- What is the NHS Learning Support Fund?
- Parental Support
- Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses (TDAE)
- Exceptional Support Fund (ESF)
- Training Grant
- Specialist Subject Payment (SSP)
What is the NHS Learning Support Fund
The NHS Learning Support Fund (LSF) provides additional financial support for eligible healthcare students studying certain undergraduate and postgraduate healthcare courses.
Eligible courses include:
- Dental therapy and dental hygiene (levels 5 and 6)
- Dietetics
- Midwifery
- Nursing (adult, child, mental health, learning disability, and joint nursing and social work)
- Occupational therapy
- Operating department practitioner (levels 5 and 6)
- Orthoptics
- Orthotics and prosthetics
- Paramedics (DipHE and Foundation Degree courses are not eligible)
- Physiotherapy
- Podiatry/chiropody
- Radiography (diagnostic and therapeutic)
- Speech and language therapy
Foundation years are not eligible for NHS LSF funding.
If you are eligible, you may be able to receive:
- A Training Grant of £5,000 per academic year
- Parental Support of £2,000 if you have eligible dependent children
- Reimbursement of placement-related travel and accommodation costs through Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses (TDAE)
- Additional hardship funding through the Exceptional Support Fund (ESF)
Important
If you withdraw from your course or transfer to a course that is not eligible for NHS LSF funding, you must inform the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) immediately.
For full eligibility details, visit the NHS Learning Support Fund eligibility guidance.
Parental Support
Parental Support (previously Child Dependants Allowance) provides additional funding for eligible full-time students with dependent children.
You may be eligible if you have:
- A child under 15 years old, or
- A child under 17 years old with special educational needs.
The award is:
- £2,000 per academic year
- Non-repayable
- Paid in instalments throughout the year
Visit the NHSBSA Parental Support guidance for further information.
Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses (TDAE)
Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses (TDAE) help reimburse additional costs you incur while attending practice placements.
This may include excess:
- Travel costs
- Temporary accommodation costs
TDAE claims are managed by the Health Placements Team.
For questions about TDAE claims, contact:
practice.placements@herts.ac.uk
For full guidance, visit the NHSBSA Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses page.
Exceptional Support Fund (ESF)
The Exceptional Support Fund (ESF) helps eligible healthcare students experiencing genuine and unforeseen financial hardship during their studies.
Awards are based on an assessment of your circumstances and can be worth up to £3,000.
Before you apply
You must first apply to the University's University Financial Assistance Fund (UFAF) before you can apply for the ESF.
How to apply
- Apply online through the NHS Learning Support Fund service.
- Obtain an authorisation form.
- Take the form to the Student Funding and Financial Support team in Ask Herts Hutton for signature.
- Submit the signed form and supporting evidence to the NHSBSA for assessment.
For more information, visit the Exceptional Support Fund guidance.
Training Grant
The Training Grant is a non-means-tested grant of £5,000 per academic year available to eligible students.
You can apply through your NHS LSF online account.
When applying, you will need to upload evidence of your Student Finance entitlement.
Specialist Subject Payment (SSP)
You may receive an additional £1,000 per academic year on top of the Training Grant if you study:
- Mental health nursing
- Learning disability nursing
- Radiography (diagnostic or therapeutic)
- Prosthetics and orthotics
- Orthoptics
- Podiatry
To qualify, you must have started the first year of your course on or after 1 September 2020.
If you are eligible, the SSP will be added automatically when you apply for the Training Grant through your NHS LSF account.
Combined courses
You may also qualify for SSP if your course includes one of the eligible subjects and leads to dual registration, such as adult and mental health nursing.
For more information, see the NHSBSA guidance on Training Grants and Specialist Subject Payments.