Postgraduate funding

allofushere

Has anyone any ideas re postgraduate tuition fees funding?
I ve checked out all the options on national Careers advisory website but am not eligible for any grants etc. I am in full time employment (15K per year) have no disabilities, and need distance learning.
I can't get a professional development loan (already in debt), and cannot afford monthly payments on top of all other bills.
Is it hopeless?

kloana

allofushere wrote: »

Has anyone any ideas re postgraduate tuition fees funding?
I ve checked out all the options on national Careers advisory website but am not eligible for any grants etc. I am in full time employment (15K per year) have no disabilities, and need distance learning.
I can't get a professional development loan (already in debt), and cannot afford monthly payments on top of all other bills.
Is it hopeless?

Very few opportunities for postgraduate funding exist, and where they do, places on courses can be extremely competitive. In some cases, scholarships can be sought (often nothing to do with your income, or lack of, but are usually open to particularly exceptional and/or accomplished graduates). These can be offered by universities directly, by research councils, charitable foundations, etc. - but opportunities are slim and, again, extremely competitive.

Courses that do attract conventional (non-scholarship) funding tend to be those that lead to professional accreditation of some sort, i.e. health and social care disciplines, teaching, etc.

What is it you're looking to do?

The vast majority of (non-'professional') postgraduate students pay their own fees, one way or another.

allofushere

Thanks, I thought that was the case. It seems the degree I took 30 years ago now means I can't retrain in the field I want to teach in as i won't be able to get funding for any course lower than a degree. ( degree in 3D Design - not done this for 29 years, would like to teach Business Admin FE, fifteen years experience)
I totally understand I ve had my allotted funding but can't deny I'm gutted.

Back to the drawing board......

Dunroamin

Lots of people in FE each a subject that they have experience but not a qualification in. ( I have a degree in Literature and taught Travel and Tourism for years.) Contact some providers of teacher training to see whether you'd be accepted.

http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6175365

hawk30

What qualification are you planning on getting? CTLLS should be sufficient for FE teaching. http://www.cityandguilds.com/Courses-and-Qualifications/learning/teaching/6304-teaching-in-the-lifelong-learning-sector-ctlls

National_Careers_Service

Hi allofushere,

It does sound like you’ve carried out a lot of research and might have exhausted your options where funding is concerned. Have you spoken with the training provider to find out if they can provide you with a summary of funding options for the specific course that you’re looking at. I would imagine they should have a good ideas. Just to double check, which postgrad course you’re looking for funding for?

Is it the level 5 Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (DTLLS)? If so, did you know if you study towards it full time you can apply for the normal funding available for a full time undergraduate degree:

• Tuition Fee Loan
• Maintenance Grant
• Maintenance Loan
• University Bursaries
• Other help (for specific groups)

It does sounds like though with your financial commitments studying full time might not be an option for you?

If you studied part time, you’d normally be able to apply for the normal funding available for a part time undergraduate degree (did you know this?):

Non-means tested Tuition Fee Loan to cover the full tuition fees, up to a maximum of £6,750

If the course is provided wholly by a private institution, you can apply for a maximum of £4,500

I thought you’d also be interested to know part time distance learning Higher Education courses are funded like normal part time courses.

You can find out more at Student Finance England. This might be an interesting article too.

I hope you manage to find something to help you out.