Change of circumstances
It's important that you tell us about any changes to a student's circumstances, including interruptions to study, as soon as possible to avoid possible overpayments.
Take a look at our guidance and toolkits for NHS Learning Support Fund, NHS Bursary and the Social Work Bursary.
Social Work Bursary
Guides and useful links
Information to help students
Your guide to social work bursaries 2023-2024 (PDF: 3.28 MB)
Policies
View information from the Department of Health and Social Care regarding social work bursary funding in 2024-25, including bursary allocations and rates.
Social Work Bursary forms
NHS Bursary
Guides for universities
Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses for NHS Bursary students and universities 2023-24 (PDF: 611KB)NHS Bursary (BUR) forms - Guidance for universities (PDF: 157KB)NHS Bursary funding for Medical and Dental students 2023-24 (PDF: 1.98MB)
We are not able to accept any old versions of forms.
Make sure we have the right contact details for your university by completing a university or college contact details form (Excel: 120KB).
Following your feedback, most of the NHS Bursary forms are in Excel format, are not academic year specific and have clear guidance on what information needs to be captured.
When completing the NHS Bursary forms that are Excel documents, you must return them to us:
- by email
- with the Excel file attached
We cannot extract the data if you send it in any other format.
All NHS Bursary forms must be returned to heiforms@nhsbsa.nhs.uk when completed.
Policies
NHS Bursary Scheme new rules 2024-25 published by the Department of Health and Social Care.
NHS Learning Support Fund
Guides for universities
NHS Learning Support Fund guidance booklet 2023-24 (PDF: 609KB)Exceptional Support Fund guidance booklet (PDF: 408 KB)Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses (TDAE) guidance booklet (PDF: 432 KB)
Student loan support
Guidance about student loan support for NHS courses for the 2024-2025 academic year is available on the Student Finance England website.
Policies
NHS Financial Support for Health Students - Learning Support Fund 2024-25 rules are published by the Department of Health and Social Care.
Additional NHS LSF funding
The NHS Learning Support Fund does not automatically provide additional funding beyond the student’s normal course duration as it is intended only as supplementary funding to mainstream student loans. NHS LSF allowances are generally only available for the time that it normally takes a student to complete their course.
However, in cases where exceptional or mitigating circumstances apply and the student requires additional financial support from the NHS LSF due to matters beyond their control, such as ill health, disability, or bereavement, additional NHS LSF payment will be considered by NHSBSA Student Services.
Requests for students who require additional NHS LSF payment(s) must be submitted through the NHS LSF university portal as a course change request.
Circumstances where further funding will not be considered
HEIs should not submit a course change request for additional funding if only the following circumstances apply:
- Academic failure - where academic failure applies with no other mitigating circumstances.
- COVID-19 - this will no longer be accepted as a reason for additional funding on its own.
Queries
If you have any questions regarding additional funding, contact us through the queries button in the portal.
Sign up to our contact list for updates on funding.
NHS Learning Support Fund (NHS LSF) university portal
Authorised and registered university staff users can access the NHS LSF university portal by entering their email address and password.
University termly confirmation of attendance (COSA)
Term 1
Universities must confirm a student’s attendance when the confirmation window opens. A student will only appear on the university portal once their NHS LSF application has been fully processed and approved.
For a student to receive payment on the earliest payment date possible, you’ll need to confirm their attendance by the end of the first university COSA window for their cohort.
Universities will still be able to confirm a student’s attendance after the COSA window shuts, and payment will be made on our next weekly payment run.
Term 2 and 3
Students must first confirm their attendance status on their NHS LSF account. Students will be prompted to do this by email, using the email address on their NHS LSF account. Once done, the student will appear on the university portal.
Students who have interrupted their studies will not appear on the university portal, except those on maternity leave.
For a student to receive payment on the earliest payment date possible, both the student and their university need to confirm their attendance by the end of the relevant COSA windows.
Termly COSA windows and payments
You can download an Excel file of COSA dates which shows you the student and university windows for each term and cohort, as well as the payment dates.
COSA termly windows and payments (Excel: 11.4KB)
If a student or university misses their window, the student will not receive payment on the payment date detailed. Both students and their universities will still be able to confirm attendance after their window shuts, and payment will be made on our next weekly payment run.
Student responses
Depending on the response from the student about their attendance, the student will appear on the university portal under 3 separate categories.
Students who told us they're attending
Universities will be presented with a list of all students who have stated they’re still in attendance. If the university agrees, the student’s payment will be released on the next available payment run.
Students who told us they're not attending
Universities will be presented with a list of all students who have stated they are not in attendance. If the university agrees, the universities will need to submit a change request via the university portal.
Students who have not responded
Universities will be presented with a list of all students who have not responded to confirm their attendance. The list will show the students’ email addresses so that universities can send out reminders to them.
Student’s NHS LSF COSA Update
The student’s NHS LSF account will be updated with the date that the student confirmed their attendance status and the date that the university confirmed their attendance status.
This can be found on the student's record under the COSA tab.
Toolkit
Our toolkit has been developed for staff, careers advisers, programme administrators and other professionals who work in education or with students.
If there’s anything else you'd find useful, email us: studentservices@nhsbsa.nhs.uk
Posters and infographic
These posters can be printed A4 or A3 size. Select 'fit to page' in your print settings, to make sure your margins are correct.
Fraud Poster - Spot it. Report it (PDF: 688KB)Fraud Poster - Bring it to light (PDF: 672KB)Find more information about reporting fraud in the NHS at the NHS Counter Fraud Authority website.
These posters provide advice and information on how students can save money on NHS charges. They are available to display in your university or college.
To get copies, contact us by telephone: 0300 123 0849.
NHS Low Income Scheme poster (HC10) (PDF: 26KB)Prescription Prepayment Certificate Poster for Students (PDF: 237KB)
You can find out more information about help with health costs for students and people on a low income.
Leaflets
These leaflets can be printed A4 or A3 size. They've been produced with your open days in mind, so you can provide prospective or current students with an overview of NHS student bursaries and social work bursaries.
Fraud awareness leaflet (PDF: 672KB)Student Services - what we do (PDF: 250KB)
NHS Bursary toolkit
The NHS Bursary toolkit is a resource for universities to promote the NHS Bursary to their students.
It includes a variety of materials such as videos, posters, infographics, and guides for social media posts.
NHS Learning Support Fund Toolkit
The NHS Learning Support Fund HEI toolkit is a resource for universities to promote the fund to their students.
It includes a variety of materials such as videos, posters, infographics, and guides for social media posts.
Additional information
More information is available on the government’s website for: