The RCN Foundation Next Generation Grant is open to graduates wishing to become a nurse or midwife and for direct entry nursing associate students undertaking a foundation degree.
Please note: degree apprenticeship nursing students, degree apprenticeship midwifery students and foundation degree nursing associate apprenticeship are not eligible to apply for this grant.
The grant will open once a year during our Spring round of education grants.
Eligibility criteria
This grant seeks to support with living costs whilst you study, with grants of up to £1,000 available.
Grants are available for courses running from 1 September 2025 to 1 September 2026.
The grant will support students wishing to become:
- A nurse
- A midwife
- A nursing associate
For nursing and midwifery applications: you will need to be a graduate in any academic discipline with an undergraduate degree and can demonstrate health care experience in the last five years.
For nursing associate applicants: only direct entry nursing associate students can apply. If you are on a nursing associate apprenticeship, you are not eligible for this grant
Please note: degree apprenticeship nursing students, degree apprenticeship midwifery students and foundation degree nursing associate apprenticeship are not eligible to apply.
We are expecting the programme to be in high demand so the grant may close earlier than advertised to best meet expectations.
How to apply
To apply for the RCN Foundation Next Generation Grant, visit here.
Applications close at 5pm on 12 May 2025.
FAQs
The RCN Foundation Next Generation Grant application will only open in the Spring round of education grants. However, the RCN Foundation Into Nursing Grant, which also offers financial support to students wishing to study to study nursing, will open in the Autumn round.
For an RCN Next Generation Grant, you need to:
- Be a graduate in any academic discipline with an undergraduate degree
- Be eligible to apply for a nursing degree or postgraduate diploma course with an eligible start date or have already started the course
- Be eligible to apply for a midwifery degree or postgraduate diploma course with an eligible start date or have already started the course
- Be eligible to apply for a direct entry foundation degree to become a registered nursing associate
- Live in the UK and have firm intent to work in the UK
- Already have experience of healthcare of at least 500 hours in the last five years.
For an RCN Foundation Into Nursing Grant, you need to:
- Be a graduate in any academic discipline with an undergraduate degree
- Be eligible to apply for a nursing degree or postgraduate diploma course with an eligible start date or have already started the course
- Already have experience of healthcare of at least 500 hours in the last five years
- Live in the UK and have firm intent to work in the UK.
- Registered nurses or midwives
- Degree apprenticeship nursing/midwifery students
- Apprentice nursing associate students
- Anyone who does not have a first degree
- Anyone who has received a grant within the last 12 months.
For an RCN Foundation Into Nursing Grant, courses need to start between January of the year of application and January of the following year.
- The RCN Foundation Next Generation is for £1,000
- The RCN Foundation Into Nursing grant is for £1,000.
The RCN Foundation Into Nursing: you need one reference from your manager and another academic reference. These must be from different people. Please provide an academic reference from your undergraduate degree.