AIBU to think I can get funding to do a nursing degree with working dh and 2 dc?

[Fairyegg]

Long story short, kids are getting older (6 and 3) and having worked for the nhs as a band 3 (unqualified) for 10 plus years, I am tempted to do my nursing degree. However I am with dh who works 2 jobs to earn roughly 20 k per year. I currently work part time earning 6 k per year. We recieve cb and child tax credit and own our house with a mortage. I also already have a degree a shitty one in a shity subject which I have a large student loan for with little chance of paying back. So AIBU to think I have any hope of getting help towards the cost of doing a degree in nursing?

DO you mean a bursary if so I didnt think they were means tested?

Thought the bursary for nursing stopped last year.

Anything I'm just not sure if they would give out a bursary for a second degree or if they did how much it would be. All the information I can find seems to centre on single students without kids, or single parents.

I think I lot of funding got stopped last year, which I guess is why i'm finding it so hard to get the answers.

Your uni fees will be paid by nhs, I did the diploma and got a bursary, this is means tested. I know you still get a monthly income with degree, but this will be means tested to. Go on the nhs student bursaries website and there's a calculator which would show how much you'd be entitled to. Good luck

The funding has changed not stopped. Have a look at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/816.aspx . Some is means tested some is not. There are no fees as this is paid by the NHS regardless of income. You can also claim a reduced student loan as well. The fact it is a second degree is irrelevant as it is NHS not LA funded.

I am hoping to do OT at Coventry and have a degree already.

Hope that helps!

There is an online bursary calculator here www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/3576.aspx to work out an estimate. The bursary is means tested for degree level courses. When I was a student the tax credit people didn't count student bursaries as income either so I got tax credits to top it up, I qualified 6 years ago though so that might have changed

Good luck!

www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/Students/Documents/Students/Financial_Help_booklet_2012-13.pdf
page 20 if you earn under £24,279 you get the full amount.

Does this help?

I hope you manage to do it if you want to. DS2 is doing his GCSEs this Summer, with the aim of doing A levels then going on to train to be a nurse.

Good luck.

Thank you so much everyone. The calculator seems to suggest I would get 8.5 k a year (with dh earning 20k and 2 kids) which is more then I earn now. Finding that hard to believe but if its true fantastic!

According to the NUS they still disregard bursaries as income when calculating tax credits so you should get some tax credits too!

www.nus.org.uk/en/advice/money-and-funding/other-sources-of-funding/students-and-tax-credits/

have you approached your human resources team and see if you couls get seconded on your hca pay some trusts allow you to do this

I have applied for this year and it looks as though I will be better off than now. Apart from anything else, tax credits ignore non taxable income, so any bursary or student loans will be on top of what you DH earns and the tax credits based solely on his wages.

I am doing an access course atm, and have applied for three unis, I have only heard back form one so far though

Ok, haven't had time to double check for you: but would you definitely get bursary funding (rather than a loan) if you already have an undergraduate degree? I know I looked into midwifery a while back and wasn't allowed to do the degree route as already have one (arts subject) but could have done the diploma route (which they are now stopping/have stopped). Just wouldn't want you to get your hopes up...

OK, had a look at the NHS website and it says 'may still be eligible' if you've already accessed HE. Not very helpful, is it, to not link to how you might find out for 'definite'!?

Check ur initial degree doesn't rule you out of funding!!!!!

Also there is an Msc two year programme for grads - have a look at it!

Don't forget to claim your council tax discount.

Hi

I have a psychology degree and did a post graduate diploma. I qualified 3 years ago and got a bursary. The post grad course is a bit shorter than the regular course.

Good luck.

I don't think it matters what your first degree is in, mine is in pharmacology and I did degree level midwifery. There were a couple if other graduates on my course (law and economics) and they both qualified for bursaries too. Worth checking though if others have had different experiences.