how to afford a masters degree?????

Lara44

Stuckinmyflat - can't you manage on your £850 pm, that's quite a lot? MSE is certainly the right place to learn how to maximise that cash! Are you going to study part time? I did, and would recommend it as if you're working a good couple of days per week it's nice to have more time for assignments and reading.

I am the holder of a 2:2 too and now doing a PhD. Bit surprised by some of the comments here - even if you don't achieve your potential the first time round, that doesn't mean you shouldn't get some funding to really go for it having improved your skills. A 2:2 is still a good degree. Fair play for the OP to fight for all the funding she can, seems unfair to ask her just to sit back and not see if she can get funding too.

Oldernotwiser

I still don't see how you can know definitely that your fees will be paid.

stuckinmyflat

thanks lara i appreciate what your saying, and if i must i will get by , but as you have also stated, im being proactive and seeing what i can get to support me.( good luck with your phd)

ive come to realise that there are alot of folk on here that talk complete rubbish, have no idea what they are talking about and feel it necessary to run others down, have no idea why ???????????

Oldernotwiser

LaraHoust wrote: »

I am the holder of a 2:2 too and now doing a PhD. Bit surprised by some of the comments here - even if you don't achieve your potential the first time round, that doesn't mean you shouldn't get some funding to really go for it having improved your skills. A 2:2 is still a good degree. Fair play for the OP to fight for all the funding she can, seems unfair to ask her just to sit back and not see if she can get funding too.

You surely can't think that everybody who gets a 2:2 (quite a poor degree these days) should get public funding for postgraduate study?

stuckinmyflat

oldernotwiser, i dont know how to put it to you that you will understand. MY FEE"S ARE BEING PAID, which part of this arent you getting????? im guessing your making all your assumptions thro experience of english educational system ?

stuckinmyflat

yeah that person who got a 2:1 could just as likely have got the same marks as myself ,however my uni doesnt inflate grades unlike very many others. i was within 1.06% from a 2:1

Rosie75

stuckinmyflat wrote: »

ive come to realise that there are alot of folk on here that talk complete rubbish, have no idea what they are talking about...

I run postgraduate recruitment in my department, so I wouldn't exactly say that I have no idea what I'm talking about

stuckinmyflat

you run recruitment for your department, and ?????? im sure that doesnt qualify you to make statements like doing a masters doesnt further a students future career prospects for every organisation ??? maybe they dont look for it in your department

Rosie75

stuckinmyflat wrote: »

you run recruitment for your department, and ?????? im sure that doesnt qualify you to make statements like doing a masters doesnt further a students future career prospects for every organisation ??? maybe they dont look for it in your department

Please read my posts again, and don't put words in my mouth. Lots of my students go on to do Masters degrees, and - yes - it can enhance their career prospects. But, since 60 is the pass mark on a Masters degree, it doesn't make sense to admit someone who doesn't have a record of achieving those marks, much less fund them, as there's a reasonable possibility they won't pass the course. If you feel you've underachieved for whatever reason and not reached your potential then, fair enough, you could do well at Masters level.

To return to your original question - living on £850 is perfectly feasible, particularly if you are getting your fees paid. I have students who are living on far less, and having to pay their fees as well. If an MSc is such a necessity for the career you're looking at, and will result in higher pay as a result, I would have thought that it would be well worth tightening your belt for a year. There are other boards on this forum that can help you with that. As far as books go, most of my family knew just to buy me book tokens for birthdays and Xmas when I was a student.

organic_wanabe

My son is just about to start an undergraduate Economics course. I have been buying his books (second-hand) online and saving a fortune. His University have said that the students shouldn't have to buy books as they are available in one of the many Libraries - however, I looked at a You-Tube clip that showed what happens when the libraries open at the start of session! I reckoned it would be better to buy some of the key books and have been able to get many of them for around £5 (including p&p) so I am well pleased. Perhaps you could try that for some of the postgrad books you would require.