UK v Ireland Healthcare Qualifications

Alice22

Hi All,

When faced with the decision to do a Healthcare course in Ireland or the UK. Does anybody out there have any advice? I have been made an offer of doing a second degree in Trinity - which I will have to fully fund myself for 4 years (8,500eur per year).

And also have the possibility of studying in the UK. (England or Northern Ireland) Which would mean a lot less of fees - as healthcare courses are funded by the NHS there and a shorter degree of 3 years.

BUT - Are there more advantages to being trained at home in Ireland? Maybe I will have a better chance of being offered work afterwards that will be worth the investment.

I am trying desperately to weigh the pro's and cons and must make this decision very soon.

Any help would be appreciated - Thanks!

djpbarry

I don't have any experience of the healthcare sector (I work in biology research), but I can tell you that, generally speaking, degrees from Irish universities are often held in high regard, relative to UK equivalents, for the simple reason that, as you have pointed out, Irish primary degrees tend to be four years in duration, whereas the British equivalents are usually three years.

Alice22

Thanks djpbarry. Yes, that's a good point. I would probably have a better training with doing the 4 years here. And maybe if I want to work over seas later it will stand to me.

jwcurtin

What about Scottish universities where the degree is usually 4 years?

Alice22

True, their degrees are 4 years indeed! Not sure why!

QueenBee1

Is it nursing you are thinking about? In the UK it is 3 years because you are on placement throughout the summer. In total you have 7 weeks off each year where as you have 3 months off in total in Ireland. When making your decision keep in mind where you would like to live long term, if its the UK then do a UK degree but if its Ireland then stay in Ireland. Personally I chose Ireland because in the UK its a wider area and jobs seem to be more plentiful but feel if I stay in Ireland I may have a better chance after graduating if they see my potential

Royce McCutcheon

Alice22 wrote: »

Hi All,

When faced with the decision to do a Healthcare course in Ireland or the UK. Does anybody out there have any advice? I have been made an offer of doing a second degree in Trinity - which I will have to fully fund myself for 4 years (8,500eur per year).

And also have the possibility of studying in the UK. (England or Northern Ireland) Which would mean a lot less of fees - as healthcare courses are funded by the NHS there and a shorter degree of 3 years.

BUT - Are there more advantages to being trained at home in Ireland? Maybe I will have a better chance of being offered work afterwards that will be worth the investment.

I am trying desperately to weigh the pro's and cons and must make this decision very soon.

Any help would be appreciated - Thanks!

Hi , just wondering if the course would be funded for non-British citizens aw well by the NHS, I am in a similar situation to yourself so any info that anyone has would be greatly appreciated

QueenBee1

Hi Royce, the NHS covers fees if you are european or living in the UK for the past 3 years

Royce McCutcheon

Thank you! Thats great news queenbee! Was worried I would have to pay full fees here back in Ireland!

Do you have any experience in the process yourself?
i.e. the application process for non-citizens, interviews and the likes?

Thanks again :-)

RosemaryMcC

I do not believe the NHS funds anyone in the UK. However, if you come from Ireland I am certain there are no tuition fees for you to pay in Scotland. (MY niece is doing medicine in Glasgow. She cones from NI, and certainly was not funded by NHS.

RosemaryMcC

Are ordinary degrees not all 3 years and honours degrees 4 years in nursing - UK and Ireland?

QueenBee1

the NHS pays for fees compared to a business course you have to pay a couple of grand for fees. just the course fees though. I dont believe anyone gets funded for going to college.

Not necessarily Rosemary - in Ireland the ourse is spread out over 4 years (honours degree) in he UK the course is 3 years but you only get 7 weeks in total off the whole year as it is full time all year round, students are in college and on placement even in summer

Royce McCutcheon

This almost sounds too good to be true though? Surely you are contractually obliged to work in the NHS System after graduation rather than upping sticks and heading back to Ireland?

QueenBee1

No I assure you the nhs covers fees for the 3 years. The only down fall is you have to find your living expenses etc as you can't get a uk grant although you can still claim the irish one.

Royce McCutcheon

QueenBee1 wrote: »

No I assure you the nhs covers fees for the 3 years. The only down fall is you have to find your living expenses etc as you can't get a uk grant although you can still claim the irish one.

Thats brilliant news! I have been trying to work out how many years I would have to work to afford the fee's in Ireland but this is a massive revelation to me :-)

QueenBee1

Glad I could be of help. You should definitely look into it, the ucas is open from September you should apply then. Do you have a degree already?

Royce McCutcheon

I am currently starting my final year of psychology but have reached a realisation that its not really for me but I think I should finish it as I have 3 years done already! I Think a year to get a bit of experience and take some extra modules in healthcare would be helpful!

QueenBee1

You definitely should finish what you started anyway after investing all that time in it. When applying to the uk you need to do a personal statement and they want to hear about experience you have in healthcare, either from volunteer work or at a care home anything. But you should look at ways over the next year to gain experince for this purpose, this will help your application

Alice22

Hi Royce, I have been through this whole thing this year and feel I know a lot at this stage. I am from the republic but live in NI (under 3 years) yes, there are free fees. There is Massive competition to get into these courses. You are not assessed the same as a mature student in ROI. In the UK, you are asked for your leaving certificate grades and must measure up. I have gotten into Trinity on my work experience and suitability. Now, must decide between doing the Access to Uni course which the UK are asking me to do in order to meet their requirements or pay 8,500 euro per yr at Trinity. Ultimately 4 years for either option. An other thing to consider is that the wages once qualified in the UK/NI are lower than the republic, and there MAY be a possibility that it is harder to come back to Ireland once qualified in the UK, I know Irish 4 year degrees are extremely highly regarded in this country. Just some food for thought. I am battling with the pros and cons myself. As I am slowly realising that it is our commitments that shape our lives really. If anyone has any further pros or cons to add please don't hold back! Slan.

Royce McCutcheon

Hi Alice, thanks for the reply :-)

Bit of a broad question but What sort of things should you have when applying do you think regarding experience?
Regarding Leaving Certificate, I havnt done biology or chemistry, do you think this would be a disadvantage?I got 465 points so I believe I have sufficient points from that perspective!
So you dont have to study in the likes of Queens atall??
What exactly is the acess to Uni Course? I have never heard of it tbh!

Also, this may be a massive disadvantage but I have NEVER lived in the north :-D

Any tips you could give me would be greatly appreciated! :-)

QueenBee1

Hey Alice I applied last year too to the UK but didn’t have the LC maths requirement that they ask for. I was lucky enough to get into NUIG which is about 50 minutes drive for me but have to pay full fees (7500) for year one but hopefully will get the grant next year. There are pros and cons for both but as you said I think it would be easier get employment here after qualifying in Ireland as opposed to qualifying in the UK and coming back. What way are you swaying at the minute Ireland or UK?

Alice22

I made the decision on Wednesday to stay in the Republic, and I am literally having a panic every hour about the decision and how I can afford to live in Dublin...Im wondering if the stress of it is too much for me.
Two roads diverge in a wood!! How impossible it is to predict the future!
You sound very comfortable with your own decision anyway. I will not get a grant. My fees are 8,500 per year and then Dublin living costs. Then, I do feel lucky to have been offered a place in Dublin too. So how am I supposed to look at it? I don't know. Feels like a major life decision somehow.

QueenBee1

It is a major life decision Alice but it's also an investment in our future. It will no doubt be a rollercoaster 4 years and we will have ups and downs but if we keep our eyes on the prize it will all be worth it in the end! Best of luck in trinity when do you start?

Alice22

Thanks Queenbee!

Big day today!! -I rejected Trinity. I'm starting an Access Course in Belfast Met this month instead.
My gut has been getting to me for days now. I could have borrowed the thousands from the bank, and spent 10 years paying it back, but personally it was too much for me to take on right now. I want to do a healthcare course that promotes physical and mental well-being and I felt that I would sacrifice my own with stress.

You're right Queenbee - you get there if you keep your eyes on the prize! So, I will have to prove myself again next year in the competition up here I guess! I think it will be worth it in the end as I will cut the total expenses by more than half! (For me it was costing 34,000euro plus living) I feel motivated that I can do it. I feel I can be more creative now half the stress has been cut.
So relieved that I have made the final decision - and the right one for me.

Good luck Royce with your future plans!

And thanks for all the advice guys!

People can give you all of their knowledge and it's fantastic but it's your individual gut instinct that makes the call in the end! I felt physically sick when I made the wrong decision last week - and thankfully managed to reverse it today!