The short answer
Scottish GP registrars have a nominal budget of £600 per part of training (ST1, ST2, ST3), managed by NES and approved by your TPD. NES funds individual course fees but not annual subscriptions to a set of courses, so an SCA course is claimable while a subscription bundle is not. There is a catch worth knowing: routine funded study leave for exam preparation is limited, because GP registrars in practice already have protected self-directed learning time.
How much you get
The NES GP registrar FAQs state: "There is a nominal budget of £600 for each registrar for each part of training – ST1, ST2 and ST3. There is no automatic entitlement to this funding. You must have appropriate reasons to request it." All funding is paid as reimbursement of receipts (NES GP registrar study leave FAQs, July 2025). The £600 does not carry over between training years.
The crucial course-versus-subscription line: "NES will fund course fees for individual GP Continuing Professional Development courses but will not fund an annual subscription to a set of courses." And expensive courses that would "use most of your nominal budget are likely to only be part-funded", because NES prefers you spread funding across a broader range of courses.
Does it cover SCA prep courses?
This is where Scotland differs from England, and the July 2025 FAQs matter. Your TPD "can approve any course that is appropriate to your education and development" that relates to the RCGP curriculum, which includes SCA preparation. But note the standalone exam-preparation position: study leave for exam preparation is framed cautiously, and a course that eats most of your £600 risks part-funding only. The FAQs also allow "five days study leave for private study for SCA preparation" as time, separate from course funding.
So: an SCA course is fundable from your £600 if your TPD agrees it fits the curriculum and represents value, but you should expect scrutiny on price, and a bare subscription is not claimable.
Is the SCA exam fee itself reimbursed?
No: the FAQs are explicit that "There is no funding for any exam fees." The June 2026 England contract agreement on exam-fee reimbursement applies to doctors in England, not Scotland, so Scottish registrars should not assume it covers them. Details on the England position: Is the SCA exam fee reimbursed?.
How to claim
- Get service-level approval from your CS or ES, then submit through TURAS with a self-declaration.
- Your TPD approves with funding, without funding, or not at all, judging curriculum relevance, your learning needs, cost and equity.
- Claim reimbursement against receipts after attending. Apply at least 6 weeks before the leave.
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)”