Whenever there is change it always seems like a scary time, we have been so used to having the fees to train to be a midwife paid for and a bursary to help pay the cost of living.
So the thought of that not being offered this anymore might put some people off applying… but lets look into this in a bit more detail, what does this change actually mean for someone that wants to train to be a midwife after September 2017.
So the change:
Midwifery students will no longer be able to apply for a bursary after 2017, but the same student loans that other students have, will be available to you.
More spaces for those you want to train:
This change will mean that more people can train to be a midwife (as we know spaces at university are currently very limited) so this is the first positive.
More money to help with living expenses:
You will also be able to get 25% more then you would have received on the bursary scheme, this can help towards living costs, some of this may be means tested and will depend on individual circumstances. It also looks like you’ll still be able to claim for placement expenses too.
But this is my second degree does that matter?
If you already have a degree, you can still apply for a second loan as the government will put in an exemption meaning you can access the loans system the same as if its your first degree.
When would I need to start paying back the loan and how much?
The April after you qualify as a midwife you will start paying back your student loan. Lets break this down:
9% of £700 is £63 a year or £5.25 a month.
As you climb the pay scale the amount you pay back will increase but if you haven’t paid back your total loan amount in 30 years, the government writes it off.
In that time you will have paid back £1890.
As tuition fees cost up to £9000 per year, if your course is 3 years long then that is £27,000 so actually when you look at the figures it seems like a no brainer!
Although the change is a different way of financing your midwifery training, it doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to do it. In fact under the new scheme you will have more money to help with living expenses, which can only be a good thing. Training to be a midwife has never been financially easier.
