical Study « Revise Gamsat Forums

Hope this helps and good luck!

[heavenlyjohnson]

I should mention that the key thing is to try and get on the 4 year course. You get a lot more support if you take this route, roughly an extra 15K over the duration of the course.

[clemette]

I am on the 4 year course and get a means tested loan of almost £6k, a uni byrsary of £1000. a parental learning allowance of £1000 and 85% of my childcare (the childcare grant is paid by the government). I had to pay about £4000 in fees. From my understanding I will be entitled to less next year as the Nhs bursary is less than the loan but I won't have to pay fees. We also claim tax credits as our income is less than half of what it was

[Tangliss]

I'm on the 5 year course and next year the NHS bursary is seriously going to let me down, I will be between £4,000 to £6,000 worse off compared to what I currently get from the LEA! If I had the option I would opt out of the bursary! My LEA already pay my tuition fees, as I'm an old school student so the bursary in that respect is not doing me any favours! Plus, the LEA pays 85% of childcare costs for 2 plus children, up to £300 a week. The NHS only offer 85% of £200, and considering my weekly fees are £376 a week, is shit! Rant over!