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Postgraduate Money Matters at a Glance

Funding a postgraduate course can be a big financial commitment. There is no statutory funding available for postgraduate courses (other than PGCE courses) and most postgraduate taught students are self funded. There are several ways that students can fund their studies either through work, savings, a Professional & Career Development Loan or educational trust & charity funding. The information given in these pages is designed to assist you in finding financial help that may be available to you.

Tuition Fees

The tuition fees for postgraduate students varies, depending on your course and whether you are a UK, EU or International Student. Please note: If you already hold a postgraduate degree at the same level or higher than your chosen course of study, the fees will be significantly higher than those quoted. Please contact the Fees Office for further information.

Professional & Career Development Loans (P & CDL)

A P & CDL is a bank loan. You make an agreement with a participating bank to borrow an amount between £300 and £10,000. You will have to pay it back once you've left your course, however, you don't pay interest while you are studying. For further information, visit the government's webpage on Professional and Career Development Loans.

Employers

If you are in employment, it may be worthwhile asking your employer if they would be willing to give you full or partial support throughout your studies as many employers value the additional knowledge and skills that postgraduate study offers.

Educational Trust and Charity Funding

Many educational trusts and charities offer financial assistance to home, EU and international students. Most have specific criteria that you must meet in order to receive their help. Some trusts are set up especially to benefit students with disabilities.

You should be aware that:

• You will need to make an application well in advance of beginning a course of study if you are relying on help from this source.
• Full scholarships are rare, due to the large number of people applying each year. Many educational trusts will only help students in their final year of study and often only in their final term.
• You will normally need to provide evidence that you have tried all other sources of financial help when you apply.

International Scholarships

St Mary's is currently offering thirty postgraduate scholarships for international students.

US Federal Aid

See our Federal Aid information sheet on the Information for Students from the USA page.

Useful Links

• Arts & Humanities Research Council
• Association of Charitable Foundations
• Charity Commission for England and Wales
• Disabled Students' Allowances
• Educational Grants Advisory Service
• Prospects, the UK'S official graduate careers website
• FindaMasters.com
• FindaPhD.com
• Hardship Fund (Access to Learning)

More Information

For more information on student funding, please see the main Money Matters section of this website.