Student Finance England

[yphtutor]

My son has a bio-med degree and a masters in clinical neuroscience. (I am only saying this to add context as it is relevant) However, all he has ever wanted to do is medicine. Anyone who has ever tried to apply for medicine knows how difficult it is to even get an interview at a university. He has got to interview stage several times but has then been knocked back and has to re apply the next year and the next and the next and pay for GAMSAT, UCAT or BMAT, or all 3 depending upon where you are applying and if you are applying as a grad or undergrad. Unlike other degrees in medicine you can only apply to 4 uni’s!
This year he was invited for 3 interviews and was accepted at the uni of his choice.
Absolutely delighted after years of knock backs. He then applied for student finance to be told in one letter he will not be funded for the course but will get a maintenance loan, in another letter he will not be funded for the course but will get a maintenance loan (this one twice as much as the first) and a further letter telling him he will not receive anything!
He is devastated as are we. We can manage to pay the tuition fees with a struggle and a lot of sacrifices if he gets a maintenance loan, but if he gets nothing I’m not sure we could afford it.
I am flabbergasted that with the shortage of doctors in the NHS medicine is not a fully funded course and I am absolutely fuming that the SFE are so incompetent they can’t even clarify the situation for him and for us.
AIBU to think all medicine degrees should be fully funded no question, particularly in light of the fact that Scotland and Wales only pay a tiny fraction of what we pay here in England?
If anyone has any suggestions who I can lobby I would be grateful. I have sent emails already to the PMs office and to Gillian Keegan MP

I think there is funding if it’s graduate entry medicine (4 years) but not if it’s the full undergraduate medicine course that’s 5 years. Although I think there is a bursary for the final year

This confirms no fee loans just maintenance eligibility: https://www.medschools.ac.uk/studying-medicine/outreach-and-support/financing-your-studies#:~:text=Students%20on%20a%20graduate%20entry,remaining%20balance%20is%20self%2Dfunded.

Also here https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/career-planning/study-and-training/considering-or-university/financial-support-university/financial-support-medical-and-dental-students

Well, that’s completely confusing with the conflicting information on the two websites, isn’t it?

Thank you Titchy and Lorraine that has been the problem in a nutshell

What's contradictory? They both say students with degrees cannot access fee loans (or maintenance grants) for PG medicine, but they can access maintenance loans

Both also clarify that the final year is fully funded by the NHS bursary.

Yes agreed, but there is a lot of confusion because SFE keep giving out incorrect and conflicting information Titchy. We just want clarity so that we can plan for the future but can’t actually get it because no matter what we do, we just get another letter that then contradicts whatever the last one said!

Maybe I should have titled this thread as AIBU to want and expect clarity from SFE! 😩

Has he actually applied for a maintenance loan?

yes he did Titchy. He said a friend of his who had already done degrees and did medicine got a maintenance loan so we are hoping he will but it’s hard to plan financially without being certain

Hello, I did midwifery as my second degree and received tuition and maintenance loans. Unless it has changed you are eligible for full funding for a second degree as long as that degree is in healthcare. Definitely keep pushing them.

It shouldn't be a problem. (I know a couple of grad med students as it goes, and work in HE if that reassures.)

Thank you so much that does reassure somewhat