Please Help me- Student Nurse

chinesedeli

Hi there,

I was wandering if some nice people out there could please help me with everything that I am entitled to ie, loans etc as I am starting uni this September studying a Nursing Diploma. I will be 22 by the time I get there and I am white/British who lives with my widowed mother who works and does not earn over £20,000. My sister is 18 and will also be going to uni later this year.
I have put off going to uni for a couple of years but now that I have been accepted I am really looking forward to getting a carear in nursing. I know that I am entitled to the nursing Bursary each month but have no idea if I am entitled to anything else like loans etc and if I am I do not know how much etc.
If there is anyone out there who knows what I can apply for I would be very greatful as I want to move into student accomodation so that I do not have to travel every day. I am not sure if I would be able to get the student loan when I will be getting a Bursary each month.
Thanks again for any help.

Mandy

surfcat

You will definitely be able to get some student loan, but not the full amount (maybe about a third?). My sister did a physio degree with nhs bursary and this is what happened in her case. I think she found that the total she got was less than the full loan, but of course she doesn't have to pay back the bursary section!

stuwilky

surfcat wrote:

You will definitely be able to get some student loan, but not the full amount (maybe about a third?). My sister did a physio degree with nhs bursary and this is what happened in her case. I think she found that the total she got was less than the full loan, but of course she doesn't have to pay back the bursary section!

Not true.

Most nursing students who receive a bursary are not entitled to student loans, it does howeverdepend on the course.

If you could let me know the Course and Institution I can find out eligibility details for you.

Susanna_2

Hi,
I'm a third year student nurse at Greenwich Uni on the diploma course.

Firstly its better to apply for your grant away from home, otherwise you get the home living allowance and they won't change it if you move away afterwards.

You are not eligiable to apply for any student grants, or hardship funds when you get to uni.

You can get a student account with its free overdraft once you get your first cheque.

You are eligable for travel costs to placements, this is normally done through the university.

You get £50 added to your first cheque to cover some of the cost of the unifrom you need to buy.

You will not get credited for your national insurance whilst training, voluntary contributions are £34 & £27 alternating monthly if you want to pay them.

You are not allowed to work more than 15 hours a week outside of your course. Placements are unpaid slave labour. You will not get normal student holidays so cannot work in the hols.

Being a unison rep gives you access to lots of free trips for courses with food included. Some uni's offer jobs during the summer you might get some that match your month off. Also some uni's look for student wardens for the accommodation and then you get free lodging, but have to deal with sorting out parties and problems..doesn't always fit in with night shifts and long days.

If you are disabled..dislexic dysphrasic etc. you need proof either an statement less than 2 years old or you have to pay for one to be done costs about £350. then go through your uni disabled services and you can get a grant to help with extra costs and extra time for exams etc.

Make use of your student union card and I tend to ask in any small shop/hairdresser/restaurant if they give student discount..mentioning that you're studing to be a nurse helps!!

Buy books from students above you..I actively ask for second hand books and uniforms.

Its tough but it will be worth it when you qualify...you have a gap from Sept to oct with no money whilst you wait for your pin to come through (this costs £124) and is done via the uni. Some hospitals will employ you as a health care assistant and then back pay you when the pin comes through, some won't take you on until you get the pin.

Good luck and start saving what you can now!!

1jim

You are not allowed to work more than 15 hours a week outside of your course.

Not sure what this poster means, is it before tax? uni rules or what?
But you can work as many hours a day as you like, get a job with one of the agencies that the hospital you are affiliated too uses, you will have enougth work to keep you going as a health care assistant, i agree that it is hard work and you will be tired but thats the way it is unfortuantly. I trained a few yrs ago and worked as much as i needed too to cover costs etc, the uni didnt need to know how many hours i worked (and didnt care), the tax man was happy as he got paid, so im not sure what the 15hrs a week relates to but is probably a suggested time rather than a cant work over, i think you get around 7weeks holiday though during training (is that right?) because this is an ideal time to cram in the work and save for when you cant.
also make sure you fill in a form to help with nhs costs (this is means tested so hide any money you dont want them to know about)
join rcn and i think you can claim tax relief in subscritions (but thats only about 10quid a year)
good luck with it
Jim

chinesedeli

Thanks for everyones help. I am really not sure what to do because It would really help if I could get some of the student loan. My course is adult nursing at the University of Hertfordshire (Hatfield).
Thanks again everyone.

Katgoddess

You will not get normal student holidays so cannot work in the hols.

You could work weekends in a shop/bar where you could easily get overtime during the week if you are on holiday from your studies.

chinesedeli

Katgoddess wrote:

You could work weekends in a shop/bar where you could easily get overtime during the week if you are on holiday from your studies.

Yes I will work as much as I can whilst at uni.

Luis

It's been some time since I did my nurse training (have now left nursing) but I was on one of the first P2K courses and the rules still apply.

No-one will give you a student loan, but Barclays would give me a student bank account (many won't).

Susanna had some great ideas re using student status for discounts etc

As regards work, I used to work way more than 15hrs per week in the following types of jobs:

Find a care agency which will let you work flexi shifts - I used to work every weekend I could, and made sure the agency paid enhanced rates at the wekend.

I used another agency to find work doing 'sleeping nights' in people's homes who just needed to have someone there at night 'in case'. I used to get £25 per night twice a week and could still carry on my course during the day.

I worked in Chinese takeaways and chippies, meaning I got a free meal at the end of my shift - every little helps.

Got books through second hand shops and the School of Health library.

HTH

Luis.

emma_b_4

hi i am going to be student nurse in sept too at hudds. bursry is 474 pmonth. i am a homeowner too so bit nervous about the mortgage etc im looking into working tax cred my partner is 27 but we dont have any kids sop i dont know what they will say. i

stuwilky

emma_b wrote:

hi i am going to be student nurse in sept too at hudds. bursry is 474 pmonth. i am a homeowner too so bit nervous about the mortgage etc im looking into working tax cred my partner is 27 but we dont have any kids sop i dont know what they will say. i

Its unlikely youd get WTC, although it does depend on how much your partner earns. There is a very small payment to people who have no kids, but the income levels are very very low.