Medical students are being driven further into poverty during their final year of training due to a baffling shortfall in student loan support.
Unlike students in the early years of their degree, those in their final undergraduate year, as well as those in the later years of a post-graduate medical degree, do not get a full student loan. They do receive a small NHS bursary, but many find it hard to make ends meet, pushing many into financial hardship[1].
A BMA survey revealed students from poorer backgrounds are hit hardest, often forced to rely on private loans, max out overdrafts, and juggle multiple jobs just to afford the basic costs of qualifying as doctors[2]. The BMA is urging the Government to address this funding gap and back up its commitment to make a career in medicine accessible to students from as many backgrounds as possible.
The Government’s very own 10 Year Health Plan for England acknowledges the cost of studying medicine is one of the important factors deterring working class students from applying to medicine [3]. They also recognise that more financial support is needed to support those from the lowest socio-economic backgrounds.
A final year medical student from the East Midlands spoke about the financial hardship they’ve faced, having to work multiple jobs to make ends meet:
“Coming from a background where I couldn’t rely on family meant the responsibility to make it work financially always fell on me. I tried working part-time during term, but it affected my studies. I even failed some exams. I didn’t have a single day off to revise, and I had to commute three hours a day on top of working part-time.
“I’ve completely maxed out my overdraft, and to make ends meet, I’ve had to start a second job on the side. Picking up stewarding event shifts, traffic management work, and signing up to multiple agencies just to cover basic expenses.
“When finals came around, I had to make an impossible choice: either earn enough money to eat or give myself a fighting chance at passing. I ended up quitting my job for six weeks just to focus on exams, but that meant cutting back on even the most basic necessities. I constantly had to walk a tightrope between surviving financially and succeeding academically.”
Another final year medical student from Nottingham, spoke about the drop in funding being so drastic that they’re now questioning their place in the NHS:
“What’s been most upsetting is how much effort I’ve put into this degree, and yet I feel like I haven’t received much in return. I haven’t felt supported. While the university has tried to help, I can’t say the same about the NHS. You give so much to this degree and this profession, but the support just isn’t there. Looking ahead, it’s hard to see a future, and that uncertainty makes everything feel hopeless.
“At one point, I only had £12 in my bank account. I often couldn’t afford to travel, and it significantly affected my quality of life. Working at a football stadium to make ends meet is heavily dependent on match days and available shifts. It didn’t allow me to properly prepare for the times out of work, and this was detrimental to my health and well-being.
“I never had any desire to move to Australia or anywhere else, but how I’ve been treated before even starting my first job is making me reconsider. Even my passion for medicine sometimes doesn’t feel enough to keep going. It has a real impact on your mental health when you can’t afford to do normal things. Life becomes just about studying and struggling to survive.”
Leading the Fix our Finance campaign, Henry Budden and Dr Sophie Mitchell, deputy co-chairs (finance) of the BMA’s medical students’ committee, said:
“Graduates are leaving university with tens of thousands of pounds of debt and despite this they’d rather see their student loan increased than be left with so much less in their final year. This situation isn’t sustainable and does nothing to help those from poorer backgrounds or improve participation in medicine. Medicine is longer than many other degrees for good reason; because we want to ensure doctors working in the NHS have the best possible training. It is only right then that they should receive the appropriate funding to see them through the entirety of their course.”
The BMA wants the Government to address the drop in funding by ensuring medical students receive the full student finance maintenance for the entirety of their course – this is a small ask, costing the Treasury £24 million – only 0.12% of Student Finance England annual lending.
Notes to editors
- Students in their bursary year were £3,647 worse off on average than students on SFE maintenance funding.
- The survey found that those who’ve previously received free school meals are more likely to report their finances as extremely detrimental to overall educational attainment and academic performance. 47.9% of those who received free school meals at some point, compared with 31.6% of medical students overall.
- 10 Year Health Plan for England: fit for the future - GOV.UK
- Earlier this year, the BMA published a survey of more than 3,500 medical students showing:
- 62% spent less on essentials, such as food or heating
- nearly three quarters asked their parents or family for additional financial support
- over two fifths used their overdraft to cover living costs.
- over 500 respondents accessed hardship or emergency university funds.
- One in ten took out a credit card or loan to cover living costs.
- Over one hundred respondents used food banks
The survey revealed that for students in receipt of reduced student finance maintenance and the NHS bursary, nine out of ten felt that funding available to them doesn't cover their living costs (hardly + not at all).
The BMA is a professional association and trade union representing and negotiating on behalf of all doctors in the UK. A leading voice advocating for outstanding health care and a healthy population. An association providing members with excellent individual services and support throughout their lives.