Funding for Medical and Dental Students - Advice and Counselling ...

Funding for Medical 

and Dental Students 

Advice and Counselling Service 

www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk

About the Advice and Counselling Service 

The Advice and Counselling Service offers a free and confidential service to all 

Queen Mary students, including those from Barts and The London, Queen Mary’s 

School of Medicine and Dentistry. You can view our confidentiality policy on our 

website: www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/procedures/ 

Our welfare advisers 

Our experienced welfare advisers have specialist training to offer you professional advice 

on a range of financial, practical and legal issues. Our aim is to advise you about possible 

solutions and options relating to financial, practical and legal issues, so that you can 

concentrate on your academic progress. Our welfare advisers will help you to understand 

your welfare rights and entitlements, and can advocate on your behalf if your case is 

complex. 

Regulation of Immigration Advice 

The OISC (Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner) is an independent organisation 

that monitors immigration advice and services. 

Welfare Advisers at Queen Mary are regulated under OISC guidelines to give 

immigration advice. We have to attend regular training to be able to do this. If you 

ever need to complain about the immigration advice you receive, the Advice and 

Counselling Service has a complaints procedure. You can find this on our website 

at www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/procedures 

Alternatively, you can complain directly to the OISC. Their complaints form is on the website 

at www.oisc.gov.uk 

Disclaimer 

Law, regulations and policies can change quickly so make sure that you are using 

the most up-to-date version of this guidance. Check our website for regular updates. 

The information in this guide is given in good faith and has been carefully checked. 

Queen Mary, however, accepts no legal responsibility for its accuracy. 

Where to find further guidance 

In this guide we sometimes advise you to contact a Welfare Adviser for further guidance. 

You can see a Welfare Adviser in person during one of our drop-in sessions, at a pre-booked 

appointment or you can submit questions via our website. For more information on our 

opening hours, the times of our drop in sessions and how to contact us, visit 

www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/contact/ 

See our A-Z directory of support services for information on how to contact other support 

departments at QM, and external organisations which can also offer you support.


www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk 

Contents 

Who is this leaflet for 3 

How can this leaflet help 3 

Student Finance, the NHS Bursary scheme and QM Bursaries: an overview 4 

Student Finance: the basics 5 

Student Finance: Tuition Fee Loan 8 

Student Finance: Maintenance loan 8 

Student Finance: Loan repayments 10 

What if I don’t want to take out loans 11 

Student Finance: Maintenance Grant 11 

Student Finance: Special Support Grant 13 

Student Finance: Supplementary Grants 14 

NHS Funding 15 

Help with travel costs to clinical placements 18 

Queen Mary Bursaries 19 

Access to Learning Fund (ALF) 19 

The University of London Hardship Fund (ULHF) – EU students only 21 

Dean’s Benevolence Fund (DBF) 21 

NHS Hardship Grant 21 

Intercalated Degree Bursaries 22 

Funding for Electives – Medical Students 22 

Funding for Electives – Dental Students 23 

Scholarships and Bursaries from Trusts and Charities 23 

Funding for Medical and Dental students 

Last revised November 2010 1



Prizes and Academic Activities 24 

Emergency and Short Term Loans 24 

Student Bank Accounts 24 

Earnings 25 

Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits 26 

Professional Studies Loans (PSLs) 26 

Graduate Loans 26 

Other loans 27 

Discounts, reductions and exemptions 28 

Funding for re-taking periods of study 28 

Taking time out from your studies, or leaving completely 31 

Eligibility rules for Student Finance and NHS Bursaries 31 

Diploma in Dental Hygiene and Therapy 34 

2 Funding for Medical and Dental students



Who is this leaflet for 

It is for full time Home (England domiciled) and European students who are either: 

• starting the MBBS, BDS or Graduate Entry Programme in 2010, or 

• continuing on an MBBS, BDS or GEP which you started in September 2009 

If you started your course in 2006, 2007 or 2008 the information in this leaflet is still relevant to you, but 

the amounts of maintenance loan or NHS bursary you receive may vary. To check the different rates, see: 

Maintenance Loan: http://bit.ly/axmaUi 

NHS Bursary: http://bit.ly/9anmpH 

• There is also information for students studying on the Diploma in Dental Hygiene and Therapy at 

the very end of this leaflet. 

EU+ 

Shaded EU+ boxes like this have important extra information for European Union students 

only. UK students can ignore the EU+ boxes 

How can this leaflet help 

As a medical or dental student, your funding will come from many different sources. Your funding will be 

different according to which year of your programme you are in, which programme you are studying and 

whether you already have a degree. This leaflet will help you to understand where your funding will come 

from and what amounts you might be entitled to. 

This leaflet includes information about statutory funding from the UK government via the Student Finance 

system and the NHS, as well as potential additional sources of funding from Queen Mary, the School of 

Medicine and Dentistry, bank loans and other sources. 





Student Finance, the NHS Bursary scheme and QM Bursaries: an overview 

The table below outlines the standard funding that you are eligible to apply for, according to which 

programme you are studying on and which year you are in. The types of funding listed in the table will be 

paid by either: Student Finance (England), the NHS or Queen Mary. Each type of funding is explained in 

more detail later in this leaflet, including information on how to apply, the amounts that you might be 

eligible for and how the income assessments work for income assessed funding. 

EU+ 

If you are an EU national, please see specific information for EU students in the shaded boxes. 

Year 

of 

study 

Standard 5 year 

MBBS and BDS 

1 

Student 

Finance 

Tuition 

Fee 

Loan 

Student 

Finance 

Maintenance 

Loan 

Student Finance 

Reduced (50%) 

Maintenance 

Loan 

Student 

Finance 

Maintenance 

Grant 

Queen Mary 

University 

Bursary 

NHS 

NHS 

Tuition Bursary for living 

Fee 

costs 

Grant 

 

2 

3 

4 

5 and 

beyond 

Graduate Entry 

Programme 

1 

 

 

 

 

 

2 

3 

4 

 

 

 

5 year MBBS and 

BDS as a second 

degree 

1 

 

2 

3 

4 

5 and 

beyond 

 

 

 

 




Student Finance: the basics 

You can find details about personal eligibility and residence requirements in the Eligibility section of this 

leaflet. 

If you normally live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, your package of government Student Finance 

will be different. You need to contact the funding authority in your home country: 

Scotland: www.saas.gov.uk 

Wales: www.studentfinancewales.co.uk 

Northern Ireland: www.education-support.org.uk 

What is Student Finance 

Student Finance is the system of financial support provided by the government. If you normally live in 

England, the four main elements of Student Finance are: 

• Tuition fee loan 

• Maintenance loan 

• Maintenance grant or special support grant 

• Supplementary grants 

(repayable) 

(repayable) 

(non-repayable) 

(non-repayable) 

Each element is explained in more detail later in this leaflet. 

How do I apply 

Both new and continuing students need to apply to Student Finance England. 

You can apply online at www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance 

If you would prefer to apply on paper, you need to contact Student Finance England for an application form 

on 0845 300 50 90. New students need to complete the PN1 form and continuing students need to 

complete the PR1 form. 

When do I apply 

To ensure that you are paid the first instalment of your Student Finance at the start of the academic year 

you should apply by: 

• 23 rd April 2010 if you are only applying for non income assessed support 

• 25th June 2010 if you are applying for income assessed support 

You can still apply after these dates, but your payments are unlikely to be ready by the start of the 

academic year. 





You do not need to have a confirmed place on a course before you apply for your Student Finance. 

If you have not applied for Student Finance before the start of your course, you can still apply for it for the 

2010/11 academic year up until 31 st May 2011. 

Keep Student Finance England informed of any change of address or contact details as they will often need 

to contact you for further information. If you do not respond quickly this may cause a delay in getting your 

money. 

You have to reapply for Student Finance in each year of the course, and your entitlement will be 

reassessed. 

How is my application income assessed 

Your entitlement to Student Finance is assessed on your household’s gross taxable income: this can mean 

your income, or your partner’s income, or your parent(s) income plus the income of their partner. Certain 

allowances are deducted from the gross income, for example if your parent is also a student, or if there are 

children who are financially dependent on that parent. 

For the 2010/11 academic year, the assessment is based on income in the 2008/09 tax year. If the 

household income is now at least 15% less than it was in 2008/09, you can ask to be assessed on the 

current year income instead. 

To find out exactly what income is counted, and how your entitlement is calculated, see the booklet Higher 

Education Student Finance – How you are assessed and paid 2010/11. You can download this at 

www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance 

Independent status 

In certain circumstances students can be treated as ‘independent’, meaning that any parental income will be 

ignored. Instead, Student Finance England will look at any taxable income you have in the current academic 

year, except for income from any part-time or vacation work. 

There is a list of the categories of student who can be assessed as independent on page 22 of Higher 

Education Student Finance – How you are assessed and paid 2010/11. The list broadly includes students who: 

• are not in contact with their parents, or have no living parents, or whose parents cannot be traced or 

contacted, or have been cared for by a local authority since you turned 16, or 

• on the first day of the relevant academic year are: aged 25 or over, or have care of a person under 18, or 

have been married or formed a civil partnership, even if it is not still subsisting, or 

• have supported themselves for any periods ending before the first academic year of the course, which 

together amount to three years. This includes being in paid full-time employment, or receiving certain 

benefits or training for the unemployed, or receiving benefits because of disability or ill health. 




The rules are detailed so please check the booklet mentioned above to see if you meet the specific criteria. 

Contact a Welfare Adviser in the Advice and Counselling Service if you need help with this. 

If you are claiming independent status on the basis of estrangement from your parents (this means you are 

not in contact with them), Student Finance England state that you must provide confirmation of this from a 

professional person outside your family who knows about your circumstances. However, it can be very 

difficult to get such a letter if no professionals were involved in your situation. In our experience, 

successful applications have been made using alternative documents. Please see a Welfare Adviser in the 

Advice and Counselling Service who can advise you on what documents to provide in support of your 

application. Where appropriate we will also write a letter of support for you to include. 

EU+ 

If you are an EU national who has come to the UK to study, you can normally only apply for a Tuition Fee 

Loan. You need to apply to the Student Finance Services European Team on form EU10N. You can 

download this from www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance 

You can contact the EU Team by phone on (+44) (0)141 243 3570 or email EU_Team@slc.co.uk 

If you are not an EU national but there is an EU national in your family, you might still qualify for a Tuition 

Fee Loan. The rules are complicated so please see a Welfare Adviser in the Advice and Counselling 

Service. 

Some EU nationals and their family members may also be eligible for the living costs elements of Student 

Finance. See the Eligibility section for more details. 

If you become an EU national after your course has started, see a Welfare Adviser in the Advice and 

Counselling Service to check whether you will become eligible for Student Finance. 

If you are not eligible for the living costs elements of Student Finance you will need an alternative source of 

funding to pay for all your living costs for the duration of your studies. You will need to put together a 

package of support, which might come from your parents or other family members, your own savings, your 

earnings, an independent organisation or your own government. 

If you have extra study related costs as a result of a disability or learning difficulty, some limited funding 

from the College may be available in certain circumstances. Please contact the QM Disability and Dyslexia 

Service to discuss your situation. 





Student Finance: Tuition Fee Loan 

You will be charged a tuition fee by Queen Mary in each academic year. In 2010/11 the tuition fee will be 

£3290. If you are eligible, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to pay all or part of your tuition fee, or you 

can pay the fee yourself. There is no age limit on taking a fee loan and it is not income assessed. The 

money will be paid directly to Queen Mary on your behalf. 

If you are going to pay the tuition fee yourself, you will need to sign a direct debit agreement at enrolment. 

The tuition fee will usually be taken out of your bank account in eight monthly instalments between 

October and May. 

If you pay some of your tuition fee yourself, you can still apply for a Tuition Fee Loan later. For the 

academic year 2010/11 you must apply for a Tuition Fee Loan by the deadline of 31st May 2010. 

Student Finance: Maintenance loan 

This is money to help towards your living costs, like rent and food. 

The maximum amount of Maintenance Loan you can get depends on where you live, and what year of your 

programme you are in. 

All eligible students will receive at least 72% of the maximum Maintenance Loan amount, and the remaining 

28% is income assessed. 

In 2010/11, the Maintenance Loan rates for non final year students studying in London are: 

Maximum Maintenance 

Loan (100%) 

Non-income assessed 

Maintenance Loan (72%) 

Maximum Maintenance 

Loan minus maximum 

maintenance grant 

substitution* 

Living away from 

parental home 

£6928 £4988 £5475 

Living at parental home £3838 £2763 £2385 

*If you get a maintenance grant, your maintenance loan will be reduced (see Maintenance Grant section). 

Student Finance: Reduced rate Maintenance Loan 

In year 5 and beyond of the 5 year programme, and years 2-4 on the GEP, your statutory funding will partly 

come from the NHS and partly come from Student Finance. Although you may qualify for an NHS Bursary 

for living costs during these years (see NHS section below), you can also apply to Student Finance England 

for a Reduced Rate Maintenance Loan, as your NHS Bursary alone will be unlikely to cover your living 

costs. The 2010 rates of Reduced Rate Maintenance Loan are: 




Full Year 

Maximum rates of Reduced 

Rate Maintenance Loan 

Parental home £1,744 

Away from parental home £3,263 

Final Year 

Parental home £1,324 

Away from parental home £2,498 

The Reduced Rate Maintenance Loan is not income assessed. 

Student Finance: Long Courses Loan 

You can get an extra amount of Maintenance Loan in any academic year which has more teaching weeks 

than the standard 30 weeks (not including university vacation periods). The Long Courses Loan is income 

assessed. The maximum amount if you live away from your parental home is £106 a week, and the 

maximum amount if you live at your parental home is £54 a week. Student Finance will assess your 

entitlement for the Long Courses Loan using the semester dates that you put on your Student Finance 

application each academic year, so it is important that these dates are correct. You can check these dates 

with the Student Office at Whitechapel. 

Income assessment 

If your household’s income is £50,778 or below, you will get the maximum amount of Maintenance Loan, 

less any deduction for the Maintenance Grant (see Maintenance Grant section). 

Where your household’s income is above £50,778 your Maintenance Loan amount will be reduced by £1 

for every complete £5 of the total income above this threshold. However, this reduction does not 

continue indefinitely. You will always be entitled to at least 72% of the maximum amount of Maintenance 

Loan applicable to your situation, minus any deduction for the Maintenance Grant (see Maintenance Grant 

section). 

The Reduced Rate Maintenance Loan is not income assessed. 





Sample calculation: 

Household income £55,000 

↓ 

£55,000 minus £50,778 threshold = £4222 

↓ 

£4222 divided by £5 = £844 

↓ 

Maximum Maintenance Loan £6928 minus £844 

↓ 

Maintenance Loan entitlement = £6084 

Age limit 

You must be under 60 on 1st September in the year you start your course, to apply for a Maintenance 

Loan. 

How is the Maintenance Loan paid 

Your Maintenance Loan is paid directly into your bank account in three equal instalments, at the start of 

each semester (September, January and April). 

Student Finance: Loan repayments 

Your Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans will be combined into one loan account. You are liable to 

start repaying this loan from the April after you leave your course, if you are earning at least £15,000 a 

year. You will repay 9% of your earnings above £15,000 a year. This means that your monthly repayments 

are based on how much you earn, not on how much you borrow. The amount you borrow just affects the 

total repayment amount and therefore how many years it will take you to repay your loans. 

You can make extra voluntary repayments at any time, without penalty. Contact the Student Loans 

Company to arrange this. 

You may have the option of taking a repayment holiday (a break in making your loan repayments), subject 

to approval by the Student Loans Company. 

In most circumstances any outstanding balance will be written off 25 years after you first become liable for 

repaying the loan, unless you have taken a repayment holiday. 




The interest rate on Student Finance loans is set each September, and usually remains the same for the 

following 12 months. For September 2010 to August 2011 the interest rate is 1.5%. You can find more 

information at www.studentloanrepayment.co.uk/interest 

You will be charged interest on your loans from the day you receive your first payment, and the interest is 

added each month until you have repaid your loans in full. 

EU+ 

If you return to live in your home country after graduation, the income threshold above 

which you will become liable to start repaying your Student Finance loans will normally vary 

depending on your country of residence. For more information go to www.direct.gov.uk 

and search for ‘Student finance forms and guides 2010/11’ then click on ‘Student loans: a 

guide to terms and conditions’. Or contact the Student Loans Company. 

What if I don’t want to take out loans 

You might not want to take out loans, either for religious or personal reasons. If so, you need to make 

sure you have a realistic alternative source of funding to pay for your tuition fees and living costs. 

You can choose to take just some of the elements of Student Finance. So, if you are eligible, you could just 

take the Maintenance Grant (see Maintenance Grant section) and not take either of the loans, if you can 

afford to do so. 

However, if you do not take out your maximum Maintenance Loan entitlement, you will not be eligible to 

apply for most types of hardship funding. If you are entitled to claim income assessed welfare benefits and 

you choose not to take out a Maintenance Loan, your welfare benefits will still be reduced as if you had 

taken a Maintenance Loan. 

For specific guidance on Student Finance loans and Shariah law, visit our website. 

Student Finance: Maintenance Grant 

This is to help with the general costs of Higher Education, like books and travel. You do not need to repay 

this. 

The maximum amount of Maintenance Grant in 2010/11 is £2906. How much Maintenance Grant you get 

depends on your household income. 





Income assessment 

Income 

Maintenance Grant per year 

£25,000 or less £2906 

£25,001 - £34,000 £2906 reduced by £1 for every complete £5 of 

income above £25,000 

£34,401 - £50,020 As above plus a further reduction of £1 for every 

complete £15.17 of income above £34,000 

Above £50,020 

No grant 

Example 1: 


↓ 

Minus £25,000 = £5000 

↓ 

£5000 divided by £5 = £1000 

↓ 

£2906 (max grant) minus £1000 

↓ 

£1906 maintenance grant 

Example 2: 


↓ 

The difference between maintenance grant threshold one £25,001 and threshold two £34,000 = £9449 

↓ 

£9449 divided by £5 = £1889 

↓ 




Income £45,000 minus threshold two £34,001 = £10,999 

↓ 

£10,999 divided by £15.17 = £725 

↓ 

£725 plus £1889 = £2614 

↓ 

£2906 minus £2614 = £292 

↓ 

£292 maintenance grant 

How is the Maintenance Grant paid 

It is paid directly into your bank account in three equal instalments at the start of each semester 

(September, January and April). 

How will my Maintenance Grant affect my Maintenance Loan 

If you get a Maintenance Grant, your Maintenance Loan will be reduced. This is because part of your living 

costs will be met by the Maintenance Grant, so you should need less Maintenance Loan. 

Your Maintenance Loan will be reduced by 50p for every £1 of Maintenance Grant you receive. For 

example, if your Maintenance Grant is £2000, your maintenance loan will be reduced by £1000. 

Student Finance: Special Support Grant 

The Special Support Grant is only for students who would be eligible in principle to receive means tested 

welfare benefits, like Income Support, Employment Support Allowance, or Housing Benefit, while they are 

studying. This might include students who are lone parents, or who have a disability or ongoing medical 

condition. If you need to check your eligibility, please contact a Welfare Adviser in the Advice and 

Counselling Service. 

The Special Support Grant is paid instead of the Maintenance Grant, and is non-repayable. 

The calculation to see how much Special Support Grant you get is the same as for the Maintenance Grant 

(see above). 





You will need to indicate in your application for Student Finance that you want to apply for the Special 

Support Grant. You will need to send supporting evidence to Student Finance England, for example a 

benefit award letter, to show that you fit into one of the eligible categories. 

The Special Support Grant is disregarded in the assessment of your means tested welfare benefits. You will 

need to show each of the offices that pay your welfare benefits a copy of the support notification letter 

from Student Finance England stating that you get the Special Support Grant. 

Also, your Maintenance Loan amount will not be reduced as a result of your entitlement to the Special 

Support Grant. 

If you have any difficulties getting the Special Support Grant, please contact a Welfare Adviser in the Advice 

and Counselling Service. 

Student Finance: Supplementary Grants 

You are automatically considered for most of these grants when you apply for Student Finance, so make 

sure you include details of any dependants or disabilities in your application. Apart from Disabled Students 

Allowances, all of these grants are income assessed and paid directly into your bank account in three equal 

instalments at the start of each semester (September, January and April). 

The income assessment for supplementary grants is different to those used for the Maintenance Loan and 

Maintenance Grant. If you are a lone parent, you are likely to be eligible for the maximum amounts of 

Parents Learning Allowance and Childcare Grant. If you have a partner, their income will be counted, 

which could reduce your entitlement. A Welfare Adviser in the Advice and Counselling Service can help 

you check your entitlement, if you are unsure. 

You do not need to repay any of the supplementary grants. 

For more information about all of these grants (except Disabled Students’ Allowance) refer to the booklet 

Childcare Grant and other support for full-time student parents in higher education 2010/11. You can get a copy 

from the Advice and Counselling Service reception or download one: www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance 

Parents Learning Allowance 

This grant is to help towards course related costs for students with dependent children. The maximum 

amount is £1508 a year. This grant is non-repayable. 

Childcare Grant 

This helps with the cost of registered or approved childcare if you have dependent children. It pays 85% of 

your childcare costs, up to a maximum weekly grant of £148.75 for one child (85% of £175 actual childcare 

costs), or £255 for two or more children (85% of £300 actual childcare costs). This grant is non-repayable. 

You need to make a separate application for the Childcare Grant, on form CCG1, which you can download 

from: www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance 




Adult Dependants Grant 

If you have a partner or other adult family member who is financially dependent on you, you may be eligible 

for this grant. The maximum amount is £2642 a year. This grant is non-repayable. 

Disabled Students Allowances 

If you have a disability or specific learning difficulty, this can help pay for extra study related costs, like 

specialist equipment or travel costs. DSA is not income assessed and is non-repayable. 

You will be asked to indicate in your application whether you want to apply for Disabled Students’ 

Allowances. You will then need to send evidence of your disability, for example a doctor’s letter, to 

Student Finance England. 

More information is available in Bridging the Gap: a guide to the ‘Disabled Students’ Allowances in higher 

education 2010/11. You can get a copy from the Advice and Counselling Service reception or download 

one: 

www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance 

For more information about the support available at Queen Mary for students with disabilities or an 

ongoing medical condition, contact the Disability and Dyslexia Service. 

NHS Funding 

In year 5 and beyond of the 5 year programme, and years 2-4 on the GEP, part of your funding will come 

from the NHS, via the NHS Student Grants Unit. You can still apply for a Student Finance Reduced Rate 

Maintenance Loan during your NHS funded years – see above. 

The NHS booklet Financial Help for Healthcare Students (booklet1: new scheme students) explains the system 

of NHS funding. The booklet is available at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/students 

(Click on ‘application forms and information’ and then ‘booklets for the 2010/2011 academic year’, and 

choose the one for courses started on or after 1st September 2007). 

How to apply 

You can apply once you have received a letter from the NHS Student Grants Unit, which will usually be in 

late June of the fourth year for students on the five year programme, or the first year for GEP students. 

The Medical and Dental schools will also email you instructions on how to apply. You can download 

application forms at 

www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/students 

There are separate application forms for the supplementary grants. 

If you need to contact the NHS Student Grants Unit, call 0845 358 6655 





NHS Funding: Tuition Fee Grant 

In your NHS funded years of study, your tuition fees will be paid for you by the NHS Student Grants Unit. 

The money will be paid directly to Queen Mary. This grant is non income assessed. You do not have to 

repay this money. 

NHS Funding: Bursary for living costs 

In your NHS funded years of study you can apply to the NHS Student Grants Unit for an income assessed 

NHS bursary to help pay for living costs such as rent, food etc. You can apply for this in addition to the 

Student Finance Reduced Rate Loan. The maximum NHS bursary for living costs in 2010/11 is £3,392 a 

year if you are living away from your parental home and £2,346 if you are living in your parental home. The 

NHS Bursary is non-repayable. 

NHS Funding: Extra Weeks Allowance 

You can get an extra amount of NHS Bursary for each week that your academic year is longer than the 

standard period of 30 weeks and 3 days (not including university vacation periods). The Extra Weeks 

Allowance is income assessed and is non-repayable. The maximum amount is £106 a week if you are living 

away from your parental home and £54 a week if you are living in your parental home. 

If an academic year of your programme lasts for 45 weeks or more, you can get Extra Weeks Allowance to 

cover all 52 weeks of the year i.e. 22 weeks worth of Extra Weeks Allowance. 

The NHS Student Grants Unit will assess your entitlement for the Extra Weeks Allowance using the 

semester dates that you put on your NHS Bursary application, so it is important that these dates are 

correct. You can check these dates with the Student Office at Whitechapel. 

NHS Funding: Financial assessment 

Your ‘residual income’ is used to assess your NHS Bursary entitlement. This is the gross taxable income of 

your parent(s)/spouse/partner/civil partner for the previous financial year, minus certain allowable expenses 

(these are listed in the Financial Help for Healthcare Students booklet mentioned above). For the 2010/11 

academic year, the applicable financial year is 6 April 2009 to 5 April 2010. 

In 2010/11, students with a household income of below £24,279 will be eligible to receive the maximum 

amount of income assessed NHS Bursary. Your NHS Bursary entitlement will be reduced by £45 plus £1 

for every £9.50 of household income above £24,279. Page 24 of the NHS booklet Financial Help for 

Healthcare Students includes a table of contribution rates as a guide to your NHS Bursary entitlement. 

There is also an NHS Bursary calculator on the NHS website: 

www.ppa.org.uk/StudentBursariesCalculator/reset.do 

NHS Funding: Independent status 

If you are assessed as being eligible for independent status for NHS funding, this means that your parental 

income will be ignored in the NHS income assessment. You need to demonstrate one or more of the 

following to be treated as an independent student for NHS funding: 




• You have the care of a dependent child or children (under 18 years of age) on the first day of the 

academic year (1 st September) in which you are applying for a bursary; or 

• You are or have been married or have entered into a civil partnership before the start of the academic 

year for which you are applying for a bursary; or 

• You have no living parents; or 

• Your parents cannot be traced or it is not practical or possible to contact them or; 

• Your parents live abroad and the assessment of a parental contribution would put them in danger; or 

• You are permanently and irreconcilably estranged from both of your parents; or 

• You are in the care of a local authority or voluntary organisation, or are under a custodianship order on 

your 18th birthday or immediately before your course if you are not 18 when it begins; or 

• You have supported yourself from your own earnings for a total of at least 36 months before the start of 

the first academic year of your course. This can include: 

o 

o 

o 

Periods of employment (either part or full time), 

Periods where you were unemployed and/or in receipt of benefits or on a relevant training 

course for unemployed people, 

Periods for which you were receiving a pension, allowance or other benefit paid because of 

a disability or by reason of confinement, injury or sickness 

‘Earnings’ cannot include student loans or grants. 

This list is also available at: www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/Students/1219.aspx 

For NHS Funding you will not be assessed as independent simply on the basis that you are 

aged 25 or over. This is a key difference to the Student Finance rules on independent status. 

If you have been treated as independent for the purposes of Student Finance in the earlier 

years of your programme, you might find that you are no longer eligible for independent status once you 

enter your NHS funded years if you cannot meet one of the specific NHS requirements set out above. 

NHS Funding: Additional Allowances 

In academic years where you are eligible for NHS funding, you will apply for Additional Allowances from 

the NHS instead of Student Finance England. These include Dependants Allowance, Parent Learning 

Allowance, Childcare Allowance and Disabled Students Allowance. There are also arrangements for 

students to continue to receive NHS Bursary payments during authorised absences from study for 

maternity, paternity or adoption reasons. Your entitlement will depend on your personal circumstances. 

Application forms and more information are available at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/students 





How is the NHS bursary paid 

You should receive your first NHS Bursary payment within two weeks of enrolling on the relevant 

academic year of your course. The School of Medicine and Dentistry will notify the Student Grants Unit to 

inform them that you have formally enrolled. Your NHS Bursary is normally paid in 12 equal monthly 

instalments, regardless of your actual days in attendance on your programme of study. However, your first 

instalment of NHS Bursary usually includes an advance payment to cover the first two months of the 

academic year. Your payments will be paid directly into your bank account. 

Help with travel costs to clinical placements 

Student Finance 

During the years when you are not eligible for NHS funding, you can apply for a travel grant from Student 

Finance England for reasonable costs you incur attending a hospital or other premises in the UK in 

association with your clinical training. You cannot claim for the first £303 you spend. This grant is income 

assessed. 

Indicate in your application for Student Finance that you want to apply for this grant, and they will send you 

a separate application form during the academic year. 

NHS 

During the NHS funded years of the course, you can apply for Practice Placement Expenses (PPE) from the 

NHS Student Grants Unit. You can apply for help with: 

• Travel costs between your term time accommodation and your practice placement location. You can 

only claim for these travel costs if they are higher than your normal daily travel costs from your term 

time accommodation to College. If they are higher, you can claim the total cost of your travel between 

your term time accommodation and your practice placement location. You must keep your travel tickets 

or receipts, as you will need to provide these with your claim. 

• If your clinical placement is too far away to travel to each day, you can claim the total cost of your 

practice placement accommodation, up to a maximum of 110% of the cost of your term time 

accommodation. If you normally live at home with your parents, the cost of your term time address is 

set at a nominal rate by the NHS Student Grants Unit. 

Help with your travel and excess accommodation costs is income assessed, so how much you qualify for 

will depend on your household income assessment. For information on how to apply for Practice 

Placement Expenses see www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/students > Application Forms and Information > Additional 

Assistance and Application Forms 




Queen Mary Bursaries 

Queen Mary offers income assessed bursaries to help students with the costs of studying. You do not need 

to repay this money. Bursaries are paid in each academic year. 

If your gross household income is £25,000 or less you will get a QM bursary of £1100 for the year. If your 

household income is between £25,001 and £34,613 a year you will get a QM bursary of £878 for the year. 

Medical and dental students, including those with a previous degree, are only eligible for QM bursaries in 

the non NHS funded years of your course (usually years one to four of the 5 year MBBS and BDS, and year 

one of the GEP). EU students who are only eligible for the tuition fee element of Student Finance are not 

eligible for a QM Bursary. 

How do I apply 

When you apply for Student Finance, your household income information will be passed to QM by Student 

Finance England, unless you specify otherwise. QM will then be able to assess your eligibility for a bursary 

without you needing to make a separate application. If you are eligible for a QM bursary the Bursaries, 

Grants and Scholarships Office at the Mile End campus will contact you in semester A. You will then need 

to provide them with your bank details so that they can pay your bursary to you. The Bursaries, Grants 

and Scholarships office can be contacted at: bursaries@qmul.ac.uk or 020 7882 5079. 

How is the bursary paid 

The bursary will be paid to you in two equal instalments, in February and May. 

Will my bursary affect my means tested welfare benefits 

Some students such as lone parents or students with a disability can claim welfare benefits (see the section 

Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits below). Your QM Bursary will not affect your means tested welfare 

benefits. You will need to get a letter from the Bursaries, Grants and Scholarships Office on the Mile End 

campus to state that your QM bursary is for course related costs. You need to show this letter to each of 

the offices that pay your benefits. Your QM bursary will then be disregarded in the assessment of your 

means tested benefits. Contact the Bursaries, Grants and Scholarships office at: bursaries@qmul.ac.uk or 

020 7882 5079. 

Access to Learning Fund (ALF) 

This is money that the government gives to QM to help students, including medical and dental students, in 

financial hardship. To apply to the ALF you must have taken your maximum Student Finance Maintenance 

Loan entitlement. You can apply to the ALF for help with the difference between your income and basic 

expenses. You can also apply for help if you have a sudden financial emergency or have special 

circumstances or costs that other students might not have. 





You can apply in each year of your course, and as early in the academic year as you like, once you have 

enrolled. It might be advisable to apply early, as the fund is limited and might run out towards the end of 

the year. You can apply more than once each year if your circumstances have changed. The way that the 

ALF applications are assessed is more generous for final year students, so even if you applied in earlier 

years and didn’t get an award, it is still worth applying in your final year. The government asks Queen Mary 

to give priority to certain students when it allocates the funds: 

• Students with children, especially, lone parents 

• Mature students, especially those with existing financial commitments 

• Students from low income families 

• Disabled students 

• Students who have entered higher education from care 

• Students from Foyers or who are homeless 

• Final year students 

However, if you are not in one of these priority groups, it does not automatically mean that you will not 

get help. If you are in financial difficulty, you should apply. You do not normally have to repay a payment 

from the ALF. 

You can get an ALF application form and more information from the Bursaries, Grants and Scholarships 

Office (Room CB2, Queens’ Building), the Advice and Counselling Service, the Students’ Union, and the 

Student Office at Whitechapel. Or download a form from: http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/bursaries/alf.html 

If you would like help applying, especially if you think you have special circumstances, see a Welfare Adviser 

in the Advice and Counselling Service. 

EU+ ALF is only available to those students who are eligible to apply for the full package of Student 

Finance, instead of the tuition fee loan only. For full details of eligibility for the full package of Student 

Finance, see the Eligibility section. 




EU+ 

The University of London Hardship Fund (ULHF) – EU students only 

This is a small fund that can help EU nationals who are not entitled to apply to the Access to Learning Fund. 

To apply to the ULHF, you must be experiencing severe financial hardship due to unexpected 

circumstances beyond your control. Grants are generally one-off payments and are normally between 

£500 and £700. The fund most often helps students who are close to completing their studies. It cannot 

pay tuition fees. 

You can collect an application form from the Bursaries, Grants and Scholarships office, room CB2 in the 

Queen’s building at Mile End or from the Advice and Counselling Service reception. If you would like help 

with your application, see a Welfare Adviser in the Advice and Counselling Service. 

Dean’s Benevolence Fund (DBF) 

This fund can help medical and dental students in severe financial hardship. You must make sure that you 

have tried every other funding option before you apply, including the Access to Learning Fund. The DBF 

most often helps students who are near the end of their course, although you can apply at any time. You 

may be awarded an interest-free loan, a grant or a combination of the two. If you are awarded an interest 

free loan, repayments will not be required until after you graduate and start work as a doctor or dentist. 

The School of Medicine and Dentistry encourages students to see a Welfare Adviser in the Advice and 

Counselling Service for help with their application before applying. This is so that you can check whether 

you are already getting all the funding that you are entitled to, and so that you can get help working out 

exactly what your financial need is before applying. However, you can still apply to the DBF without 

accessing this help if you prefer. You can also contact the Dean for Students at the School of Medicine and 

Dentistry for a confidential discussion before you apply. 

You can collect an application form from the Student Office at Whitechapel or from the Advice and 

Counselling Service at Mile End. 

NHS Hardship Grant 

Medical and dental students who receive an income assessed NHS Bursary can apply for an NHS Hardship 

Grant. You must first have exhausted all other sources of financial help, including taking your maximum 

Student Finance Maintenance Loan entitlement and applying to the QM Access to Learning Fund. To apply 

for an NHS Hardship Grant you will need to send evidence of having applied for these as well as evidence 

of your personal financial circumstances, including your income and expenditure. 





A Welfare Adviser in the Advice and Counselling Service can help you to prepare your application and 

usually provide a letter explaining your financial situation. Each application for an NHS Hardship Grant will 

be treated confidentially and considered on its own merits. 

There is no application form for the NHS Hardship Grant. You need to write to the Section Manager, 

NHS Student Bursaries, Hesketh House, 200-220 Broadway, Fleetwood, Lancs. FY7 8SS. For more 

information see: http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/Students/1180.aspx 

EU+ You are only eligible to apply for an NHS Hardship Grant if you are receiving an NHS 

Bursary for your living costs, not just help with your tuition fees 

Intercalated Degree Bursaries 

There are two types of bursary for medical and dental students studying for an intercalated BSc: a bursary 

based on academic ranking and a bursary based on financial hardship. These bursaries are administered by 

the School for Medicine and Dentistry. 

There are usually around 30 bursaries based on academic ranking and they range from around £7,500 to 

£1000 per bursary. 

You do not need to make an application for an ‘academic ranking’ bursary as they are allocated on the 

academic ranking that is calculated for the application process for an intercalated degree. The highest 

award goes to the highest ranking student and so on until all of the awards have been allocated. 

There are usually around 10 bursaries based on financial hardship, averaging £1,200 each. All intercalating 

students who do not receive an academic ranking bursary are invited to complete an application for one of 

the financial hardship bursaries. These are assessed by the School for Medicine and Dentistry and are 

allocated according to financial need, level of debt, the documentary evidence provided to support the 

application and contribution to the student body. 

For more information about Intercalated Degree Bursaries please contact Kate McFarlane, Student Office, 

Whitechapel campus. 

Funding for Electives – Medical Students 

Bursaries towards elective costs are administered by the School of Medicine and Dentistry. All students 

will receive email notification from the School about how and when to apply for an Elective Bursary. 




Bursaries range between approximately £250 and £700, with the average bursary being £375. In 2009/10, 

83 Elective Bursaries were awarded. 

The level of the bursary awarded is based on the your financial need, how well your elective has been 

arranged (e.g. documentation from the host institution confirming the elective) and contribution to the 

student body. 

For more information about Elective Bursaries please contact Kate McFarlane, Student Office, Whitechapel 

campus. 

Funding for Electives – Dental Students 

Barts and the London Alumni Association (BATLAA) provide some limited funding to the Dental School for 

elective bursaries. Bursaries are usually around £500. Travelling Scholarships are also available through the 

dental school to help with the costs of electives. Information about how to apply for these bursaries is 

published on Blackboard (WebCT) and is available in the Elective handbook under SSMs. 

Some dental students who are spending their elective at a European institution with which the Dental 

School has a formal agreement, can apply for an ERASMUS grant. You must be spending a minimum of 3 

months at the European institution. Places on the scheme are limited and the funding available varies each 

year. 

The staff contact at the Dental School for all queries about applying for elective funding is Sarah Bourne 

(s.m.bourne@qmul.ac.uk). 

Scholarships and Bursaries from Trusts and Charities 

There are a number of scholarships and bursaries available from trust and charitable sources including: 

Barts and The London Alumni Association Student Bursary (The Geoffrey Flavell Student Bursary), The 

John Abernathy (Barts) Scholarships and the Aldgate and Allhallows Foundation Scholarships. 

For more information see: http://www.qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/financialsupport/bursaries/index.html 

The School of Medicine and Dentistry has links with other trusts and charities that may consider 

applications from students in financial hardship. See the section ‘Possible sources of funding’ (click on the 

PDF) at: http://www.smd-edu.qmul.ac.uk/student_support/financial_support/index.html 

Contact Kate McFarlane in the Student Office at Whitechapel for details about how to apply for funding 

from trusts and charities that the School of Medicine and Dentistry has particular links with. 

Applying to Trusts and Charities 

In addition to the trusts and charities that the School of Medicine and Dentistry has particular links with, 

there are also general educational trusts and charities. Many trusts and charities have been affected by the 

recession which has restricted available funding, with some charities not making any awards to students at 





all. Even if you have exceptional circumstances and can show that you have exhausted all other funding 

options, you still may not get any help as long as the current economic climate continues. 

If, despite the above, you genuinely have no other options and wish to apply to trusts and charities as a top 

up to your main funding, see a Welfare Adviser in the Advice and Counselling Service. We can help you to 

make an application that is likely to stand the best chance of success. 

During your appointment we can also advise you about any trusts and charities that are specific to your 

own circumstances by carrying out a ‘Funderfinder’ database search for organisations that most closely 

match your circumstances. 

You will need to carefully research the criteria of trusts and charities and their closing dates and then make 

separate applications to each relevant trust or charity, explaining your situation and how you meet their 

criteria. 

Many trustees meet only once or twice a year to assess applications, so it is important that you apply 

before the relevant deadlines. We would normally ask you to prepare your own statement explaining your 

circumstances and reasons for applying first before we provide you with a supporting letter. For more 

information see our webpage on trusts and charities at: www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/money 

Prizes and Academic Activities 

The School of Medicine and Dentistry awards prizes for academic achievement. Some prizes are based on 

academic performance each year, and other prizes are awarded to students who elect to sit an exam for 

‘open competition’ prizes. Prizes usually range from £50 to £500. More information about academic prizes 

is available from the Prizes and Exam Administrator in the Assessment section of the Student Office at the 

Whitechapel campus. For information about funding for academic activities, such as presenting a paper at a 

conference or undertaking research during the summer vacation, please contact Kate McFarlane in the 

Student Office at the Whitechapel campus. 

Emergency and Short Term Loans 

If you are in a sudden financial difficulty and you need to borrow a small amount of cash, you can apply for 

an emergency loan from the College. If your Student Finance payment is late or other money is 

temporarily delayed, you can apply for a short term loan from the College to help pay your living costs until 

your money arrives. Both loans are interest-free. To apply, contact the Bursaries, Grants and Scholarships 

Office, CB2 Queens’ Building; bursaries@qmul.ac.uk 

Student Bank Accounts 

Most banks offer a student account with an interest free overdraft facility to students who pay their 

Student Finance / NHS Bursary into that account. The amount of overdraft facility can usually be increased 

each year. 




If you use your overdraft facility effectively it can be a useful source of money. For example, paying 

accommodation deposits and rent in advance, or when you are waiting to get your next Student Finance or 

NHS Bursary payment. 

Make sure that you keep a close check on your account so that you do not exceed your agreed overdraft 

limit, as this can incur large penalty charges. It is a good idea to plan ahead and negotiate with your bank if 

you feel that you will need an increased overdraft limit for a period of time. 

You need a bank account to receive your payments from Student Finance England when you start your 

course. If you have chosen to pay your tuition fees yourself rather than take out a Student Finance Tuition 

Fee Loan, you need to take your bank account details to the College’s fees office, W117 Queens’, at the 

Mile End campus, to sign a direct debit agreement to pay your tuition fees in instalments. You need to do 

this before you enrol on your course. 

The following website compares different student bank accounts: 

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/Student-bank-account 

Earnings 

EU+ - you might not be able to get an interest-free overdraft facility in the same way as a UK 

student, particularly if you do not get Student Finance for living costs. However, you may be 

able to negotiate one with your bank if you have a regular and reliable income, or if you have an 

account with the bank in your home country. See our Banking leaflet for more information. 

Many students rely on part time and vacation work to top up their income from Student Finance / NHS. 

Although medical and dental students have a busy study timetable, some students are able to successfully 

combine part time work with their studies during the term time. You need to make sure that any part 

time work that you do during term time does not interfere with your studies, so think carefully about how 

many hours a week you can work and which times of the week will fit in most easily with your studies. A 

Saturday job or a couple of evenings a week for example may be quite manageable. 

The School of Medicine and Dentistry advises that you should not work more than 10 hours a week during 

term time. 

For detailed information on working, including calculating how many hours a week you might need to work, 

the minimum wage, income tax, national insurance, where to look for a job, and work restrictions for 

certain EU nationals, see our leaflet: Part-time and vacation work. 





EU+ Many EU nationals can work in the UK with no restrictions. However, those whose 

country joined the EU in 2004 will normally need to join the Workers Registration Scheme. 

Bulgarian and Romanian nationals will normally need to apply to the UK Border Agency for 

permission to work prior to starting work, and will be restricted in the number of hours 

they can work during term time. For full details see our leaflet: Part-Time and Vacation Work. 

Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits 

Generally, only students with a disability or students who are lone parents can claim welfare benefits or tax 

credits. Some students without children can claim working tax credit in the summer vacation if they are on 

a low income. Claiming welfare benefits while you are a student can be complicated, as your Student 

Finance and NHS Bursary income will affect your claim. If you are a student who can claim welfare benefits 

while you are a student, please see a Welfare Adviser in the Advice and Counselling Service for individual 

advice about your entitlements. Lone parents should also refer to our leaflet: Money for Lone Parents. 

Professional Studies Loans (PSLs) 

At the time of writing (September 2010) few major banks are still offering PSLs due to the economic 

climate. However, NatWest continues to do so for students who are studying for a professional 

qualification in subjects such as Medicine and Dentistry 

NatWest’s Professional Trainee Loan Scheme offers loans of up to £25,000. You do not need to bank with 

NatWest in order to apply, but if you then decided to take a loan you would need to open and maintain a 

bank account with them. The loan period can be up to ten years, and repayments would not usually need 

to start until six months after you complete your course. 

The exact terms and conditions of the loan will depend on your own circumstances and on your 

programme of study. For more information on NatWest’s PSL see: http://bit.ly/bUnk8z 

If you are considering taking a PSL and would like to discuss this before applying, see a Welfare Adviser in 

the Advice and Counselling Service. 

EU+ EU students are not normally eligible for a PSL. 

Graduate Loans 

If you already have a degree there are a range of graduate loans you may be eligible for. However, 

payments are not normally deferred during your studies so you would need to make sure you could afford 

the monthly repayments including interest while you are studying. 




For a comparison of more than 20 different graduate loan packages see the moneyfacts website: 

http://moneyfacts.co.uk/compare/loans/graduate-package/ 

EU+ EU nationals are not normally be eligible for a graduate loan 

Other loans 

Student Finance Maintenance Loans and Professional Studies Loans are specifically designed for those who 

are studying or training. The conditions and repayment arrangements of these loans are designed to be as 

manageable as possible. Other loans or credit offered by banks, credit cards, or other more informal 

sources will not usually be tailored to students. 

Make sure you fully understand the terms and conditions of any loan or credit that you take. Before you 

decide to take out a loan first check: 

• how much you need to borrow 

• how much your monthly repayments will be 

• what the interest rate is and whether this is fixed or variable 

• the length of the loan agreement 

• the frequency and timing of payments 

• how you will repay the loan from your future earnings 

• at what point in your studies to take the loan – this will depend on your own circumstances; 

some students may need the money earlier in their studies, while others may need it later 

• what happens if you take longer to complete your studies than originally planned 

• whether you can reduce the amount you need to borrow by exploring other sources of 

funding or reducing your spending. 

A Welfare Adviser in the Advice and Counselling Service can help you think through these issues before 

you make a decision to take out a loan. 

Shariah-Compliant Loans 

Some Muslim students prefer to avoid paying and receiving interest for religious reasons. Shariah-compliant 

financing for expensive projects, including education, may be available from private sources, including from 

the Islamic Bank of Britain. However it is important to know that some Islamic scholars believe that UK 

student funding sources such as Student Finance Maintenance Loans and interest-free overdrafts are already 

Shariah-compliant. Others encourage Muslim students to prioritise their education and to consider taking 

loans if they have no alternative, even if the loan is not Shariah-compliant. For more information on the 

issues, including the possible implications of not taking Student Finance that you are entitled to, visit: 

wwww.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/money 





Discounts, reductions and exemptions 

A major source of funds for students is the money that they do not spend by taking advantage of discounts, 

price reductions and exemptions from some payments and charges. Depending on your situation, you can 

possibly benefit from: 

• exemption from Council Tax 

• exemption from income tax if you only work in vacations 

• income tax rebate on part-time earnings if you earn less than your personal allowance 

• 30% discount on a bus pass or Travelcards, train travel, and long-distance coach travel 

• NUS discounts in shops, restaurants and cinemas 

• help with health costs 

• discounts on clothes, appliances, days out and many other items from money saving websites such as 

http://www.myvouchercodes.co.uk/ 

For more information, see our leaflets: Planning your Budget and Cutting Costs, Part-Time and Vacation Work, 

and Council Tax. 

Funding for re-taking periods of study 

Student Finance funded years (Years1-4 of MBBS and year 1 of GEP) 

Certain elements of your Student Finance are affected by re-taking a period of study in attendance, and 

others are not. 

The following ‘Category 1’ elements are potentially affected, and whether or not you are eligible to receive 

them during your re-take period of study will depend on how many times you have to re-take periods of 

study: 

‘Category 1’: 

• Tuition Fee Loan (including EU students) 

• Maintenance Grant 

• Special Support Grant 

You are entitled to apply for whichever elements of ‘Category 1’ Student Finance you normally receive, for: 

• The length of your course plus one ‘extra year’ 

The ‘length of your course’ means the number of Student Finance funded years only e.g. years 1- 4 on the 5 

yr MBBS, and year 1 of the GEP. Do not count NHS Bursary years. 

‘Category 2’: 

The following ‘Category 2’ elements are not affected by re-take periods of study, so you will still be eligible 

to receive these during your period of re-take study: 




• Maintenance loan 

• Supplementary grants (e.g. for dependants, childcare etc) 

If you are normally eligible for ‘Category 2’ elements of Student Finance, you can apply for these during as 

many re-take periods of study as you need. 

Re-taking a period of study because of compelling personal reasons 

If there are compelling personal reasons that contributed to you having to re-take a period of study, you 

might not need to use your ‘extra year’ funding for your ‘Category 1’ Student Finance during your re-take 

year. This means that you could keep this ‘extra year’ funding in reserve, in case you need to re-take a 

year of study in the future. 

There are strict criteria about what types of cases might fall under this category, so one of the Welfare 

Advisers in the Advice and Counselling Service will usually provide you with a covering letter to go with 

your application to Student Finance. The aim of this is to ensure that you stand the best chance of getting 

your application for extra funding approved. 

If you need to attend more than one re-take year of study, and there were no compelling personal reasons 

that contributed to this at any point during your programme of study, you will not get ‘Category 1’ funding 

during your additional re-take years. 

What are ‘compelling personal reasons’ 

Student Finance will usually consider a wide range of personal circumstances. You do not have to have 

experienced bereavement or have been ill to apply, even if this is what Student Finance initially tells you. A 

Welfare Adviser in the Advice and Counselling Service will advise you on the merits of your own case. 

You will usually need at least five documents for Student Finance to consider your Compelling Personal 

Reasons. You do not need to have these documents before you see a Welfare Adviser in the Advice and 

Counselling Service, but this list might help you prepare for your appointment. 

 

Your own letter to Student Finance, to explain: 

• What circumstances affected your ability to study effectively 

• When your difficulties started and how long they affected you 

• How these circumstances affected your ability to study effectively 

• How your situation has changed, or will have changed, so that these circumstances are unlikely to 

adversely affect you when you resume or re-take your studies 

Your Welfare Adviser can help you with this letter. Try to prepare a draft letter before your appointment 

and bring it with you. 





A letter from a professional person or agency to confirm the difficulties that you had 

and the effect they might have had on your ability to study effectively 

This letter might be from a doctor, other health professional or a counsellor. 

If you have not received help or support from a professional, a letter from a friend or family member who 

knows about your difficulties may be fine. 

Your Welfare Adviser can help you decide who might be the best person to write this letter for you. 

A letter to confirm that your difficulties have been addressed and that you will be able to 

study effectively when you re-take your year (often this information can be included in the same 

letter as the one above) 

If you have been getting medication, treatment or therapeutic help for your difficulties, it is helpful to get a 

letter to confirm what support you have been getting and how this is helping you. 

This letter might be from a doctor, other health professional or a counsellor. 

If they are able to, it is useful for them to confirm that you are likely to be able to study more effectively, 

because of this help. 

A letter from the School of Medicine and Dentistry to confirm that you have been granted 

permission to re-take a year in attendance 

This letter can be from any member of staff at the School of Medicine and Dentistry who knows about 

your difficulties. 

Their letter should confirm why you need to re-take in attendance and that they support your application 

to receive Student Finance during this period. 

 

A letter from your Welfare Adviser in the Advice and Counselling Service 

Your Welfare Adviser will talk to you about this letter at your appointment. This letter is important 

because it will outline the aspects of your case that meet the guidance and regulations used by Student 

Finance to assess applications for additional periods of study. 

NHS funded years (year 5 and beyond of MBBS and years 2-4 of GEP) 

Funding for re-take years of study is usually more straightforward during your NHS funded years. The 

Student Office at Whitechapel will notify the NHS Student Grants Unit that you are re-taking a year and 

you will usually get your tuition fees paid for you again automatically, plus any NHS Bursary that you 

normally receive. You can also apply for a Reduced Rate Maintenance Loan from Student Finance during a 

re-take year. 

If the NHS Student Grants Unit refuses you funding for your re-take year, please see a Welfare Adviser in 

the Advice and Counselling Service as soon as possible and we may be able to help you appeal this decision. 




Taking time out from your studies, or leaving completely 

You might find that for personal or health reasons you need to take time out from your studies. 

Occasionally students find that studying medicine or dentistry isn’t right for them. For detailed information 

about the practicalities of taking time out or leaving your course, and the effect on your entitlement to 

Student Finance in the future, please read our leaflet Re-sitting, interrupting or leaving your course. This is 

available on our website. 

Eligibility rules for Student Finance and NHS Bursaries 

To be eligible for the full package of Student Finance or an NHS Bursary, you must usually meet the 

following criteria: 

• you must have ‘settled status’ in the UK on 1st September of the year in which you start your course 

(this means that under the immigration laws there is no restriction on how long you can stay in the UK), 

and 

• you must be ordinarily resident in England and Wales on 1st September of the year in which you start 

your course, and 

• you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands for the three years immediately before 1st 

September of the year in which you start your course (you can ignore any short absences, such as 

holidays). Your residence must not have been for the main purpose of receiving full-time education 

during any part of the three year period. 

If you have been absent from the UK, for example because you have been on a gap year, or your family 

were temporarily employed abroad, or serving in the armed forces, you should still be eligible. 

If you are unsure of your eligibility, please see a Welfare Adviser in the Advice and Counselling Service who 

will be able to advise you about your individual situation. 

If your application for funding is refused, a Welfare Adviser in the Advice and Counselling Service can 

advise you about your appeal rights and can help you make your appeal, where appropriate. We suggest 

you see a Welfare Adviser in the Advice and Counselling Service before submitting your appeal, as if you 

meet the eligibility criteria we will normally write a formal appeal letter for you. 

If you do not meet the eligibility criteria listed above, you might still be eligible for funding. Check all the 

eligibility categories below. 

EU nationals 

Most EU nationals are only eligible to apply for funding towards tuition fees (see the EU+ box in the 

section Student Finance: the basics at the start of this leaflet). If you are not an EU national but there is an 

EU national in your family, you might still qualify for funding towards tuition fees. The rules are 

complicated so please see a Welfare Adviser in the Advice and Counselling Service. 





Some EU nationals can also apply for the living costs elements of Student Finance / NHS Bursary. You must 

be: 

• an EU (non UK) national on 1st September of the year in which you start your course; and 

• ordinarily resident in England and Wales on 1st September of the year in which you start your course; 

and 

• have been ordinarily resident in the UK, the Channel Islands or Isle of Man for the three years 

immediately before 1st September of the year in which you start your course (you can ignore any short 

absences, such as holidays); and 

• if during any part of the three year period your residence was for the main purpose of receiving full time 

education, you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK or elsewhere in the EEA/Switzerland 

immediately prior to the three year period. 

The section Student Finance: The Basics, earlier in this leaflet explains how to apply for Student Finance 

(ignore the EU+ box). At the moment, students who are applying for the whole package of Student 

Finance as an EU national may not be able to apply online: if so, you will need to call Student Finance 

England (0845 300 50 90) to ask them to send you application form PN1, or you can get one from the 

Advice and Counselling Service reception. 

A Welfare Adviser in the Advice and Counselling Service can usually write a covering letter for you to 

include with your application, explaining how you meet the eligibility rules. 

EEA and Swiss workers and family 

(the EEA is all the EU countries plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) 

You might meet the eligibility criteria for the full package of Student Finance under special rules for EEA 

and Swiss workers: 

• you must be an EEA national (non UK) or Swiss national and resident in the UK as a worker or you must 

be the spouse or civil partner or child or other relevant family member of such a worker; and 

• you must be ordinarily resident in England on 1st September of the year in which you start your course, 

(unless you are an EEA or Swiss frontier worker or their family member); and 

• you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK or elsewhere in the EEA and/or Switzerland for the 

three years immediately before the 1st September of the year in which you start your course (you can 

ignore any short absences, such as holidays); and 

• you must be living and working in the UK, or be the spouse/civil partner/child/other relevant family 

member* of an EEA or Swiss worker. 

*For more information about which relevant family members count, please see a Welfare Adviser in the 

Advice and Counselling Service. 




You can become eligible for Student Finance during your course if you start working (you do not need to 

be working at the start of the academic year). Someone who is actively looking for work, and has 

previously worked in the UK, might also be considered a worker. If you are self employed, you can be 

eligible as a worker. If you are the child of an EEA worker who is no longer working or living in the UK, 

you can still be eligible for Student Finance if you came to the UK to accompany your EEA worker parent. 

The rules are complicated so before you apply, please see a Welfare Adviser in the Advice and Counselling 

Service, who will check your eligibility, check your application, and will usually write a covering letter to go 

with your application. 

The section on Student Finance: The Basics, explains how to apply for Student Finance (ignore the EU+ box). 

At the moment, students who are applying for Student Finance as an EEA/Swiss worker or their family 

member cannot successfully apply online: you will need to call Student Finance England (0845 300 50 90) to 

ask them to send you form PN1, or you can get one from the Advice and Counselling Service reception. 

When you apply for Student Finance, you will need to provide evidence of your worker status, and your 

nationality, or documents for the worker in your family if you are applying as a family member of an EEA or 

Swiss worker. The documents you need to provide for this purpose are: 

1. Your passport, to prove your nationality. If you prefer not to send your passport, a Welfare 

Adviser in the Advice and Counselling Service can certify a photocopy of it for you, but Student Finance 

England do not always accept copies certified by us. Alternatively passports can be certified by a solicitor or 

a bank – a small fee may be charged for this service. If you are applying as the family member of an EEA or 

Swiss worker, you will also need to provide a certified copy of their passport; and 

2. A letter from your current employer, or the employer of your family member, to show that you or 

they are working. The letter should confirm: the date the work started, the job title, whether the job is 

permanent, how many hours work is done each week and how much the salary is; and 

3. A certified copy of your (or your family member’s) Worker Registration Scheme certificate (for 

nationals of one of the countries that joined the EU in 2004 if you are required to register – see 

www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/eea/wrs/) or Accession Worker Card (for nationals of 

Bulgaria and Romania who are required to obtain authorisation to work – see 

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/eucitizens/bulgarianandromaniannationals/); and 

4. You need to show that you were ordinarily resident in the UK on 1st September immediately 

before you started your course. If you were working for your current employer at that time, their letter 

(point 2 above) should be adequate evidence. If you were working for a different employer at that time, 

you could provide a letter from them, or a pay slip. If you weren’t working, you could provide a tenancy 

agreement, or a bank statement; and 

5. Your own letter, outlining how you meet the eligibility criteria. In your letter you will need to 

explain: 





That you are applying for Student Finance as an EEA or Swiss worker, or as the family member of one 

• Your nationality 

• Which country/countries you have lived in for the three years immediately before 1st September of the 

year in which you will start, or you started, your course 

• What date you moved to England 

• Why you moved to England (e.g. to live, to work, to study) 

• What job you or your family member are currently doing, the name of the employer, the weekly hours 

and pay 

• That you or your family member intend to continue working throughout your course 

• Whether you or your family member are registered on the Worker Registration Scheme (for nationals of 

countries that joined the EU in 2004) or whether you or they have an Accession Worker Card (Bulgarian 

and Romanian nationals) 

After you have collected your documents, drafted your letter and completed the PN1 application form, you 

can see a Welfare Adviser in the Advice and Counselling Service. They will check your application and will 

usually write a covering letter outlining your eligibility for Student Finance. If you have already made an 

application, we can still advise you. 

Other categories of eligibility 

There are some other categories of people who are, in certain circumstances, eligible for the full package of 

Student Finance. The rules about which family members count, and where and when you need to have 

been resident, are complicated so before you apply, please see a Welfare Adviser in the Advice and 

Counselling Service who will check your eligibility and help you to apply. If you are waiting for a decision 

on an application for asylum, please see a Welfare Adviser in the Advice and Counselling Service. 

You might be eligible for Student Finance if: 

• You, your parent or spouse/civil partner have been granted Refugee status, or as a result of an asylum 

claim you have been granted Discretionary Leave, or Humanitarian Protection, or Indefinite Leave to 

Enter or Remain, or Exceptional Leave to Enter or Remain by the UK government; or 

• You are the child of a Turkish worker; or 

• You are the child of a Swiss national; or 

• You are settled in the UK but you have been living outside the UK in the EEA or Switzerland during the 

three year period immediately before 1st September of the year in which you start your course. 

Please see a Welfare Adviser in the Advice and Counselling Service to check your eligibility. 

Diploma in Dental Hygiene and Therapy 

You are eligible to apply for: 

• a Student Finance Reduced Rate Maintenance Loan (non income assessed), plus 

• an income assessed NHS Bursary for living costs, plus 




• an NHS Tuition Fee Grant 

• NHS Additional Allowances, Extra Weeks Allowance and NHS Hardship Grant 

See the relevant sections earlier in this leaflet for further information about these sources of funding. 

Subject to the specific eligibility criteria explained in each section, you are also eligible to apply for: 

• Access to Learning Fund 

• Dean’s Benevolence Fund 

• University of London Hardship Fund – EU students only 

• Scholarships and Bursaries from Trusts and Charities 

• Emergency and Short Term Loans 

• Student Bank Accounts 

• Earnings from part time work 

• Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits 

• Professional Studies Loans, Graduate Loans and other loans 

• Discounts, reductions and exemptions 

See the Contents section at the beginning of this leaflet to find information about each of the funding 

sources listed above. 



Mile End Station 

2 

3 

1 

Mile End Campus 

1 

2 

3 

4 

Queens’ Building 

Toward mile End Station 

Towards Stepney Green Station 

Advice and Counselling, Geography Building 

4 

Stepney Green Station

Other advice guides published by the Advice and Counselling Service include: 

• Banking - a guide for international and EU students 

• Student Finance for home and EU students 

• Managing your budget 

• Council Tax 

• Extra money for disability and ill health 

• Extenuating circumstances 

• Applying for Tier 4 (General) Student immigration permission 

• Postgraduate funding 

• International Students: Your finances during your course 

• Resitting, interrupting or leaving your course - a guide for home and EU students 

• Resitting, interrupting or leaving your course - a guide for international students’ 

• Childcare 

• Money for lone parents 

• Part-time and vacation work 

• Additional sources of funding for home and EU undergraduates 

• What Immigration permission do I need to study at QM 

You can download up-to-date versions of all our advice guides from our website: 

www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/leaflets 

For further information contact: 


Student and Campus Services 

Queen Mary, University of London 

Mile End Road 

London 

E1 4NS 

Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 8717 

Fax: +44 (0)20 7882 7013 


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