Any advice/knowledge on MA funding?

Wiggynut

Hi everyone

I'm a mature student (39) and I'm just finishing up a BA Degree and just waiting for the results - I'm on the cusp of getting a first but I don't think my final project will get me there so probably a 2.1.

I'm considering doing an MA - too late to apply this year but that is a good thing as I hope to find work and start saving before starting but with pay rates dropping etc it makes me wonder if I'll be able to save that much (I'm frugal and don't go out or shop very much) so just in case and, also just to find out more information - I wondered if anyone knew of how people go about funding an MA - I've heard about career development loans? some people get grants but I assume that's for research type courses?

Are those the only options? To my knowledge graduates don't get funding/loans/grants etc (fair enough) but just wanted to check with others who have already gone through this sort of thing.

(The Uni I'm with give a discount if you do an MA with them (Uni of the Arts, London) so that helps with fees - it's not so much the fees I'm worried about more the living costs)

just to add - the course I did was rather general (Digital Media) and they were changing the direction (validating the new structure etc) of the course and not that specialised (well, I don't have any confidence of applying for work with the small knowledge I have gained (and I am older) and I can't afford to do internships... and I'm not working for free after a 25 year work history!!) - the MA (Animation) is specialised and would give me more grounding to work in that area otherwise I'll probably just go back into the industry I was in before (photo retouching) the MA is 2 years and requires you to be there 3 days per week with no option of part time study (I think... but 4 years of study????).

any MA students who can give some advice or part with some information would be very nice - thank you
:beer:

melancholly

essentially, there isn't much! no loan system. someone people go for CDLs, some work/save beforehand.

there can be some funding from research councils but that's usually applied for at the university and is more often for PhDs than MAs. it also tends to be aimed at science based courses. there's no general rule - speak to you your uni to find out anything you can. if you can push for a first then do that; funding will be so competitive that a 2:1 may not be enough.

try your department/uni for info on bursaries/any working teaching or marking with undergraduates. otherwise, if you can't afford to have a year out saving, then it may have to be a part time job (which will usually be more difficult at an MA level than at BA, as the workload increases - but if it's the only option, then you make it work. plenty of people manage it!)

Wiggynut

melancholly wrote: »

essentially, there isn't much! no loan system. someone people go for CDLs, some work/save beforehand.

there can be some funding from research councils but that's usually applied for at the university and is more often for PhDs than MAs. it also tends to be aimed at science based courses. there's no general rule - speak to you your uni to find out anything you can. if you can push for a first then do that; funding will be so competitive that a 2:1 may not be enough.

try your department/uni for info on bursaries/any working teaching or marking with undergraduates. otherwise, if you can't afford to have a year out saving, then it may have to be a part time job (which will usually be more difficult at an MA level than at BA, as the workload increases - but if it's the only option, then you make it work. plenty of people manage it!)

that's pretty much what I was thinking.

I don't mind working through the MA - I've worked during the BA but as the course wasn't intensive (actually it was rather boring) I had lots of spare time and the current job I have is flexible which worked out rather well. (the company is going down the pan and the work is becoming rare so I want to look elsewhere) but then who knows what part time work there will be... plus (ideally;)) I would want to focus on the MA rather then struggling and doing badly - I'm somebody who is very practical and doesn't take risks which is why I want to try and find out what I can and see what options there are.

Will ask my course leader about this and if he knows anyone I could talk to - they have said that if I get just under the 85% needed for a first then they will still award me the first as my grades have been high throughout the whole course but wont find out until after the exam board date (13th June I think).

let's hope I can find a decent waged job soon... I'm used to living on a low budget so hopefully I could keep that going and save enough to live on.

thank you for your help.

Wiggynut

I forgot to ask but does anyone know if the fees of MA's will rise in a similar way that undergraduate degrees have?

Alioth

There are two types of Masters: taught and research. From my experience, you have more chances of getting funded for the research courses. Both for taught and research courses, there is a very limited number of grants available at universities, so it's good to apply for a few programmes which offer them. The deadlines for funding are usually much earlier than course application deadlines.
For the research courses, you can additionally approach potential supervisors asking if they can give you some financial support from their own grants. You will be providing benefit to them by doing their research project at low cost compared to a research assistant, so some will agree.
Additionally, you can enquire at potential departments about being a part-time tutor or teaching assistant, which would bring in some money.