A Guide to NHS Funded Masters Courses

If you're considering a career in healthcare, there are NHS funded courses out there. You can get an NHS grant of up to £8,000 for Nursing, Midwifery and allied health profession students at English universities from the NHS Leaning Support Fund with additional bursaries available for certain courses. The NHS Learning Support Fund (LSF) and NHS Social Work Bursary (SWB) are two of the most well-known sources of NHS funding in England, Scotland and Wales.

The National Health Service (NHS) is one of the cornerstones of British society, providing free health care for all. So, it's only fair that those looking to work within the service are adequately supported, right?

Starting a Masters in Nursing, Midwifery, or any Allied Health Profession is super exciting. But, finding the money to pay for it can be tough. Don't worry though, funding like the NHS Learning Support Fund (LSF) is here to help students like you. It gives you the money you need to study these important health care jobs. If you're asking what kind of NHS grants you can get, who can get them, or how to apply, you've come to the right spot.

And we all get that saving every little bit helps, so I'll share some other ways to get money for uni too. This way, you'll have everything you need. Let's figure out the NHS funding together, making sure you get all the help you need. Then, you can concentrate on the most important thing - becoming a hero in healthcare.

The NHS Learning Support Fund (LSF) is financial support provided by the UK Government for students studying eligible healthcare courses in England, such as Nursing, Midwifery, and Allied Health Professions. It offers non-repayable grants of at least £5,000 per year to help with living costs, with additional funding available for students in priority fields, those with dependents, or those studying in regions with workforce shortages. The LSF is separate from student loans and aims to ease the financial burden of training for vital NHS careers.

Students in Nursing, Midwifery, and Allied Health courses (Physiotherapy, Radiography, Speech and Language Therapy, etc.) can apply for:

• £5,000 per year - standard training grant
• Up to £3,000 extra for priority courses (Mental Health Nursing, Orthopics etc.), childcare support and studying in areas with low recruitment

To apply for the NHS Learning Support Fund, you need to be:

• Enrolled on an eligible course at a university in England
• Actually studying—whether that’s in the classroom or on placement. No ghosting your course and expecting free money
• Eligible for tuition fee and maintenance support from the Student Loans Company, which means applying through one of the following: Student Finance England (SFE), Student Finance Wales (SFW), Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS), Student Finance Northern Ireland (SFNI)

If you haven’t applied for a student loan, you might still qualify for the LSF. You’ll just need to prove that you meet the eligibility criteria for SFE, SFW, SFNI, or SAAS—so get ready for some serious admin.

One key thing to note: if you’re already receiving the NHS Bursary, you won’t be eligible for NHS LSF.

You can apply for the NHS Learning Support Fund online via the official NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) website. Applications must be submitted within six months of the start of your academic year, but applying early is strongly recommended to avoid delays.

To apply, you’ll need to:

• Create an account on the NHS LSF portal
• Provide proof of course enrolment at an eligible English university
• Submit your Student Finance letter to confirm eligibility
• Supply your bank details and any evidence for extra allowances (e.g. dependents or regional funding)

Once submitted, your university will confirm your attendance. Payments are made in three instalments per year—typically in November, March, and June.

If your circumstances change—such as switching courses or study mode—you must update your application promptly through the NHS LSF portal.

If you’re studying a postgraduate degree at an English university in one of the following areas, you could be able to apply for a £5,000 annual training grant from the UK Government:

• Nursing
• Midwifery
• Dietetics
• Occupational Therapy
• Orthoptics
• Orthotics
• Paramedicine
• Podiatry
• Prosthetics
• Radiography
• Speech and Language Therapy
• Chiropody

This grant is available for students beginning programmes in or after September 2020, as well as those who are continuing courses. It doesn’t need to be repaid.

Additional funding is available for students in certain priority areas. If you study one of these subjects, you could be eligible for an additional £1,000 per year:

• Mental Health Nursing
• Learning Disability Nursing
• Orthoptics
• Orthotics
• Podiatry
• Prosthetics
• Radiography (diagnostic and therapeutic)

Another £1,000 annual NHS student grant is on offer to people who are attending university in regions where declining numbers of people have been studying Nursing, Midwifery and allied health profession qualifications.

Finally, £1,000 per year is available for students with child dependents, in addition to the funds already available through the Child Dependents Allowance.

Please note that the regional and priority area funding is only available for students beginning a new course in September and not continuing students.

Funding kicks in from Year 2 (yes, you have to survive Year 1 on your own). The NHS will cover:

• £3,715 per year towards tuition (Years 2-4)
• Means-tested bursary up to £3,255 (London) or £2,696 (elsewhere)
• Up to £2,251 if you live in your parental home
• Extra Weeks Allowance (for courses over 30 weeks)
• £1,0200 non-means-tested bursary for all students

Your eligibility for this funding depends on residency, and Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish students need to check their own funding options.

For more information on eligibility, check out the NHSBSA’s webpage.

NHS bursaries are available in some circumstances for students who are willing to work in Wales for up to two years after their course has finished.

If eligible for NHS funding, you could receive:

• A tuition fee waiver
• A non-means-tested grant of £1,000
• A means-tested bursary of up to £2,643 (plus an Extra Weeks Allowance If your course is longer than 30 weeks per academic year)

Again, eligibility depends on residency, and Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish students need to check their own funding options.

For more information, please visit NHS Wales’ page on the bursary scheme.

• Don’t assume you’ll automatically get funding – universities choose who gets on the list.
• Apply early – waiting until the last minute is a great way to miss out.
• Check the small print – moving to England just for study might disqualify you.
• Make sure you actually want to work in the NHS – if not, consider alternative funding options.