2021 Funding for UK Medical Students
This page contains information for UK students, on the two main routes to a medicine degree at Oxford; a six-year undergraduate entry course, and a four-year graduate entry course.
Please note that Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland will continue to be eligible to access student fee loan support, and an Oxford Bursary based on household income.
Medical course funding
The funding available is very different for each course, and also varies by where you are from, whether you choose to be financially assessed, and the year of the course you are in. You should be aware of what funding, if any, is available to pay your course fees and help support your living costs during each year of your course.
The regional funding agency figures below may be subject to inflationary changes in future years.
EU students should refer to our dedicated webpage for information on the impact of the UK leaving European Union membership.
Six-year course for students with no previous undergraduate degree (A100)
Years 1 - 4
During the first four years of the six-year medicine course, government support is available through your relevant funding agency. Support for living costs is available to UK students on the same basis as all other Home undergraduate students.
UK students will be eligible for an Oxford Bursary or Crankstart Scholarship based on household income and will need to apply to be means-tested to be considered for this.
Years 5 - 6
In years five and six, course fees are paid in full by the relevant funding agency:
- The National Health Service (NHS) for students from England and Wales
- The Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) for students from Scotland
- The Department of Health (DoH) for students from Northern Ireland
UK students can also access a maintenance loan from their regional funding agency, but this will be at a reduced rate for students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland who can apply for a means-tested NHS or DoH bursary in years five and six. Students from England and Wales are also eligible for an additional non means-tested NHS grant of £1,000.
Students from Scotland will continue to be eligible to be assessed for the means-tested maintenance loan and grant available to them in years one to four.
UK students will continue to be eligible for an Oxford Bursary or Crankstart Scholarship based on the latest household income assessment provided.
| England | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales | |
| Course fee support | NHS pays full fee | DoH pays full fee | SAAS pays full fee | NHS pays full fee |
| Maintenance loan | Up to £2,324 (up to £1,811 final year) | Up to £2,370 (up to £1,850 final year) | Up to £5,750 | Up to £3,702 (up to £2,885 final year) |
| NHS/DoH Bursary or Scottish Maintenance grant | Up to £4,491 | Up to £4,203 (2019/20 level) | Up to £2,000 | Up to £4,491 |
| NHS Grant | £1,000 | Not available | Not available | £1,000 |
* Full details of support not yet confirmed for 2021/22.
See also: NHS Student Bursaries
Graduate-entry medicine: four-year course for students with an undergraduate degree in an experimental sciences subject (A101)
Year 1
During the first year of the four-year medicine course, government support is available through your relevant funding agency. The type of funding and the amount available varies according to where you are from.
UK students will be eligible for an Oxford Bursary based on household income and will need to apply to be means-tested to be considered for this.
| England | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales | |
| Course fee support | Self-fund first £3,465. Fee loan: up to £5,785 | Self-fund full fee | Self-fund full fee | Self-fund first £3,465. Fee loan: up to £5,785 |
| Maintenance support | Up to £9,203 loan | Up to £4,840 loan | Up to £5,750 loan | Up to £9,810 combined loan and grant |
* Full details of support not yet confirmed for 2021/22.
Years 2 - 4
During years two to four of the graduate-entry medicine course, students from England and Wales are eligible to apply for help from the NHS and their regional funding agency towards their course fees. Students from Northern Ireland and Scotland are required to self-fund the full amount of their course fees.
UK students can also access a maintenance loan from their regional funding agency, but this will be at a reduced rate for students from England and Wales who can apply for a means-tested NHS Bursary in years two to four. Students from England and Wales are also eligible for an additional non means-tested NHS grant of £1,000. Students from Northern Ireland and Scotland will continue to be eligible for the means-tested maintenance loan available to them in year one.
UK students will continue to be eligible for an Oxford Bursary based on the latest household income assessment provided.
| England | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales | |
| Course fee support | NHS pays first £3,715. Fee loan: up to £5,535 | Self-fund full fee | Self-fund full fee | NHS pays first £3,465. Fee loan: up to £5,785 |
| Maintenance loan | Up to £2,324 (up to £1,811 final year) | Up to £4,840 (up to £4,480 final year) | Up to £5,750 | Up to £4,405 |
| NHS Bursary | Up to £4,491 | Not available | Not available | Up to £4,491 |
| NHS Grant | £1,000 | Not available | Not available | £1,000 |
* Full details of support not yet confirmed for 2021/22.
See also: NHS Student Bursaries