Can I get funding and student loans for another degree?

podperson

It is very unlikely that you would get funding for a second degree and the rare cases tend to be for things like teaching or nursing that are currently being 'pushed'.
The same for a Masters, funding and careers loans are highly unlikely for those subjects. It's something everyone wants to do. (Speaking from experience, I live in Edinburgh and know quite a few people at various unis here - the film/script-writing/creative writing Masters are always ridiculously overscribed and you would also need a decent body of work to get in them).

snarlsbukowski

Hhhmm yes. I suspected as much. I don't really need the experience of a masters to be honest - but I liked the idea of staying on in education, gaining contacts and meeting like-minded people in another city. The problem I'm finding is A) getting a job in something I like and forging a path to my end goal of becoming a scriptwriter.

Would love it if there was a service which was dedicated to providing advice in life-planning! Not like these local services - future prospects, connexions etc who seem to have been consolidated and limited hugely in the amount of help and advice they can give.

fishybusiness

I don't think you can even sign on and study at Masters level part time.

Seems like the bottom line is that if you have no one backing you further study after a degree is just about impossible.

Very sad state for the future brains of the country.

agrinnall

fishybusiness wrote: »

I don't think you can even sign on and study at Masters level part time.

Seems like the bottom line is that if you have no one backing you further study after a degree is just about impossible.

Very sad state for the future brains of the country.

No, but you can work and study for a Masters part time, which is what lots of people do. Alternatively, work full time to save up enough so you can fund a year of full time study. Both are perfectly possible, anyone without the initiative to do either is probably not one of the 'future brains' you refer to.

fishybusiness

anyone without the initiative to do either is probably not one of the 'future brains' you refer to.

No need for that really. Many 'future brains' can't even get a job, let alone save up enough to pay for a Masters at the going rate.

That is why I referred to it as a shame.

agrinnall

fishybusiness wrote: »

No need for that really. Many 'future brains' can't even get a job, let alone save up enough to pay for a Masters at the going rate.

That is why I referred to it as a shame.

You may think so, but anyone who can't work out that there is little public money for further study (and why should there be?) and that they will have to support themselves really isn't that sharp. Yes, in an ideal world there would be buckets of money sloshing around that we could just help ourselves from, but back here in the real world......

fishybusiness

Yes, in an ideal world there would be buckets of money sloshing around that we could just help ourselves from, but back here in the real world...

Indeed, and I do agree.

Perhaps those that come here for funding advice have already followed the standard routes and are now stuck? Ever hopeful, it is worth asking those that have been there and done it.

I've just finished my degree btw, and my own year group are just going through this, and last years graduates had the same problems. I've managed to save enough to pay for a Masters, and it didn't come easy as you probably know.

I have much sympathy for those that don't have the finances to carry on

agrinnall

fishybusiness wrote: »

Indeed, and I do agree.

Perhaps those that come here for funding advice have already followed the standard routes and are now stuck? Ever hopeful, it is worth asking those that have been there and done it.

I've just finished my degree btw, and my own year group are just going through this, and last years graduates had the same problems. I've managed to save enough to pay for a Masters, and it didn't come easy as you probably know.

I have much sympathy for those that don't have the finances to carry on

Indeed, there's every reason to ask, you never know when somebody might have knowledge of a particular funding source that hadn't been thought of.

I do know about saving to pay for a Masters because, like you, I did just that (although I may have been in a better position because I'd worked for over 25 years since my first degree, and I managed to get fees paid by SAAS before they stopped doing it). I'm now trying to get a fully-funded PhD studentship because short of a lottery win I think self-funding three years of full time study wouldn't be feasible.

layanna_jade

Taiko wrote: »

What makes you think you're intelligent if you didn't get a first?

I think that this comment is incredibly rude, patronising, unhelpful and downright mean. Only a very small percentage of people graduate with a 1st class degree and getting a 2:1 is nothing to be sniffed at. Some degrees are more intensive than others and, as a mature student about to graduate more than likely with a high end 2:1, I am very proud of getting that result as my degree has been pretty tough.

You should be ashamed of yourself.

atypical

snarlsbukowski wrote: »

Hhhmm yes. I suspected as much. I don't really need the experience of a masters to be honest - but I liked the idea of staying on in education, gaining contacts and meeting like-minded people in another city. The problem I'm finding is A) getting a job in something I like and forging a path to my end goal of becoming a scriptwriter.

I'm not sure spending 1 year doing a Masters and paying for the privilege is the best way to use either your time or your money.

Much better would be knocking on doors, sending emails, calling people, attending conferences, strengthening your portfolio, submitting your work to everyone you can find. It's hard work and you'll get 100s of rejections, but it'll be more fruitful than a year doing a Masters.

Edit: Quick google came up with this article you might be interested in if you haven't read it already: http://careers.guardian.co.uk/insiders-guide-to-becoming-screenwriter. Note the first point.