Masters Grants... What's available?

jessiskaskaska

Hey,

I'm in my 3rd year at undergraduate, and I've had an offer from my Grandparents to cover my course fees, which is brilliant, and has swayed my desicion to do a masters!

As you don't get a student loan, and you're expected to start playing off your undergrad loan sooner rather than later, meaning full time work and part time study! Is there any grants/loans that you can get to help you with living costs etc?

Cheers in advance

holstar

Depends what you want to do and where you want to do it. I have received some funding for my masters from the department, but not enough to cover all the tuition.
You can get career development loans (whether they are the best in terms of interest etc you might be better asking on the loans board) and some national bodies may provide funding, e/g/ NERC. The university itself may provide some bursaries. A lot of funding requires you to get your application for masters in early, sometimes by Xmas, so check all closing dates and stick to them if you want to be considered. The more research you can do now the better.

I worked 2 jobs (part time + full time) over all the holidays in my 3rd year and part time through termtime to get enough money for rent for masters year and have been loaned some by parents.

Be aware that a masters is very different from undergrad level, so make sure you are convinced to go ahead with it by the course content and future prospects etc rather than your grandparents wallet!

jessiskaskaska

Cheers,

I've been speaking to people about it, as I have a lecturer friend at Leeds Uni, I am hoping to do it at either Leeds Met or Leeds Uni, and have already chosen the course and am in the process of applying.

I'll be doing it over two years, so hopefully rent won't be too much of a problem as I can work full time, I'm just thinking of any study leave etc when I would be unable to work.

missk_ensington

Hi I'm hopefully going to be doing my MA next year in English Lit and there are a number of sponsors and grants you can get. To name but one there is the Arts and Humantities Council, who I'll be going to for funding, although you would be expected to have a very high 2.1 (above 67-68) to obtain funding.

Also, you wont have to start repaying your UG loan until youre earning 15,000 a year, which you certainly wont if you're doing an MA, therefore the payments wont have started until after you finish that.

Also, if you work full time over summer, you could easily get together £2-3,000 savings to take with you in the Autumn as I plan to do.

Another also, don't accept your grandparents money until you're sure a sponsor wont pay your course fees. If you've performed very well at your degree there are a number of sources of funding for BOTH course fees and living costs