Nursing Student Finance: The true costs of becoming a nurse

Nursing students are facing serious financial hardship that is forcing them to consider leaving their course because they can no longer afford to keep studying the profession they love. 

RCN Scotland is calling for Scottish government to boost the financial package for nursing students and establish a regular review of the level of support to make sure it rises in line with the cost of living.

The headline results from the survey include:

• 99% of respondents said their finances cause them some level of concern
• 74% said this was having a high or very high impact on their mental health, and 48% on their physical health
• 58% said this was having a high or very high impact on their academic performance
• 90% of respondents are working 11 or more hours a week to supplement their income on top of studies and clinical placements