Professional Trainee Loan Scheme

You can apply for a professional trainee loan if you're studying full time to become one of the following:

• barrister
• chiropodist or podiatrist
• chiropractor
• dentist
• doctor
• optician
• osteopath
• pharmacist
• physiotherapist
• solicitor
• veterinary surgeon

If you are studying towards a postgraduate qualification, you can apply for your loan while you're waiting to hear about your place on a course. This means you can have the funding in place when you need it. People taking a postgraduate barrister or solicitor course must have their place on the course confirmed before applying for a loan.

To apply for a loan as an undergraduate, you must be in at least your second year of full-time study.

• Find out about the features of a professional trainee loan

You don't need to make any repayments while you're studying, plus you can:

• Borrow up to £20,000 - and up to £25,000, if you're studying full-time for the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL), Legal Practice Course (LPC) or Bar Vocational Course (BVC)). The minimum loan is £5,000
• Take your loan in instalments - and only pay interest on the amount outstanding at any time
• Take a repayment holiday - for up to six months after you finish your course. Interest will continue to accrue during the payment holiday and your monthly payments may increase afterwards.
• Spread your payments - with up to ten years to repay your loan
• Choose fixed or variable interest - whatever suits you best
• Borrow for part-time courses - if you're studying for a GDL, LPC or BVC
• No arrangement fees - and no administration fees either

• An early repayment fee may apply
• To apply for a loan as an undergraduate, you must be in at least your second year of full-time study
• If you are studying to become a solicitor or a barrister you must already have graduated from your undergraduate degree and secured an offer of a place on a GDL, LPC or BVC course before you can formally apply, although you may discuss your proposed application with us at any time
• Interest will continue to accrue during the payment holiday and your monthly payments may increase afterwards. The length of any repayment holiday after you've finished studying is dependent on the course taken and your particular circumstances.
• The total term of the loan, beginning from the first drawdown date, must not be more than ten years
• You can apply for a professional trainee loan even if you're not a NatWest customer, but you'll need to open and maintain your main banking relationship with us if you go ahead with the loan

View a summary of our Professional Trainee Loan Scheme rates and charges