Exeter University medical students offered £10k in cash to defer degree

Medical students at the University of Exeter have been offered financial incentives to delay starting - including free accommodation and £10,000 cash.

A record number of students have applied to study medicine at the university this autumn and lecturers need to free up spaces.

That is because places on the course are regulated by the Government, and Exeter currently has too many.

Instead, new starters are being offered financial incentives to delay starting until 2022 - including a guaranteed place next year, free accommodation for their first year and a cash bursary of £10,000.

The university says students should spend this money “preparing” themselves for the academic year ahead.

Professor Mark Goodwin, who is Deputy Vice-Chancellor, said: “We’ve seen a significant upturn in the number of outstanding applicants prioritising the University of Exeter as their first choice for medicine this year.

"All medicine student numbers are set by the Government to ensure that we can accommodate everyone in a way that provides a high-quality education and stimulating student experience, as well as safe and secure NHS placements.

“To maximise the choices available to our students, we are offering a range of options, including financial incentives, deferral or studying a post-graduate programme, prior to students commencing their medical studies next year.”