To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail any consideration she has given to introducing financial support for students who are enrolled in an undergraduate medical degree, as their second degree.

It is current policy that public funding for student support should be targeted towards students entering higher education for the first time. Second degrees are therefore generally not eligible for student support. The rationale for applying this policy is to prioritise students who have not had a chance to experience higher education.

As exceptions to the above policy position, students studying a second undergraduate degree in medicine are eligible for maintenance loan support. Additionally, from the current academic year students studying a graduate entry medicine course locally are eligible for a tuition fee loan.

My Department is engaging with stakeholders to agree the scope and approach of a review of Higher Education funding. It is currently proposed that financial support provided to students will be within the scope of the wider review. This will include consideration of whether such support should be extended beyond its current coverage, having regard to affordability both for students and the public purse.