Masters Year Funding

tntcoda

Hi,

I am about to start my 3rd year of a 4 year undergraduate degree, I am only have a student year for years 2,3 and 4.

If i decide i want to do an extra MSc year what kind of funding is available to me? Am i correct in thinking i cant get an standard student loan, are there any grants i am likely to get?

Thanks for any advice,

Jack

Psychobot

Taken from the yougofurther website:

Finding funding for your further study

Gaining funding can be almost as competitive as finding a job or a postgraduate course, so start looking into money matters early to make sure you don’t miss out.

Funding for PhDs
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is the main source of funding for postgraduate study and research of a scientific or technical nature. Grants from research councils are allocated direct to
departments and research programmes and not to students. Successful applicants are put forward for funding by the research group, so make sure you apply early to be considered for funding. Commercial sponsorship may also be available for certain projects. Visit www.epsrc.ac.uk to find out more about how research programmes are funded, the current level of maintenance award and whether you are eligible for funding.

Funding for masters courses
If you’re applying for a masters or short course, funding may be less readily available than for a PhD programme. If you find yourself in this situation, investigate whether the university you are applying to has its own scholarships and awards – details should be available on its website. Some departments have their own bursaries and scholarships, so it’s also worth exploring these funding opportunities when you make your application. Charities and trusts may also be able to help. Your local library or university careers service should have a copy of the Directory of Grant-Making Trusts or The Grants Register, which might be useful. Check out www.scholarship-search.org.uk as well.

Career development loans could be another funding route to pursue. These are run by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) together with three high street banks. You can borrow from £300 up to £8,000 and the loan is to help you fund up to two years of learning and, if relevant, up to one year of practical work experience where it forms part of the course. To find out more about these and whether you are eligible visit www.lifelonglearning.dfes.gov.uk/cdl/.


http://www.yougofurther.co.uk/articles/jobs/sub_section/article/Finding-funding-for-your-further-study/default.aspx

Hull_e_Gun

Hi and thanks to psycbot for bring those web resources to my attention.

I too am trying to make arrangements for my MSc (Psychology) and I am the first of my family and immediate social circle to attend Uni, so a lot of the time researching Uni life has been as much work as doing my degree lol.

Ive found this company, that originates in the US, can some fellow money savers have a look at the company and see if my evaluation is correct?

I think they are:
a responsible lender &
that the loan interest rates appear are competitive, your comments would be most welcome and any advice or additional tips on this would be most welcome.
Perhaps anyone knows of some options that maybe unique for Mature students, I'm 28.

best regards
Bri

Frozenace

Hey,

I would start saving and cut down on unnecessary spending as fast you can, get a summer job and take advantage of the tax benefits.

9.3% + is a lot of interest per year. I saved up 10k to fund my gf to go to school, but it was a hard year...

You can always ask the university if they could sponsor you for a research area, otherwise, apply for a PHD, then stop half way through and you still get a Masters.

Gingernutmeg

Frozenace wrote: »

You can always ask the university if they could sponsor you for a research area, otherwise, apply for a PHD, then stop half way through and you still get a Masters.

Really? I was under the impression that with a PhD, if you leave before you've done your thesis you leave with 'nothing', so to speak. I know that if you start an MA/MSc, complete the taught modules and don't complete the dissertation you can get a Postgraduate Diploma (at least you could at my uni), but I didn't think that you could do that with a PhD, unless you were taking some kind of research methods MA as part of that, which is unusual - the only people I've known who've taken that route have been in receipt of research council funding, which is hard to get unless you've got an MA already (in 'my' field anyway).

To the OP, it's well worth looking around and seeing if there's a society or similar attached to your field. I know that when I was looking at post-grad study, the British society for my subject offered post-grad bursaries of up to £3000 per year, and also opportunities like summer schools, which were great for getting 'noticed'. It might cost to join such a society (in my case it was about £20 a year) but if you're looking for MA/MSc funding they can be a great source, as there isn't much out there.

There also seems to have been quite a few threads promoting this Sallie Mae company lately, hope they're not being that cynical to try to advertise here ... :rolleyes:

melancholly

there is no such thing as a 'taught' PhD - you may do a taught masters but a PhD is always by research.

Frozenace

My friend got a 15k sponsorship to do a PHD (he got a 1st in IT or something), then he decided that the research area wasn't his thing, applied for a job, got the job and also the masters... he's on 40k+ now.

It probably depends on the subject.

Gingernutmeg

melancholly wrote: »

there is no such thing as a 'taught' PhD - you may do a taught masters but a PhD is always by research.

Sorry, I didn't make myself clear - I looked at PhDs and a lot of them had a 'taught' component, usually the research methods bits taken in the first year, or as year one of four (like the ERSC 3+1/1+3 whatever it is lol). I assumed that you'd get something if you left after doing that but before going on the 'real' research bit, but if that wasn't there I assumed there's no 'automatic' MA/MSc that's awarded if you don't complete the PhD. It probably varies though.

melancholly

ok - with you know - the ESRC 1+3 is two separate qualifications. it just means as ESRC accredited masters course, followed by a PhD. if you finish the first year and do the masters, the PhD will be entirely separate and it doesn't matter what happens on the PhD, you'll already have done the graduation for the masters and they can't take it back!

Voyager2002

melancholly wrote: »

ok - with you know - the ESRC 1+3 is two separate qualifications. it just means as ESRC accredited masters course, followed by a PhD. if you finish the first year and do the masters, the PhD will be entirely separate and it doesn't matter what happens on the PhD, you'll already have done the graduation for the masters and they can't take it back!

I agree.

Further points:
1. Many PhD programmes include taught courses, particularly in research methods. Passing these courses can lead to the award of a different kind of masters' degree, Master of Research (M.Res.). Again, this is a separate qualification from the eventual PhD: a student could leave with an M.Res without writing a PhD thesis, or could fail the M. Res. assessment but go on to do good research, write an adequate thesis and receive a PhD (which is what is happening to my wife at the moment);
2. A PhD student whose research or thesis does not reach the standard required for a PhD (perhaps because they run out of time or money and need to finish, and would rather leave with something than with nothing) may be awarded the degree of M.Phil, which at most universities is a research degree but lower than a PhD. In principle it can be obtained in less time than a PhD. Sadly, many people take it to mean "failed PhD". At some universities (Oxford, Cambridge and some parts of Sussex for instance) an MPhil is something completely different, similar to what most universities in England and Wales call an MA or perhaps MSc;
3. And don't forget that at most universities in the USA, doctoral students spend most of their time taking courses and passing exams. So they really do graduate with what are for the most part taught PhDs.

Gingernutmeg

Voyager2002 wrote: »

2. A PhD student whose research or thesis does not reach the standard required for a PhD (perhaps because they run out of time or money and need to finish, and would rather leave with something than with nothing) may be awarded the degree of M.Phil, which at most universities is a research degree but lower than a PhD. In principle it can be obtained in less time than a PhD. Sadly, many people take it to mean "failed PhD". At some universities (Oxford, Cambridge and some parts of Sussex for instance) an MPhil is something completely different, similar to what most universities in England and Wales call an MA or perhaps MSc;

Ah, thanks for that - it clears up something I was wondering about. My tutors were suggesting that I apply for the MPhil at Cambridge and I did wonder why it seemed only to be an Oxbridge thing and wasn't really offered anywhere else alongside the 'ordinary' MA/MSc courses. You learn something new every day