Every GP trainee in the UK has access to study leave funding, but how much you get, and whether it will pay for an SCA preparation course, depends entirely on where you train. Some deaneries publish a clean per-course cap. Some have no cap at all. Some will only fund you after a failed attempt. This guide summarises the current position in every deanery, verified against each region's published policy, with a dedicated page for each one.
The short version
Most of NHS England will fund one SCA preparation course per trainee. The common thread across every policy is the word course: structured programmes with teaching are routinely funded, while standalone subscriptions to online resources are routinely excluded. If you are choosing between an SCA subscription and an SCA course, the course is almost always the claimable one.
Deanery by deanery
London: up to £600 for one SCA preparation course, claimed under code GP0001. See the London guide.
Kent, Surrey and Sussex: up to £600 for one SCA preparation course per sitting, code GP0001. See the KSS guide.
East of England: no fixed allocation; exam preparation courses are approved as aspirational activities with TPD sign off, one SCA course per training programme. See the East of England guide.
Thames Valley and Wessex: one SCA course in ST3, ideally RCGP accredited, with regional courses prioritised first. See the Thames Valley guide and Wessex guide.
Midlands (East and West): guidance of two SCA courses over the whole of training, RCGP accredited preferred, no stated per-course cap. See the East Midlands guide and West Midlands guide.
North West: one RCGP-provided or accredited SCA course up to £500; non-accredited courses considered up to £500 with prior approval. See the North West guide.
Yorkshire and Humber: one SCA course per exam attempt from a named approved list. See the Yorkshire and Humber guide.
North East: one RCGP-provided or accredited SCA course or educational package, automatically approved; other courses are discretionary with 50% self-funding expected. See the North East guide.
South West (Severn and Peninsula): detailed funding guidance pending publication; prospective approval essential. See the South West guide.
Scotland: a nominal £600 per registrar per training year, individual course fees fundable, subscriptions not. See the Scotland guide.
Wales: £600 per training year with unused budget rolling over once, to a maximum of £1,200. See the Wales guide.
Northern Ireland: exam preparation courses are funded only through the SUCCESS programme after an unsuccessful attempt, up to £750 per course. See the Northern Ireland guide.
Is the SCA exam fee itself covered?
Separately from the study budget: under the June 2026 resident doctor contract agreement, doctors in England are entitled to reimbursement of their first two SCA attempts for exams sat from 1 April 2026, claimed through the employing trust. The study budget covers preparation; the contract agreement covers the exam fee. Full details in Is the SCA exam fee reimbursed?.
How to use this money well
Three rules hold everywhere. First, get approval before you book: several deaneries automatically reject claims paid before approval. Second, check your regional free courses first: some deaneries will decline funding where an in-house equivalent exists. Third, frame your request around a course, not a subscription, because that single word decides most borderline claims.
One point on RCGP accreditation, since several deaneries prefer or specify it. "Ideally RCGP accredited" and "RCGP provided or accredited" are the common phrasings, and in most regions this is a preference rather than an absolute requirement, so non-accredited courses remain fundable. RCGP-accredited courses also have a limited number of places and run to a fixed timetable. Where an accredited course cannot take you before your sitting, that limited availability is a legitimate, practical basis to request a non-accredited alternative, and the North West policy names it explicitly as a ground. If you go this route, tell your TPD which accredited course you tried, note that its places or dates did not fit your exam, and frame the alternative as the same curriculum requirement.
NHS study budget
Most trainees can claim our Complete SCA Course on the NHS study budget.
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Deaneries decide locally
Most English deaneries fund one SCA preparation course (typically up to £600, code GP0001), but each applies its own rules: some fund two, some cap at £500, some run named lists, and the devolved nations differ again. Select your deanery above for the specific position, with the policy evidence quoted.
“National default: one preparation course per exam, up to £600 (GP0001)”