NHS Learning Support Fund: Grants for Student Nurses and AHPs

If you are studying nursing, midwifery or an allied health profession in England, you can get money that does not need to be repaid, on top of your student loan. The NHS Learning Support Fund is run by the NHS Business Services Authority. Here is what it pays and who qualifies.

Who can apply

You can usually apply if you are on an eligible pre-registration course in England, such as:

• Adult, children's, mental health or learning disability nursing
• Midwifery
• Allied health professions such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, paramedic science, radiography, podiatry and others

You must also be eligible for tuition fee or maintenance support from Student Finance England.

The training grant

Every eligible student gets a training grant of £5,000 for each academic year of their course. It is not means tested and does not have to be paid back. Part-time students get an amount in proportion to their study pattern.

Parental support

If you have at least one child under 15, or under 17 with special educational needs, you can get an extra £2,000 a year to help with childcare and other costs.

Specialist subject payment

Students on courses that are harder to recruit to get an extra £1,000 a year. This has included mental health nursing, learning disability nursing, therapeutic and diagnostic radiography, podiatry, orthoptics, and prosthetics and orthotics. The list can change, so check the current guidance for your course.

How much it adds up to

For a three-year full-time course:

• Training grant only: £15,000 over three years.
• With parental support and a specialist subject payment: £8,000 a year, which is £24,000 over three years.

Other help

The Learning Support Fund also covers:

• Travel and dual accommodation expenses for clinical placements, where you pay more than your normal travel to university.
• The Exceptional Support Fund, for students facing unexpected financial hardship.

These are claimed separately, so keep receipts for placement travel.

How and when to apply

Applications are made online through the NHSBSA, usually after you have accepted your place and registered with your university. Payments are made in instalments each term. Do not leave it too late, because there are deadlines for each year.

Common questions

Does the Learning Support Fund affect my student loan? No. It is paid on top of your tuition fee and maintenance loans and does not reduce them.

Is it taxed? No. The grants are not counted as taxable income.

What if I fail a year or need to repeat? You may still be eligible, but repeat years can affect funding. Check with the NHSBSA as soon as possible.

Can postgraduate students apply? Some pre-registration postgraduate courses are eligible. Check the current eligibility list.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Not applying for travel and accommodation expenses for placements.
• Missing the application deadline for each academic year.

A year in practice

Here is how the money might arrive for a full-time adult nursing student with a five-year-old child, starting in September:

• Training grant: £5,000 for the year, paid in three termly instalments.
• Parental support: £2,000 for the year, also paid in instalments.
• Placement travel: claimed back as you go, for journeys that cost more than your usual trip to university.

That is £7,000 of grants across the year, plus any travel costs, on top of the student loans from Student Finance England. A mental health nursing student in the same position would get a further £1,000 as a specialist subject payment.

Tips for getting it right

• Apply as soon as your university confirms your place and you have registered. Late applications can mean late payments.
• Keep a simple log of placement journeys, with dates, destinations and costs, and keep tickets or receipts.
• Tell the NHSBSA quickly about changes such as moving to part-time study, taking a break or changing course, because these can affect your payments.
• If money becomes very tight, ask your university's student support team about the Exceptional Support Fund before the problem grows.

After you qualify

Most newly qualified nurses, midwives and allied health professionals start on Band 5 of Agenda for Change, at £32,073 in 2026/27, rising to £34,592 after two years. Some roles, such as healthcare science and certain therapy posts, have different starting points. Your student loan repayments will begin the April after you finish your course, once your pay is above your plan's threshold.

Work out your support

The Learning Support Fund calculator adds up the training grant, parental support and specialist subject payment for your course, study pattern and number of years. After you qualify, the take-home pay calculator shows what your first NHS salary will look like.