FINANCIAL pressures could force tens of thousands of nursing students to drop out of their studies, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has warned.

A study conducted by the union estimated that 32,000 pupils studying to become nurses may have to leave their courses in the next years due to financial pressures and worsening pay packets upon graduation.

Student nurses were granted a bursary until 2016, but now have to pay more than £9,000 each year to train.