Economy Minister has announced that from
the 2025/26 academic year students at the Graduate Entry
Medical School at Ulster University's Derry-Londonderry campus
will be able to access tuition fee loans.
Currently, graduate entry medical students cannot obtain a
Government loan to cover the cost of university tuition fees.
Minister Murphy's announcement means that studying at Ulster
University's Graduate Entry Medical School will be more
financially accessible for students.
Speaking after a visit to the Medical School, the Minister 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.”
Welcoming today's announcement, Ulster University Vice-Chancellor
Paul Bartholomew said: "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.”
The decision to introduce these loans has been made with
agreement from Health Minister .
Notes to editors:
- The Department will lay the necessary regulations in Assembly
for approval in the early new year to enable students to access
tuition fee loans from the 2025/26 academic year.
