Funding for a Masters

Luvly.cuppa.T

Hi all,
thanks for the replies.

I did apply for a PhD and the new 1+3 course (masters leading to PhD), but didn't get the funding for either, and although we can get by on our current annual income for 1 year, 3 years would be far too difficult.

It appears that I will have a better chance of getting the funded PhD places for 2010 (there are departmental policies about ensuring the funding is spread amongst students with different supervisors, and my intended supervisor already has 2 or 3 funded students due to finish next year). So I need to get the masters done this year, rather than go part time.

As I usually work in pubs/restaurants the wages aren't that great to make it worth our while, and as I say my children need me at home at the moment as I really did put them to one side, particularly in the latter part of my degree!

I wondered about charities as I have found some that appear to help with certain masters, or for some students in certain circumstances, but none really that I can apply for.

In case anyone is interested I have a guide (however from 2007/2008) and it appears to be accessible online at www.prospects.ac.uk/funding .

In this guide they have listed a number of charities/foundations/trusts that offer some form of funding toward some postgraduate courses. For example the Sir William Boreman's Foundation (www.thedrapers.co.uk) can help those who are under 25years and permanent residents of Greenwich and Lewisham and from a disadvantaged background (and in financial need). This is 2007 though, so some may have changed, but still worth a look.

If anyone does find anything that may help then please do share! Even if it's a couple of hundred it will help!

Thanks

Oldernotwiser

The charities I know of have quite strict criteria and none of them, to the best of my knowledge will fund the whole amount. They usually want to make sure that you have the rest of the money already and many of them want you to have taken out any available help (including loans) before they'll offer anything.

I quite understand that you want to spend time with your children but I'm just a bit puzzled as to why you think you'll have more time available whilst doing your degree than you would have working part time. Post graduate work is far more demanding and time consuming than undergraduate.

Dreaming_debtfree_dreams

Dany!l_II wrote: »

I wouldn't hesitate to get a CDL.. I could earn about £2500 from July - September quite easily I would imagine - enough to cover accommodation for a year to do a MA..

Then just the small amount of £6580 to be recouped!

I would hesitate on getting a CDL actually, reason being is CDL's are soon to be replaced with Professional and Career Development Loan (July 2009). A PCDL is pretty much the same as a CDL but has fixed rate of 9.9%, only Barclays and Co-Op will offer them and they're upping the borrowing limit to £10,000. Learning Skills Council are sending out the PCDL applications from 01/07/09.

Luvly.cuppa.T

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

I quite understand that you want to spend time with your children but I'm just a bit puzzled as to why you think you'll have more time available whilst doing your degree than you would have working part time. Post graduate work is far more demanding and time consuming than undergraduate.

Thanks for the heads up that post grad is more demanding, I am beginning to understand this and have already been fore warned it's a tough course. I'm not sure what you mean however about having available time to work- do you mean a paid job or uni work?

Either way I know I won't be able to enter paid work whilst studying, as you say it will be demanding and I did find there wasn't enough hours for the final year of my course and family already!
I'm a little lost as to the available time that you mention?

If you know of any, I'll gladly have it

Oldernotwiser

Luvly.cuppa.T wrote: »

Thanks for the heads up that post grad is more demanding, I am beginning to understand this and have already been fore warned it's a tough course. I'm not sure what you mean however about having available time to work- do you mean a paid job or uni work?

Either way I know I won't be able to enter paid work whilst studying, as you say it will be demanding and I did find there wasn't enough hours for the final year of my course and family already!
I'm a little lost as to the available time that you mention?

If you know of any, I'll gladly have it

What I was trying to say was that , when it was suggested that you get a job for a year to save for the fees for the following year, you said that you didn't have the time to take a job as you needed to spend time with the children. I was pointing out that if you do a Masters next year it'll be taking you away from the children considerably more than part time (or even full time) employment would. You seemed to think that you would have more time available for the children while you studied and I was saying that you're likely to have less.

Apologies for the confusion.

Agent_C

I am just coming to the end of a Masters and I can confirm that it is much more demanding than working part-time or even full-time. Gone are the days when evenings and weekends were my own!!

I have worked throughout my course, and would recommend anyone starting a Masters who wants to find work to go to the Uni's careers office - I have been working as a proofreader and study support worker for students with dyslexia, and coursemates have been working for the IT department, doing exam invigilation etc... in psychology there are often roles as lab demonstrators as well.

To the OP: if you did your undergraduate degree in German, are you fluent enough to be able to work as a freelance interpreter? I know this can be very well-paid (although you would get more work if you spoke a community language such as Punjabi, Urdu, Polish etc).

Luvly.cuppa.T

It's always good to know what one will be embarking on! Gosh, I note I have to get a real grip on my hours and make sure everyone in the household appreciates that from day one!

(Had to fight that , just because I am home, does not mean I am available- business for the last three years and really put my foot down in the last year, so I can see I will have to be more persistent this coming year!)

It's stunned me though that the government has geared all for higher ed , made sure all can access it with funding and the like, yet has not appreciated that in doing so the undergrad degree becomes the new a' level requirement for jobs and left those of us without wads of cash in the same position again!! :mad:

Agent C, how did you manage your hours?

ONW- sorry I meant that I wanted to spend time with kiddies now (summer time) whilst I have it, as have shunned them enough in the undergrad process. I did work p/t for 1st and 2nd year, and also had to deal with an employment tribunal for my entire 2nd year on top (extremely bad practices went on at job) which nearly wiped me out mentally!
I know from my final year that there is no time for anything else to contend with, even family gets a back seat.

I have so much respect for anyone having or doing a degree, whether under or post grad now!! Particularly those with jobs, or children, or other caring responsibilities. Higer ed certainly takes over your life!

Oldernotwiser

Luvly.cuppa.T wrote: »

ONW- sorry I meant that I wanted to spend time with kiddies now (summer time) whilst I have it, as have shunned them enough in the undergrad process. !

I'm glad we got that sorted out!

In that case, can't you get a job in September for a year and save the money for your fees (and other expenses) so that you can start in a better position in 2010?

melancholly

Luvly.cuppa.T wrote: »

Hi all,
thanks for the replies.

I did apply for a PhD and the new 1+3 course (masters leading to PhD), but didn't get the funding for either, and although we can get by on our current annual income for 1 year, 3 years would be far too difficult.

It appears that I will have a better chance of getting the funded PhD places for 2010 (there are departmental policies about ensuring the funding is spread amongst students with different supervisors, and my intended supervisor already has 2 or 3 funded students due to finish next year). So I need to get the masters done this year, rather than go part time.

the most useful piece of advice i can give is that you should ALWAYS apply for more than one phd. it is very very very very risky to put all your eggs in one basket, especially if it isn't guarenteed funding. have a look at jobs.ac.uk and see what else is out there. if nothing else it gives you interview practice and can broaden your idea of what is possible to do.

Danyúl_II

Some good news for me today is that the course I am eyeing up hasn't got a deadline for applications and there are still spaces available