Medicine MBBS BSc

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

This guidance about the Medicine MBBS BSc includes information on:

• funding in years 1-4
• funding in years 5 and 6
• 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.

Information about intercalation options is available on our Intercalation webpage.

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

 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).

Graduate students are not eligible for Tuition Fee Loans so graduate students will need to cover the tuition fee costs themselves. 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 2: Graduates on the MBBS

UCL Undergraduate Bursary

UK 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.