Sources of Funding

Postgraduate Funding 2023/24

Students commencing a taught or research master’s course from September 2016 or later may be able to apply for a loan from the Student Loans Company. The maximum amount of postgraduate loan available for 2022/23 is £12,167 for the duration of the course. The loan will be paid directly to the student. Loans are available for full 180 credit Masters only, full or part-time. To apply students must be aged under 60 and be a resident of the UK. Full details of the loan scheme can be found here https://www.gov.uk/masters-loan

Please see below for full details of all funding options:

Postgraduate Loan Scheme

Students commencing a taught or research master’s course from September 2016 or later may be able to apply for a loan from the Student Loans Company. The maximum amount of postgraduate loan available for 2022/23 is £11,836 for the duration of the course. The loan will be paid directly to the student. Loans are available for full 180 credit Masters only, full or part-time. To apply students must be aged under 60 and be a resident of the UK. Get to know the facts about the scheme here. Application forms for the loans will be available from https://www.gov.uk/postgraduate-loan.

For further information on postgraduate loans please visit: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/content.php?r=21647-Postgraduate-Loans

Student Finance England have provided a short film which gives an overview of the scheme. To see the film please click here

The telephone number for Student Loans Company helpline: 0300 100 0031

Postgraduate Doctoral Loan Scheme

Students commencing on an eligible Postgraduate Doctoral course from September 2019 or later may be able to apply for a loan from the Student Loans Company. The maximum amount of Postgraduate Doctoral loan available for 2023/24 is £28,673 for the duration of the course. The loan will be paid directly to the student. Loans are available for full stand-alone Postgraduate Doctoral courses only. Course duration must be 3-8 academic years. The course can be full or part-time. To apply students must be aged under 60 and be a resident of England or the EU. Further information is available here.

Institutional Funding

Most institutions across the UK operate their own bursary and scholarship schemes. This is usually set to the institution’s own set criteria and usually changes on a yearly basis. Applications are made to the relevant department if an award is available.

For information on specific institutional awards please see Research Funding.

Most students apply for funding from Research Councils. They are government-funded councils who as part of their remit are responsible for postgraduate funding

There are 7 councils and the competition for grants is intense. Only a few applicants are successful.

Usually, the Councils themselves do not accept direct applications from individual postgraduates though this is not always the case. Research Councils tend to allocate funding to individual departments and institutions and you should enquire directly to the department in the institution in which you want to study.

A) Arts and Humanities (AHRC) – www.ahrc.ukri.org

B) Biotechnology and Biological Sciences – www.bbsrc.ukri.org

C) Engineering and Physical Sciences Research – www.epsrc.ukri.org

D) Economic and Social Research Council – www.esrc.ukri.org

E) Medical Research Council – www.mrc.ukri.org

F) Natural Environment – www.nerc.ukri.org

G) Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) – www.stfc.ukri.org

Disabled Students Allowance (DSA)

Students with disabilities may be eligible to receive DSA which can provide funding towards the cost of equipment, support tutors, travel and other course-related costs.

Educational Trusts And Charities

Alternative Educational grants may be available from numerous other sources depending on your individual circumstances. A list of these should be available from public libraries and include:

The Educational Grants Directory
The Charities Digest
The Grants Register
Directory of Grant Making Trusts
The Educational Grants Advisory Service is an independent advice agency for students seeking funding (with a focus on postgraduates). Please visit https://www.family-action.org.uk/section.aspx?id=1037 or telephone 020 7241 7459.

Employer

Many students on postgraduate programmes are funded through their employer. Whilst each company’s commitment to staff training is different successful students have managed to convince their employer that it is in the companies’ interest to fund their studies. Some other employers may also take the initiative on this matter and actively push their employees into the postgraduate and professional study.

Self

Despite the funding options available, many students face the realistic prospect of funding postgraduate study themselves. Before taking on this financial commitment it may be prudent to work out whether it is financially feasible to go down this route especially if you are considering leaving work. Expenses for a years study do not stop at Tuition Fees, but also accommodation, food, family commitments and social life. The majority of students will supplement their studies with working part-time and a large proportion will study part-time so that they can maintain their full-time careers and levels of income.

Page last reviewed and updated on November 2021.

Most postgraduates study part-time so they have the opportunity to work part-time to fund their studies. If you are studying part-time, it should not be too difficult to fit work around your studies. Contact the Careers Service | at the university and ask how to find out about part-time jobs in the area and look in the local press, jobcentre and the Students Union.

There are many recruitment agencies that can help you find temporary or part-time work. Please visit the university web pages for the Careers Service and Job Shop web pages or visit the Recruitment and Employment Confederation website.

Page last reviewed and updated in December 2017.

Some organisations will have a policy of sponsoring their own employees who wish to undertake postgraduate courses or they may agree to fund individual employees as part of their career development programme.

Ask your HR department or line manager about the possibility of sponsorship. Put together a strong case to convince them of the benefits of your postgraduate qualification. It may be useful to draft a business case document or presentation. If your employer agrees to sponsor your studies, you should be prepared to sign a contract agreeing to work for the company for a fixed period of time following the completion of your course.

Working full-time and studying part-time is hard work and you will need the support and understanding of your employer. You will need to negotiate time to attend classes and show that you are equally committed to your professional and academic work.

Page last reviewed and updated April 2017

There are a number of charities, foundations and trusts that can offer some funding for postgraduate study including: scholarships; studentships; grants; travel awards; competitions. Many grants or awards have specific eligibility criteria such as the background of the student, or the chosen study discipline.

The most comprehensive source of postgraduate funding from trusts, foundations and charities can be found in The Grants Register. You can find this in the university library reference section and in main public libraries.

The Educational Grants Advisory Service is an independent advice agency for students seeking funding (with a focus on postgraduates). Please visit the EGAS website for more information.

Page last reviewed and updated April 2017.

This scheme enables graduates to work within a commercial environment (being paid a salary at industrial rate) while studying for a higher degree and with support from academic experts. For more information see the link below:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/knowledge-transfer-partnerships-what-they-are-and-how-to-apply

Page last reviewed and updated April 2017.

The University Student Support Fund can help with a range of course-related expenses including books and equipment, childcare, travel or general living costs.

There are certain priority groups that include:

Students with children – especially lone parents
Mature students – especially those with existing financial commitments
Students from low-income families
Disabled students
Students who have entered HE from care
Students in their final year of study

Those who qualify for help will not have to repay any money allocated from the fund unless of course they withdraw or cease to be a student with us, as the award is given in the form of a grant.

The fund can be used to help home students who are either full-time or part-time and studying on an undergraduate, postgraduate or further education courses.

Application forms are available from the Student Centre, Chancellors Mall.

Page last reviewed and updated in October 2019.

All UK students with a disability are eligible to apply for a Disabled Students’ Allowance. It is available for full-time, part-time, undergraduate and postgraduate students with disabilities. Distance learning students are also eligible. The Disabled Students’ Allowance helps with costs you incur (as a direct result of your disability) when attending your course. It is not means-tested and you do not have to pay it back.

Further information can be obtained from your Local Authority (LA) or the Direct.gov.uk| booklet entitled ‘Bridging the Gap’. Alternatively, you can contact the University Disability Service for more information on 01204 903478 or 01204 903803 or disabilityinfo@bolton.ac.uk .

Page last reviewed and updated April 2017.

The University of Bolton is proud to offer a comprehensive financial support service. This includes a range of scholarships for UK, EU and International students undertaking full-time or part-time undergraduate or postgraduate courses offered by the University. Click here to visit the Scholarships page.