Money matters

Social work and NHS students – extra help

If you’re doing a course to prepare you for a career in social work, medicine, dentistry, or certain areas of healthcare, the financial help you can get may be different from the standard student finance package available to other students.

In some cases this help is paid on top of the standard finance package available to other higher education students, and in other cases instead of it.

Social work

If you are studying for a career in social work, you may be able to get a non-repayable bursary through the NHS Business Service Authority’s Prescription Pricing Division. These bursaries are available to eligible students who don’t get funding from their employer and are studying an approved undergraduate or postgraduate course in social work.

Undergraduate students should apply for the standard student finance package and the NHS bursary – but you don’t need to qualify for the standard package to get the NHS social work bursary.

If you’re a graduate doing an undergraduate course in social work

Though you wouldn’t usually be entitled to support through the standard student finance package, if you’ve already done a government-funded higher education course, you can apply for the Student Loan for Maintenance and depending on your individual circumstance, other grants may also be applicable.

Where to get more information and application packs

Click here go straight to the Social work pages of the direct.gov.uk website – application packs and information are available from the end of April each year for the following academic years entry.

In summary

Higher education maintenance grant (non-repayable)

Full-time students can apply, for a Higher Education Maintenance Grant (HEMG) which although not repayable, is a grant that’s means-tested on household income.

Department of Health grant

The Department of Health will also pay a non-means-tested bursary to students who meet their residency requirements.

Unfortunately, students from Scotland, Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland cannot receive the bursary. Students from these countries need to be studying in their home region to receive a bursary from the Social Care Council in their area.

Bucks New University bursary

We believe that the student experience is paramount. Which is why we are working together with our Students’ Union to deliver a student experience like no other.

This unique offer means that, in addition to any social work-related bursary, all full-time undergraduate students paying (or having paid for them) the full tuition fee, will receive £500 cash each year.

This is a non-means-tested, non-repayable cash payment transferred directly into your student bank account. In addition, the University is investing a further £1 million per year to help you achieve the best possible degree award, improve your employability and provide a truly fulfilling university experience.

Tuition fees

Tuition fees for 2010/11 will be £3290 for each year of the three-year course. Although students will be expected to pay tuition fees, they can apply for a student loan to cover the cost.

Maintenance loan

Students can apply for a maintenance loan, to cover living costs. Social Work students are automatically entitled to at least 72% of the current figures, with any additional money loaned being subject to means-testing. These loans do not have to be repaid until students are in employment and earning above £15,000 per year.

Additional Support

• Parents’ learning allowance
• Childcare grant
• Adult dependents grant
• These allowances are all means-tested upon household income

Disabled students’ allowances

The DSA is for students with a disability or specific learning difficulty. It is designed to help towards extra expenditure, such as a non-medical helper, specialist equipment or extra travel costs.

EU students

EU students will be charged a tuition fee of £3290 per year. They can apply for a tuition fee loan which is non-means-tested.

While EU students are not eligible for either the social work bursary or maintenance loan for living costs, they are eligible for the Bucks New University Grant.