Mental Health Nursing

specialist costs

Compulsory estimate: Up to £100 depending on whether you already have suitable footwear and clothing for practice and skills sessions, and how much you want to spend.

Optional estimate: Replacement or non-standard uniforms: £15 to £50.

Uniforms: Full uniform is provided free of charge when the course commences. If students wish to replace any item of uniform or secure additional items of uniform throughout the programme (eg because it has been damaged or no longer fits) then they must order and pay for this directly with the supplier. There are certain exceptions to this, for example if the student becomes pregnant. These are detailed in the faculty uniform policy. Students can choose to purchase non-standard items such as fleeces directly from the supplier. 

You will need to purchase suitable footwear for practice. NHS Trusts require shoes (not trainers) that meet health and safety requirements. Advice will be given on what to purchase. There is a uniform policy for all practical skills sessions, which will be outlined in your course handbook when you commence the programme.

We strongly recommend that you purchase a number of items at the start of term which you will find useful on the course but it is not mandatory. These can be purchased at the book fair in Freshers' week at reasonable prices (£20 - £30 in total).

placement costs

Optional estimate: £2 to £12 a day whilst on placement (costs will vary considerably).

You will need to budget for travel costs to your placement, which could be across the Greater Manchester region. Travel costs to placement will vary considerably depending on where you live, the location of your placement and how you choose to travel. Information on public transport costs within Greater Manchester can be found at www.tfgm.com.

All NHS Trusts charge for car parking.

You may choose to go overseas for your elective placement and any costs associated with this will be yours.

professional costs

Compulsory estimate: £0 to £51 depending on your status

DBS Checks: before starting on your course, you must undergo a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check (Enhanced Disclosure). The University covers the cost of payment for the DBS application and ID verification for new students where the DBS check is a requirement of the course, and where the application is made through the University, using the University’s approved service provider, currently First Advantage Disclosures. 

Responsibility for DBS clearance on employment-based and CPD programmes normally lies with the employer, not the University. Where a DBS check is required for placement but not supported by your employer, the University will cover the cost of the first check when completed through the University, using the University’s approved provider, currently First Advantage Disclosures, as above.

Upon completion of the DBS check on whichever course, students have the option to subscribe to the DBS Update Service. The Update Service allows individuals to keep their DBS certificates up to date, and allows employers or education providers to check a current certificate, without the need to request a new certificate. At April 2022, the cost of subscription to the DBS Update Service is £13.00 per year, to be paid by the student. Subscription is strongly encouraged for students embarking on programmes, where DBS clearance will be an ongoing requirement for placements and professional practice. 

Students who have resided outside the UK continuously for a period of twelve months or more in the last ten years, while over the age of 18, will also be required to provide evidence of a satisfactory overseas police check, and to meet any associated costs, including the cost of a certified translation if required.

Returning students who have previously obtained DBS clearance but who require a new check, for example, due to a suspension of study, are required to pay the DBS application fee of £38.00 (accurate at 6th April 2022) and any associated costs, including the cost of ID verification through the Post Office Certification Service, which is approximately £13.00 but subject to the relevant cost at the time of application.

You may also need to budget for student membership of professional bodies.

other costs

Compulsory estimate: £5

Optional estimate: £400

All of the books required for the course are available from the library. The University also has PC labs and a laptop loan service. However, many students choose to buy some of the core textbooks for the course and/or a laptop. Students may also need to print their assignments and other documents. Campus printing costs start from 5p per page. Estimated costs are £300 for a laptop and up to £100 each year for books and printing. 

The course uses Moodle and each unit of study has a dedicated area. The programme team post resources/links to resources on Moodle and students are at liberty to print the resources in hard copy should they wish to. If printing is done using the university print services, the costs of a single sheet (black and white) is 5p (at the time of going to press).  

You will also be asked to pay £5 for a manual for the Acute Illness Management Course in Year 2 as these are from an external provider. Occasionally there are extra opportunities to attend optional events or community engagement activities this may incur costs for travel or parking.