STUDENT FINANCE FOR NHS FUNDED COURSES What this Guide will cover: NHS funding for 2016/17 (Welsh and English students)
FAQ’s for Prospective Students Funding available for Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) students Care Leavers Support Package Student Loan Repayment
NHS Funded Courses Am I eligible to apply? Your eligibility depends on what course you are taking and whether you meet the necessary residency requirements.
Further details, information and
What courses are funded by the NHS? NHS-funded courses available at Swansea University are: Nursing, Midwifery, Paramedic Science and any Healthcare Science courses, i.e. Audiology, Cardiac Physiology, Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy Physics and Respiratory and Sleep Sciences (for GEM funding please see page4).
updates on NHS funding, eligibility criteria and residency requirements are
What funding is available from the NHS?
available from the NHS Student Grants
If your course starts from September 2016 the following NHS funding is available:
A Non Means Tested Grant of £1000 A Means Tested Bursary of up to £4455 (max) Tuition Fees will be covered in full by the NHS
website: www.nwsspstudentfi nance.wales.nhs.uk/ new-students
Can I also get a Student Loan? Yes, you can also apply for a reduced rate, non means tested Maintenance Loan of £3030 (SFW) or £2324 (SFE). The loan will be lower if you decide to live with your parents. You need to apply direct to Student Finance England/Wales (not the NHS) to receive this.
Is there any other funding available?
You can apply for NHS funding online
You may be entitled to claim extra allowances for:
at Dependants Allowance – if you have adults or children who are financially dependent on you Childcare Allowance – up to 85% of childcare costs with a registered childcare provider Parents Learning Allowance – available for student parents Travel Grant – to cover costs to and from clinical placements Disabled Students Allowance – for students who require support due to a disability or learning difficulty
www.nwsspstudentfi nance.wales.nhs.uk/ home
You will need to apply directly to the NHS Awards Unit to receive these extra allowances.
1
FAQs for Prospective Students Did you know.....? How much will Tuition Fees be?
Where and how should I apply for my Student Loan?
All Undergraduate Home and EU students starting in academic year 2016/17 will be charged ÂŁ9,000 in Tuition Fees. However, this is covered in full by the NHS (not GEM see pg 4).
The Student Loan will be available from Student Finance Wales for Welsh domiciled students and Student Finance England for English domiciled students. You can apply online or manually by completing a paper application. See below for where to apply and obtain more information: If you live in: Wales
www.studentfinancewales.co.uk
England
www.gov.uk/studentfinance
Scotland
www.saas.gov.uk
Northern Ireland
www.studentfinanceni.co.uk
Apply to*:
* Please ensure that you send any of the application forms or required documents using recorded delivery. This will give you proof that your application was sent and received.
How and when do I get my Loan/Bursary paid?
Students on NHS funded courses are entitled to funding from the NHS and Student Loans from Student Finance Wales (Welsh Students) or Student Finance England (English Students)!
Remember...... You will need to make a new application for each year of your course!
Your NHS funding will be paid direct to your bank account on a monthly basis. Be aware that when you start, the first instalment is not paid until you have been on the course for a full month. Your Maintenance Loan will be paid in 3 instalments at the beginning of each term.
What is involved in the Income Assessment?
What is Household Income?
The amount of NHS Bursary you’re entitled to depends on your household income. An assessment is carried out to establish exactly how much funding you are entitled to.
Household Income is the total amount your family earns each year before Tax and National Insurance are deducted. Whose income is assessed depends on whether you are classified as a dependent or independent student*.
*For more Information on dependent and independent status for the purpose of student loan assessments, please contact the Money@CampusLife Team 2
FAQs for Prospective Students What if my Household Income is higher than the Grant threshold?
My circumstances are different from most students, can I get additional help?
What if I’m not sure which university I will go to or what course I want to study?
You can still apply for the reduced rate Maintenance Loan and the NHS non means tested grant no matter how high your household income is.
Important Information you will need for your Student Loan /Grant Application:
If you have dependent children, childcare costs, adult dependents or a disability you may be entitled to additional help. As an NHS student these are applied for through the NHS.
Fee Level for 2016/17 - £9,000
If you are a Care Leaver your chosen university may have a support package available to provide additional assistance during your time at university. Please see pg 5 for further details of the support offered by Swansea University.
You need to indicate what your first choice university and course will be. If you change your mind later you can change these details. We would advise you apply for funding this way, to ensure that your assessment is completed before the start of term. If you apply after receiving your A-Level results you are unlikely to have funding in place for the start of the course, which may cause difficulty in paying rent and living costs. Don’t worry if you change your mind about attending university as your application can always be cancelled at a later date.
Am I entitled to any benefits during my study?
Will my previous study affect my funding?
Ensure you supply all the relevant documentary evidence… not doing so could delay your application!
Certain students are eligible for state benefits whilst they are studying. For example, if you are a single parent, registered disabled, a state pensioner, a couple who are both students with children or expecting a baby. Please speak to one of our advisers who will be able to discuss your entitlement with you. Please note that the list is illustrative only. If you feel you may be entitled to benefits and do not fall into one of the groups listed above please contact us or your nearest Job Centre Plus office for more information.
How much will it cost to study in Swansea?
Swansea University UCAS code – S93
For more information on the cost of living and likely course costs you may incur, visit our webpage: www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/fees-andfunding/cost-of-living/
If you apply for your Maintenance Loan online, you will be sent a signature declaration which needs to be signed and returned ASAP…even if your assessment is wrong!
If you have already successfully completed a degree you may still be eligible for the Student Loan on these courses. If you have previous study it is advised you contact us so that we can give you a full response in line with your individual circumstances.
3
Funding Available for Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) Students Tuition Fees at Swansea University for the GEM course will be £9,000 per annum.
Tuition Fee Funding Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4
Tuition Fee Loan
NHS Fee support
£5535 £5535 £5535 £5535
n/a £3465 £3465 £3465
Scottish and Northern Irish students are not currently entitled to NHS funding. For more information on what is available please contact the Money@CampusLife Team
Students will need to self fund £3465 towards their tuition fees in year 1 of the course, and must consider how this will be paid.
Maintenance Funding Maintenance Loan SFW SFE Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4
up to
up to
£6183
£8200
up to
up to
£3030
£2483
up to
up to
£3030
£2483
up to
up to
£2361
£1936
NHS Bursary
NHS Grant
PCDL
Supplementary Grants
n/a
n/a
n/a
SFE/SFW
up to £4455 £1000
n/a
NHS
up to £4455 £1000
NHS
up to £4455 £1000
NHS
It is important to remember that the Maintenance Loan in the first year and the NHS Bursary in years 2, 3 and 4 are all assessed on household income and the figures provided are the maximums available. An element of the year 1 maintenance loan and the years 2, 3 and 4 reduced rate maintenance loan plus the NHS grant are not means tested.
Supplementary Grants: If you are eligible for Supplementary Grants (Parental Learning Allowance, Adult Dependency Grant, Child Care Grant or Disabled Students Allowance), you will need to apply to your funding body in year one and the NHS in years 2, 3 and 4.
Professional and Career Development Loans: During your 3rd and 4th years you may also be able to apply for a Professional and Career Development Loan (PCDL) please visit www.gov.uk/career-development-loans/overview for more information.
Other Funding Opportunities: There are many organisations who offer financial help to students on the Graduate Entry Medicine course. The following website may be useful when looking to fund your GEM course: http://www.money4medstudents.org
4
More information on GEM funding can be found at: www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/fees-andfunding/studentloansandgrants/graduateentrymedicinefunding/ Fi
Care Leaver Support Package
What is it?
Swansea University offers extra support for students who have been in care. We have a package of support measures which we hope will help students to settle in, focus on their studies while they are with us and graduate successfully.
What is available?
A grant of up to £1000 per year Reduction in required UCAS points (subject to t&c’s) Assistance to apply for student loans and grants All year round accommodation A named contact to support you with all aspects of university life Access to the Academic Success Programme Financial assistance to attend interviews or open days Support to find part time work and career planning Assistance with your application to the University Support with childcare costs whilst you study
How do I qualify?
To qualify for the support package you need to have been in Local Authority care as a young person for at least 3 months. You are deemed to be a care leaver once you are 16, which is the school leaving age. If you have been in care and are interested in going to university you are deemed a care leaver until you are 21. This means that if you have been in care, you can benefit from all of the support arrangements above at any time until you reach the age of 24. If and when you do come to study at Swansea University you remain entitled to the support until the completion of your course.
This package has been designed for care leavers whose permanent residence is in the United Kingdom and who are ‘home’ students for fee purposes
Care Leaver applicants who are not ‘home’ students are welcome to contact the Money@CampusLife Team to discuss any support needs they may have
5
Student Loan Repayment What do I repay?
Student loans are available to ‘home’ students studying NHS funded courses at university (subject to eligibility criteria). The loans that you receive during your studies will need to be paid back after you leave University. You will be entitled to: o A non means tested reduced rate Maintenance Loan.
When will I start repaying my loan?
You only start to repay your loan once you are earning over £21,000. Repayments will start at the beginning of the tax year (the April after you leave university). If your salary drops below £21,000 (for example if you take a career break or are unemployed) repayments will stop. Repayments only start again when you earn over £21,000.
Any grants, bursaries or scholarships paid to you during your time at university do not need to be paid back
How much will I have to pay?
You repay 9% of whatever you earn above £21,000. Your repayments will be the same regardless of how much you borrow, as the repayment is calculated based on how much you earn; not how much you borrowed. However, if you borrowed more you’ll spend longer repaying the loan. After 30 years, regardless of how much of your loan has been repaid, the remaining debt is cancelled.
Repayment examples Salary
£25,000 £30,000 £35,000 £40,000 £50,000
Amount of salary from which 9% will be deducted £4,000 £9,000 £14,000 £19,000 £29,000
Monthly repayment £30.00 £67.50 £105.00 £142.50 £217.50
How are repayments made?
Student loans are not recorded on credit files, so having a student loan will not have an effect on your credit rating
Loan repayments will be deducted from your salary, normally through the PAYE tax system.
How much interest will I be charged? Income While you’re studying and up until the April after you leave college or university £21,000 or less
Rate of Interest Rate of Inflation (Retail Price Index) plus 3% Rate of Inflation
£21,000 to £41,000
Rate of Inflation plus up to 3% (on a gradual scale) Rate of Inflation plus 3%
£41,000 and over
6
For more information, please contact the Money@Campus Life Team: 01792 606699 Money.CampusLife@swansea.ac.uk www.swansea.ac.uk/money-advice
Swansea Money.CampusLife Money.CampusLife
This leaflet is also available in Welsh and alternate formats such as Braille, large print etc. For further information please contact: CampusLife Reception on 01792 602000.
7