P1 Finances
“Can I afford it?”
Coventry is the Top 5 student city in England for affordability, but it's still usually a big concern for those looking to study medicine. The funding, particularly graduate entry, varies from standard UG courses. We typically have access to a combination of a Student Finance [SF] loan (repayable) & an NHS bursary or grant (non-repayable). You can ask SF for less than how much you're entitled to, but generally it’s best to apply for the maximum - it won’t change your repayments that much, & student loans aren't like 'typical loans'.
This was offered for 2023 cohort studentsLink opens in a new window. It was not offered for 2024 students. If you are concerned about affording your time at WMS, please contact Phase I Admin Lead .
2023 overhaul & 2024 updates by Charlotte Pemberton. Thank you to Emily Garrett of Warwick Widening Participation & Access to Healthcare and MedicineLink opens in a new window for many 2023 contributions.
MBChB infoLink opens in a new window - EmailLink opens in a new window - +44 (0)24761 50096 - @warwick_student_fundingLink opens in a new window - @warwickfundingLink opens in a new window
Student-led programme Warwick Link opens in a new windowWidening Participation & Access to Healthcare & MedicineLink opens in a new window
- Year 1; apply to SFE for the Maintenance Loan, Grants, & Partial Tuition Fee Loan
- (For Offer Holders '24 cohort - this is open now)
- Years 2, 3, & 4; apply to the NHS Bursary Authority for Tuition Fee & Maintenance Bursaries & Grants
- (For '24 cohort, apply from March '25!)
- Years 2, 3, & 4; apply to SFE for a partial Tuition Fee Loan & reduced-rate Maintenance Loan
Year 1 |
Year 2 & 3 |
Year 4 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
SFE |
Partially means tested; maximum of £9978, plus extra weeks loan (in 2022, £4524 was non-means tested, £5182 was means-tested) |
Non-means tested maintenance loan; £2605 | Non-means tested maintenance loan; £2030 |
NHS |
None | Non-means tested maintenance bursary; £1000 (in '22-'23) Means tested maintenance bursary; up to £2463 (in '22/'23) a year, plus extra weeks allowance - Paid monthly - Usually eligible for NHSBSA reimbursement of some placement-travel costs |
Non-means tested maintenance bursary; £1000 (in '22-'23) Means tested maintenance bursary; up to £2463 (in '22/'23) a year, plus extra weeks allowance - Paid monthly - Usually eligible for NHSBSA reimbursement of some placement-travel costs |
Tuition fees |
SFE pays a loan of £5785 directly to the university You are responsible for paying the last £3465 to the university This can be in one payment, or three over the year |
SFE pay a loan of £5535 directly to the university NHS pay a grant for the remaining £3715 directly to the university |
SFE pay a loan of £5535 directly to the university NHS pay a grant for the remaining £3715 directly to the university |
ExtrasDependent on eligibility |
Warwick Bursary; up to £2000 Additional Bursary; up to £1000 SFE Disabled Students Allowance (grant) SFE Childcare Grant |
SFE Disabled Students Allowance (Grant) SFE Childcare Grant You can now claim additional costs of travelling to & from placements from NHSBSA |
SFE Disabled Students Allowance (Grant) SFE Childcare Grant You can now claim additional costs of travelling to & from placements from NHSBSA |
Means-tested
Where your income is assessed to determine how much money SFE will loan you. This includes that of a partner or parents, unless you are an independent student (list from SFE is hereLink opens in a new window)
Turn2Us
Everyone needs to try this! The personalised search engine will list numerous grants you could apply for - the vast majority are accurate!
YLCE | Gilchrist Grants | The Professional Aid Guild
Have a PhD? The Foulkes Foundation
Completed 1st year? The Sidney Perry Foundation (open to international students)
Any student (including international); Sir Richard Stapley Educational Trust
BMA Charity Trust Fund
Snowdon Trust | DTD Charity
Pharmacists: Leverhulme Trade | Pharmacists Support Org
Nurse: Cavell (& HCA & NA) | Junius Morgan
Dentist: BDA Benevolent Fund
Radiographer: Society of Radiographers
Cameron Fund | RMBF | The Dain Fund
WMS bursary information in 2023 is here
For info on hardship funds, here is some adviceLink opens in a new window.
You might be eligible for further grants & bursaries hereLink opens in a new window too.
The RMBF websiteLink opens in a new window has a fairly large list for a good start, however it is also good to check in with your local home council to see if they have any educational funds you can apply for.
Rent
- Campus halls; £91 - £223 p/week, lasting 35, 40, or 44 weeks.
- MBChB students are typically housed together in Tocil, up to 12 of you, for £122 p/week.
- You can also apply to be a campus halls RCALink opens in a new window every year - like a dorm supervisor. You work 12-15 p/week, & they favour medical students!
- Off campus; £350 - £600 p/month for a room in a shared student house, which may or may not include bills. It's around £700 for a studio flat, typically without bills.
- Another student-made guide on where to live is found here.
Bills
- Council Tax; a house of just students are exempt; a house with 1+ students & 1 non-student gets 25% single occupancy discount
- Stepping off for 1 year with the intention to return means you still qualify for student-exemption
- Gas & electric; from £60 (each, if in a house of 5) to £142 (between 1-2 people) p/month (EDF figuresLink opens in a new window)
- Water; national average is £35 p/month p/house
- Wi-Fi; £20-£45 p/month p/house. Check if there's a bundle deal with your mobile network
- TV licence; annually £159, but only needed for live TV or BBC, & your parent's licence may cover you - full guide here
If in a flat, you may have ground rent, which typically isn't included in the rent as it's paid to the landowner, not your landlord. It can cost up to £400 p/year.
Lifestyle
All the predictions are averages for the area, but it's really dependent on what you buy & where you shop.
- Groceries; £130 (Coventry average)
- Takeaways, meals out; £50 (Coventry average)
Remember to include toiletries, healthcare, cleaning supplies, clothing, taxis, birthdays or gifts, campus coffees or snacks, personal or beauty products, drinks, hobbies, gym, phone contract, emergency savings fund...
It might be easier to check your bank transactions for the last 6–12 months!
Under the 'Budgeting' tab, you'll find free apps & student-aimed spreadsheets & calculators to help with this.
Top Tip:
You should be eligible for tax relief - a refund - for purchasing & washing your own uniforms!
Averages gathered in 2023 from Save the StudentLink opens in a new window & the National Student Money Survey, EDF, Severn Water, & Rightmove.
Remember costs for the car itself, fuel, insurance, MOT, tax, & parking when considering your budget.
Driving
- A car is useful for placement.
- Note: the more cars in a CP pairing, the further your GP placements may be.
- No cars = Coventry; 1 car = wider Coventry; 2 cars = as far as Northampton...
- Consider lift sharing with other students; fairly split or rotate fuel & parking costs.
- LiftShare platforms aren't well used right now; instead there are WhatsApp group chats for cohorts in specific areas, like Earlsdon & Leamington.
Petrol / Distance:
| WMS → UHCW = 9.1 miles | WMS → GEH = 17 miles | WMS → SWFT = 7.3 miles |
Insurance:
This Job PickerLink opens in a new window shows which role (Med Student vs Student vs Postgrad Student) may be cheapest; the entire guideLink opens in a new window is incredibly helpful!
Top Tips:
A Costco membership pays for itself in fuel savings alone!
Arrange your area's group chat for car pooling if there isn't one.
Campus Parking
- Register with APCOA payment portal for reduced rates;
- £3 p/day in 1st year (not £7!)
- Capped at £9 p/week
- Free after 6pm or on weekends: register here every term
- A map of where you can park is hereLink opens in a new window
- Not claimable through NHSBSA TDAE
Placement Parking
- Phase II & III are eligible for TDAE reimbursementLink opens in a new window (if NHSBSA students)
- Excess miles, accommodation (with prior approval), & excess parking are reimbursed
- Note: bursary-eligible drivers can also claim for other eligible students they take too; but those students cannot also claim for that same journey!
- You can claim this back up to 9 months from the end of the placement
- Send completed forms to
or
, or drop them in the post boxes in the MTC reception.
- Send completed forms to
or
, or drop them in the post boxes in the MTC reception.
Student permits:
| UHCW: £156.75 p/10 weeks (CCE) £85.60 p/6 weeks (SCP) £14.25 p/week |
GEH: £7.19 p/month | SWFT: £7.19 p/1 month £21.57 p/3 months £43.14 p/6 months £86.28 p/12 months |
Phase I - you'll be at a hospital for 3 hours, 8 times over Blocks 3 & 4.
Phase II - you'll be at hospital approximately 9-5 once a week in AC1, and for up to 8 days in Transition Weeks.
- Route 41 (Radford → Leamington Spa) or Route 42 (UoW → Keresley Village) costs £1.50 with Student ID
National Express Student Bus Pass:
- £45 p/month for unlimited travel on all bus operators within the nBus zone and all National Express buses
- £37.50 p/month for all buses in Coventry area
Average single bus tickets cost £2.30; a monthly ticket is £50
Dial-a-Bus
- £7 if 10+ miles (£2.50 if disabled)
- £1 per extra passenger (max 10)
- So 10 students travelling from WMS to UHCW and back = £3.40 per person!
- Bus can make several stops along the route, but is only useful for students going to UHCW
Popular and cost-effective, and there are many cycle lanes to support this.
- WMS has an active cycling community - meet some of them at the Societies Fair, and reach out to WMS Triathalon ClubLink opens in a new window for more info
- When you get your IT account, the BUG Teams channel has local routes, safety warnings, and shops to recommend.
Bike storage - contact on-site estates for more information
| Bike racks next to MTC entrance and between MTC and MSB; cages are between IBRB and the multi-storey car park; on campus map found hereLink opens in a new window | SWFT → by main hospital entrance and by Aylesford Unit |
| UHCW → several showers available; toiletries and towels provided in staff showers in CSB building, available all week, 0730-2200 | GEH → bike shed next to catering stores entrance, and next to corridor near the Chapel. Small rack for visitors by main car park |
As early as possible, we recommend you use an app, or review your last few months of transactions, to get an idea of how much you spend on categories from travel to takeaways - though your bank app may do this already.
- The free GoodBudget appLink opens in a new window shows all your accounts, has a budget calculator, & gives goals for bills to socialising, with 'envelopes' so you can set money aside when you get it, for when you need it.
- Save the Student has a calculatorLink opens in a new window, so you can estimate how much you can spend on rent, though you plug the numbers in yourself.
- If you're a fan of spreadsheets (no shame, we are too), they also have a free one, plus a guide.Link opens in a new window
We didn't find the UCAS Budget CalculatorLink opens in a new window very accurate for Warwick students (its data is from 2011-2019), so if you've used it, you should review that budget.
Other advice resources; UniGuideLink opens in a new window / The Royal Medical Benevolent SocietyLink opens in a new window / The British Medical Association (BMA)
Discounts
- Sign up for free UNiDAYSLink opens in a new window, TotumLink opens in a new window, & Student BeansLink opens in a new window (& validate your accounts) for discounts & offers.
- Got an NHS email address? HealthServiceDiscountsLink opens in a new window (free) & a Blue LightLink opens in a new window card (£5) have loads more.
- Money Saving ExpertLink opens in a new window covers students too; try their weekly email, & the guides & forums are lifesavers (from bank accountsLink opens in a new window to parking finesLink opens in a new window...)
- Earn up to £200 by switching banks, but read the guideLink opens in a new window; or switch to a student accountLink opens in a new window for a fee-free overdraft, or a rail-discount card.
- An Ode cardLink opens in a new window gives you instant cashback for using it - no cost, & you don't need to change anything with how or where you shop.
Food
- Trolley.co.ukLink opens in a new window - free price comparison app (not just groceries!) across most shops, including online.
- Save at the SupermarketLink opens in a new window guide - tips from cashback apps, vouchers, & timing for the reduced section.
- OlioLink opens in a new window has people give away excess food
- Too Good to GoLink opens in a new window is the same for cafés and restaurants (with mystery bagsLink opens in a new window from Gibbet Hill canteen too)
- Meal prep & batch cooking cuts costs on food, energy, & time. Here are 28 meal preps for a weekLink opens in a new window, a list of student recipesLink opens in a new window, & 55 more ways to save on foodLink opens in a new window.
- Costco is very close, & if bulk buying won't work for you, the fuel savings will pay for the membership pretty quick.
- £30 for 2 members / cards in the same household, & you can each bring a guest
Other
- Go CV+; free scheme for Coventry residents, with offers, discounts on events, activities, local business, & attractions
- You may be eligible for free or discounted prescriptions & dental care through the Low Income Scheme & HC1 formLink opens in a new window
- Or a Pre-Payment Prescription certificate (£31.25 for 3 months; £111.60 for 12 months) saves money if you need more than 3 items in 3 months, or 11 items in 12 months
Many of us need to work to support ourselves. If you need to work during a uni day, WMS say you must complete an Absence & be honest with your reason. The form asks how you will make up for lost learning - so be realistic (i.e. a full day missed needs a full day to catch up).
The course is demanding, so any part-time job is a big commitment - but it is feasible. We strongly recommend you keep at least 1 day free to rest, & zero-hour contracts are more feasible with our timetables!
Some employment ideas & links from other medical students:
Working ad hoc as 'bank' or NHSPLink opens in a new window staff in a local hospital is common
- Minimum wage, & shifts are 8-12h long; extra pay for weekends & evenings, & you can pick shifts that suit your timetable.
- Gives insight into how wards function, lots of patient contact to improve communication skills, & some units have opportunity to work on clinical skills (ECGs, venepuncture, cannulation). Can also be a chance to network with clinicians..
- NHSP paperwork can take months, so we advise you start asap. Previously, Trusts wanted you to have been a med student for 1 year, but this seems to have dropped post-lockdown.
- Some find applying with WMS support was faster - email your Phase admin lead for more information.
Also clinical, but away from the wards. Roles include vaccinators, inputters, drawing up (doses), & consenting (if a registered clinician).
- Every Autumn has the Flu Booster vaccination programme, alongside a Covid booster. There's usually a Covid booster in Spring too.
- Many MBChB students do this, & calls for applicants have come through WMS (Simon Brake previously) or other students before.
- IndeedLink opens in a new window is one option into this, or LantumLink opens in a new window
EMATS is one company providing pre-hospital care at a wide variety of events, & employs First-Aiders (many med students), plus Drs, nurses, paramedics, & ambulance technicians. There are other providers though!
- Can pay fairly well, with more shifts in peak-times over summer.
- Gives exposure to a variety of injuries & illness & their immediate management.
- Plus free attendance to many interesting events!
- Can be unpredictable; major incidents are possible, but often it's very uneventful.
- Shifts are not guaranteed, but they are available regularly, & being zero-hours ensures more flexibility to your timetable.
Think of what you like to do anyway - that costs you - & check if they have any jobs to apply for. Most will have free or heavily discounted staff rates!
- The Ballroom (bouldering)
- Warwick Arts Centre (cinema, check externals too)
- University (or external) gyms
- The DiceBox (boardgame cafe)
Combine earning with where you live! Apply to be an RCALink opens in a new window; they love med students! You'll live on campus; in a solo flat or share with 1 other RCA; work about 15 hours p/week for minimum wage, which about covers the rent (£120-£170 p/week); opportunities to work additional hours; and have the other benefits of campus accommodation, such as the close location and facilities. If you have accommodation on campus already, they'll just transfer your contract!
If pre-September, you must start in the 1st week they do, early September, and your contract typically follows the main campus contract lengths, so you'll need somewhere else for 2 months in summer - though speak to them in person & they can sort you out with a shared on-campus flat.
There's a wide range of jobs at Warwick Uni & the surrounding area.
- From catering & events to first aiders & admin roles, there's an extensive range to choose from - including roles within WMS.
- Contracts usually offer a lot of flexibility, & as many roles are normally on campus, it's a pretty convenient journey.
- WMS Internships are arranged through UniTemps too!
- Digital EducationLink opens in a new window (who made these pages)
- Inclusive EducationLink opens in a new window (EDI)
- Beacon AcademyLink opens in a new window (research projects)
- Community OutreachLink opens in a new window
They always need weekend staff, particularly big chains.
- Demanding work, but fairly guaranteed hours (mostly), & typically minimum wage.
- Often means sacrificing your Friday & Saturday nights - but they don't tend to overlap with uni hours.
- Main perks; social contact with new non-medic friends (often a welcome break, & a solid social circle), staff discounts off-shift, & free or heavily discounted food when on shift.
Also a popular option!
- It pays well, so means fewer hours, & can be done exclusively in any free evenings or days you have.
- Students tend to tutor STEM subjects, for both GCSE & A-levels.
- If you know you can teach, even without formal qualifications sometimes, advertising your medical student credentials may help you with the pre-existing competition!
Top Tip
You should be eligible for tax relief - a refund - for purchasing & washing your own uniforms!
It is absolutely possible to work while studying medicine, & unavoidable for many of us to study at all. Though it's important to remember that you’re a medical student first & foremost, & your mental health matters most of all. Please reach out to WMS if you're struggling - if you're unsure who to ask, Morna Woods will know.