Students at the Graduate Entry Medical School at Ulster University’s Derry-Londonderry campus will be able to access tuition fee loans from the 2025/26 academic year, it's announced today.
Currently, graduate entry medical students cannot obtain a Government loan to cover the cost of university tuition fees. Today's announcement by Economy Minister Conor Murphy means that studying at Ulster University’s Graduate Entry Medical School in Derry will be more financially accessible for students.
The decision to introduce these loans has been made with agreement from Health Minister Mike Nesbitt.
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Speaking after a visit to the Medical School, Minister Murphy said: "Expanding student numbers at Ulster University's Magee campus is a top priority for me and for the Executive. The Graduate Entry Medical School is a key component of the expansion.
“However to date those medical students haven’t been able to access a Government loan to cover the cost of their university tuition fees. My Department will now offer this loan, making it easier to attract students to Magee and producing more medical professionals for our health service.
“This is a small but important step forward as we work towards 10,000 student places at Magee.”
Ulster University Vice-Chancellor Paul Bartholomew added: "This is a significant development which will facilitate wider access to medical education in the North West. For the first time, our medical students will be able to avail of financial support.
"The Derry-Londonderry campus is already an attractive place for graduate-entry candidates who will go on to become the much-needed medical workforce of the future, and this new intervention will increase that attractiveness
“We thank the Minister for his provision of this important support for our students. We will continue to work together to grow the Derry-Londonderry campus and to realise our ambition for it and the surrounding region, including a new School of Medicine building, as part of the Derry-Londonderry City and Strabane Region City Deal and Inclusive Future Fund.”
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