One of the last degree courses to offer bursary gets underway

One of the last fully-funded nursing courses before bursaries are scrapped in England next month has started at the University of Birmingham

The university launched a June intake for its adult nursing undergraduate course, which has no tuition fees and offers bursaries to the 22 successful candidates.

Nursing student bursaries will be scrapped in England from August, and replaced with tuition fees and loans.

The university responded to a call from Health Education England’s (HEE) West Midlands office to run an additional 30-place course starting in the last week of June.

The course, which got underway on 26 June, was open only to applicants who already met the entry requirements, and not to those awaiting A-level results. 

'Happy to respond'

Students will have a combination of reading weeks and a summer break before starting on placement in late August.

A University of Birmingham spokesperson said: ‘We were happy to respond to a request in April from HEE to recruit an extra intake of students to our adult nursing undergraduate course.

‘Thanks to the rapid response, hard work and dedication of (our) school of nursing, student recruitment and marketing teams, 22 students joined us on 26 June to begin our adult nursing undergraduate course.

‘We wish these students all the best in their academic endeavours.’

New beginnings

The decision to scrap bursaries was confirmed by the Westminster government last summer and formally takes effect next month.

The Department of Health says the switch will train thousands more nurses by 2020.

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