These courses are funded differently from other degrees. Nursing and midwifery bursaries are applied for through the Business Services Organisation (BSO), not Student Finance NI.
Quick facts
- Tuition fees (NI courses)
- Paid by the Department of Health
- Allied health bursary
- Income-assessed, apply to Student Finance NI
- Nursing and midwifery
- Apply to the BSO bursaries unit
- Nursing maintenance loan
- Not available
- Medicine and dentistry
- DoH bursary from year five
- Graduate-entry medicine (NI)
- Fee loan and maintenance loan
Allied health professions and dental hygiene
If you've lived in Northern Ireland for the last three years, you can apply for an income-assessed bursary to help with living costs. You may also be eligible to apply for a reduced rate non-income assessed loan. The Department of Health in Northern Ireland (DoH) will pay your tuition fees directly to the university. Apply to Student Finance NI on form PN1 or PR1.
Nursing and midwifery
If you're from Northern Ireland, you can apply for a bursary to help with living costs, and DoH will pay your tuition fees directly to the university. You'll not be eligible to apply for a maintenance loan. All applications should be submitted to the BSO.
nidirect calls this bursary non-income-assessed, then says in the next lines that the amount depends on your own and your family's income. Ask the bursaries unit in the BSO which applies to you before you plan your budget. You may also get extra allowances if you're disabled or have dependants.
If you plan to enter a degree in nursing or midwifery in England, Wales or Scotland, you should apply for tuition fee loan, maintenance loan and grant to your Student Finance NI office.
Medicine and dentistry
If you're a pre-registration student of medicine or dentistry from Northern Ireland, DoH will give you a bursary in your fifth and later years of study, regardless of where you study in the UK. Your first four years are funded like any other degree. During the bursary years, the DoH will pay your tuition fee contribution in full. No contribution will be required from you or your family towards your fees.
From academic year 2025/ 26, if you are planning on undertaking a Graduate Entry Medicine Course in Northern Ireland, you can apply for a tuition fee loan to cover the cost of your fees, and a maintenance loan, but not a Maintenance Grant.
Common questions
Do nursing students in Northern Ireland pay tuition fees?
No, for nursing and midwifery degrees in Northern Ireland. DoH will pay your tuition fees directly to the university.
Can nursing students get a maintenance loan?
No. You'll not be eligible to apply for a maintenance loan, but you can apply for a bursary.