Post grad funding

b33r

Hi,

I am toying with the idea of going back to uni to do a 1 year full time MSc and am just wondering if someone can point me in the general direction of finding out what/if any funding is available or does it depend on where I go? I completed a 4 yr degree 2 years ago (had a placement year) for which I took the full student loans available. The fees for the course I am looking to do are just over 4k.

Thanks

The_One_Who

Postgraduates do not qualify for the student loan unless it is a teaching course or an NHS course. Science courses tend to have a bit more funding available through the university, but it might be reserved solely for PhD students.

The only other ways are to take some time out to work so you can pay for the fees yourself. Or you can get a Career Development Loan from a bank (I think RBS and Barclays do them as well as another one) but this is more like a commercial loan. Interest is withheld until you graduate and then it starts getting added. So I'd only take it if you know you'll have a job at the end of your degree.

aqueoushumour01

i'd be interested in doing an MSc too. I should have done it straight after uni - is it possible to do these part-time from a decent uni or is this a no go?

The_One_Who

Generally you can do them part-time, although I'd check with the university to make sure. I think it would be a lot harder to do it part-time, especially a science course. That's just my opinion though, I have no experience of it.

jay11_2

Some can be funded by employers, the uni will usually know all the ins and outs. I know mine will be funded, but the downside is that the modules are work-based I can only do it when I'm employed, not an easy option!

Oldernotwiser

b33r wrote: »

Hi,

I am toying with the idea of going back to uni to do a 1 year full time MSc and am just wondering if someone can point me in the general direction of finding out what/if any funding is available or does it depend on where I go? I completed a 4 yr degree 2 years ago (had a placement year) for which I took the full student loans available. The fees for the course I am looking to do are just over 4k.

Thanks

Funding will depend on variables like your subject area and the class of your first degree.

Ferris

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Funding will depend on variables like your subject area and the class of your first degree.

check out https://www.jobs.ac.uk to find out about advertised funding opportunities. the website's student opportunities are heavily biased towards PhDs in science subjects, but there is a section specifically for Masters courses.

i have used this site to get a fees-paid part-time MSc and my current fully funded PhD place, both within driving distance of my home. maybe i'm just lucky...

a lot of university departments also have their own sources of funding which are allocated on a competitive basis to people who have already applied for the Masters course (in other words, it's difficult to know if you're likely to get the funding before you apply) - most course descriptions have some sort of 'Sources of funding' sections in their print/online prospectuses.