Medicine as a 2nd Degree - Any funding hope

jp2011

I am currently studying a biomedical degree and due to graduate in June 2013. I am in receipt of student finance etc and get a bursary each year. Now it was my wish to study Medicine as a 2nd degree - on a 4 yr accelerated course. Now the 1st year is unfunded for this type of degree and stumping up 9k for just tuition is off putting (yrs after are funded or subsidised)

What is worse is that these 4 yr courses are mega hard to get onto and so it is more likely I will get onto a 5 yr standard degree...but with a degree already behind me and having had student finance - I will get no help whatsoever and be in a situation to study a medical degree - but not be able to commence due to funding problems! Anyone got any ideas because at the moment I am considering the Army as my best option - even then I still am short by 2 years tuition fees as there funding kicks in at yr 3! Thnx!!

Taiko

Used to be maintenance loan only, there's something in my head that the regulations for 2012 onwards have been tweaked slightly to give fee entitlement though. Will check it out for you.

Cat2011

No funding for the 5 yr course.

For the 4yr course you pay 3k ish towards the 1st year fees, then the rest is covered by a loan, along with all of yrs2-4 being covered by loan/NHS bursary. You also get 5k loan/NHS bursary as a maintenace loan.

BUT that's "interim" arrangements for 2012 entry. It will probably change for 2013 entry.

It's a very bad idea to go down the Army route purely due to being funded. They're good at weeding out those who don't actually have a desire to be in the Army. There is also a min. amount of time you have to spend in the Army (5 yrs?), are you willing to spend the next 4+5 yrs of your life belonging to the Army?

Just work on getting loads of work experience, work hard for the UKCAT/GAMSAT or whatever entrance test you have to take, and target your uni applications to your strengths as they all look for different things. It might take a few applications, but you'll get there.

jp2011

Thanks for the posts,

I know fully about the student finance issues and lack of funding, my main issue is alternative funding options...should have used that comment originally really. In terms of the army I am already in, just a case of getting onto the medical degree. It's a long road but don't want to get there and not be able to afford it. Cheers. JP