In Scotland, nursing students receive a non-repayable bursary to support them throughout the duration of their education programme. The underlying assumption of this funding structure is that it protects students’ supernumerary status while they are on practice placements. However, evidence suggests that this financial support is inadequate, with a high percentage of nursing students reporting that financial stress adversely affects their academic performance, engagement with practice placements and mental health. In this article, the author examines the effects of financial precarity on nursing student retention and practice learning, and considers how the funding structure in Scotland intersects with education quality and workforce sustainability.
Jennifer Winch (2026) studied this question.