Funding for pre-registration studies

You'll learn more about these in the nation specific sections but we’ve included links here for quick access.

Through the Student Loans Company you may be able to borrow money to help pay for tuition fees and help with living costs.

• Student Finance England
• Student Finance Northern Ireland
• Student Awards Agency for Scotland
• Student Finance Wales

There is additional guidance related to COVID-19 for students from England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

The Funding Clinic provides clear information if you wish to study for a pre-registration healthcare degree.

They offer comprehensive, factual advice relevant to your country of residence within the UK, and for those coming to study in the UK.

Explore your options via their website: www.thefundingclinic.org.uk

If you have been successfully recruited for an apprenticeship you can expect to receive a salary for the duration of your studies/training.

Training can take between three to four years to complete.

There are no tuition fees. Salaries will vary depending on the employer, but an NHS employer could pay the equivalent of a Band 2/3 or 4 salary – see UNISON’s page for further information.

Other employing organisations will have differing pay and salary scales.

General information for degree level apprentices in England is available on our site.

NHS England's Learner Support Funding (LSF) provides additional funding for occupational therapy and other eligible healthcare students.

It is supplementary financial support to the mainstream student loans system and is intended to support students whilst they train and gain professional registration.

You can download the NHS LSF guidance booklet 2023-24 for further details and example expense claim rates.

NHS LSF guidance booklet 2023-24 (PDF, 609.22KB)

1. Training Grant – (not income assessed)
   £5,000 – Full Time Student (pro rata for part time students)
2. Specialist Subject Payment – (not income assessed)
   Occupational Therapy Students are NOT eligible for this.
3. Parental Support – (not income assessed)
   £2,000 – Parental Support Payment for each year of study (pro rata for part time learners)
4. Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses (not income assessed)
   Travel and accommodation expenses occurred whilst on placement which are higher than the cost of attending your educational institute.
5. Exceptional Support Fund (income assessed)

• You must be in attendance at an occupational therapy course at a university in England – if you are undertaking a foundation year, you will not be able to receive NHS LSF until you enter year one of your course.
• Applicants for any of the NHS LSF allowances must be eligible for tuition fee and maintenance loan support from the Student Loans Company (SLC).
• You must meet the eligibility criteria defined by one of the following depending on the UK country you normally live in:
  • Student Finance England (SFE)
  • Student Finance Wales (SFW)
  • The Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) or
  • Student Finance Northern Ireland (SFNI)

This will usually be demonstrated by your student loan award notification letter.

Register for an online account via the NHS Learning Support Fund application system.

There is a six month application deadline applicable for each academic year from the point you start active study in the 2023/24 academic year.

OT learners can claim the cost of travel to clinical practice placements taken in Scotland, but only for amounts above their normal travel to and from university.

• Public transport should be used as car mileage is paid only in exceptional circumstances.
• If travel is likely to cost more than £30 per day, local accommodation may be arranged. You must submit receipts for all expenses.

Undergraduates (first degree)

You're eligible for student finance and can apply to the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) to cover your tuition fees and for a maintenance loan for living costs.

For further information on student funding, you should visit: https://www.saas.gov.uk

Graduates

If you're a graduate, and you have already received funding from UK or other EU public funds for your first degree or equivalent course, you will be eligible to apply for the normal undergraduate funding package for the first two years of an Allied Health Profession (AHP) course undertaken in Scotland.

Your funding for any other years of an AHP course will be restricted to means-tested student loan and living-costs grants only.

Students undertaking an AHP course as a second degree in the rest of the UK will be eligible to apply for a student loan and living cost grants only.

You could receive help with course-related costs if you have a dependent child or children.

The maximum amount you could get is £1,896 per year but this will depend on your household income and course intensity.

You may be eligible for an Adult Dependant Grant if you have a partner or another adult who is financially dependent on you.

The maximum amount you could get is £3,322 per year but this will depend on your household income and course intensity.

These are available to eligible undergraduate and postgraduate students to cover the additional study-related costs you may have as a direct result of a disability, long-term health condition, mental health condition or specific learning difficulty.

The amount you get isn’t based on your household income. It’s based on your individual needs.

The maximum amount of grant in 2023 to 2024 will be £33,146 and covers the following areas of expenditure:

• non-medical personal helper
• major items of specialist equipment
• other disability related expenditure.

A separate uncapped travel allowance will also be available for students who incur additional study related travel costs due to their disability.

You can learn more via the Welsh Student Finance website.