Medicine MBBS BSc

The Medicine MBBS Bsc at UCL takes 6 years. The funding in years 5 and 6 is different to in years 1-4.

This guidance about the Medicine MBBS BSc includes information on:

• funding in years 1-4
• funding in years 5 and 6
• intercalation (Master's and PhD)
• graduates on the MBBS
• the UCL Undergraduate Bursary
• disabled students' allowances
• financial support

The following information is relevant to England-domiciled students only. Students from Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland should check with their regional funding body to see what is available. International students should refer to Funding for students on undergraduate courses.

Funding in years 1-4

In years 1-4 of the MBBS, eligible students can receive the full undergraduate package from Student Finance, including:

• tuition fee loan
• maintenance loan

Funding in years 5 and 6

In years 5 and 6 of the MBBS, the funding changes. Eligible students can receive funding from both the NHS and Student Finance, including:

• a reduced rate maintenance loan
• fees paid by NHS
• a £1000 grant from NHS
• an income-dependent bursary from NHS

NHS Bursaries is the umbrella term used to describe the NHS funding (fee payment, grant, and bursary).

In years 5 and 6, students apply to Student Finance for their reduced rate maintenance loan and NHS Business Services Authority for their NHS Bursaries.

The amount of maintenance funding that MBBS students in years 5 and 6 receive is often much less than in years 1-4. Because of this, we advise that students going into years 5 and 6 plan their finances carefully to avoid hardship. Details of hardship funding available for MBBS students can be found at the bottom of this page.

Table 1: MBBS funding structure

Intercalation

Some MBBS students may choose to study an additional Master's or PhD programme during their MBBS study. This is called intercalation.

The timing of an intercalating year affects where the funding comes from and whether there is funding available for postgraduate study.

The information presented here relates to English domiciled students entering an intercalated year in 2018/2019 only and is based on current SFE and NHS student support guidance. It is intended to provide a summary of support, however, regulations regarding eligibility can be complex and will be checked carefully by the awarding authority before support is offered. Whilst the University endeavours to ensure the information contained is accurate at the date of publication it does not accept liability for any inaccuracies.

Master's Intercalation

MBBS students wanting to intercalate with a Master's should intercalate in their 5th year of study - after they have completed their first four years of MBBS study. This means they will receive NHS funding for their Master's, and the remaining two years of their MBBS

Table 3: Masters intercalation in 5th year of study

PhD intercalation (MBPhD)

MBBS students who wish to intercalate with a PhD should intercalate in their 5th year of study. Their MBPhd years will be funded by UCL Medical School stipend. The remaining MBBS years will be funded by the NHS.

More information about the MBPhD can be found on the Medical School website.

Table 4: PhD intercalation in 5th year of study

 Graduates on the MBBS

Graduates (and students in the final year of their degree) can be considered for entry to the MBBS programme at UCL.

There is no fast-track (four year) Graduate Entry Programme at UCL. UCL graduates follow the same programme of study as the undergraduate students but complete the course within five years instead of six (Year 3 – the iBSc year – is waived).

Home graduate students on the MBBS may be eligible for a Student Finance maintenance loan for the first four years of their course.

In the fifth and final year, eligible Home and EU graduate students on the MBBS may be able to receive NHS Bursaries to cover fees and some living costs as well as a reduced rate maintenance loan from Student Finance.

Students receiving the maintenance loan in years 1-4 should be aware that the loan will not be released to them until their first fee instalment is paid at the start of term 1.

Table 5: Graduates on the MBBS

UCL Undergraduate Bursary

UK and EU MBBS students who have a household income below £42,875 may be eligible for the UCL Undergraduate Bursary. External iBSc students who join UCL for the iBSc year who meet the eligibility criteria will also be considered for the UCL Undergraduate Bursary.

Disabled Students' Allowances

You can apply for Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) to cover some of the extra costs you have because of a mental health problem, long term illness or any other disability.

You can get the allowances on top of your other student finance. You won’t need to repay DSAs.

In years 1-4, MBBS students apply to Student Finance for their DSAs. In years 5 and 6 MBBS students apply to NHS Business Services Authority for their DSAs.

UCL Student Support and Wellbeing provide information around DSAs and other support available for disabled students at UCL.  

Disabled students who are not awarded a Disabled Students’ Allowance may be eligible for a Student Health Association Bursary. 

Financial support

The UCL Medical School has an MBBS Student Support team that manages a number of scholarships, bursaries, travel and hardship funds for MBBS students.

UCL's Financial Assistance Fund is also there for students who encounter unexpected hardship.

Externally, The Royal Medical Benevolent Fund provides financial advice, guidance, and support to medical students. The charity also has grants available to assist with essential living costs for MBBS students in their final two years.