Postgraduate Funding Guide

Public funding bodies
Read about the research councils in the UK who award funding for postgraduate study, the different awards they offer and how to go about applying for this funding.

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​​​​​​​Institutional funding
Learn about the scholarships and funding schemes offered by universities themselves including access to learning funds and teaching and research assistantships.

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​​​​​​​Charities, foundations and trusts
If you can't obtain other sources of funding, you may be able to apply to various charities, foundations and trusts to help fund your postgraduate degree.

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​​​​​​​Loans
Find out about professional development loans available at competitive interest rates to allow you to complete postgraduate courses, professional qualifications and other training.

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Part-time job
Postgraduate students are ideally situated for various part-time jobs such as graduate teaching, research assistantships and plenty of other positions at universities.

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​​​​​​​Funding for disabled students
Disabled students are eligible to apply for additional support to cover disability related course costs. Find out what funding you may be entitled to and how to apply for it.

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Are Masters degrees funded in the UK?

If you are a student from the UK or EU, there are different potential sources of funding available for your Masters.

Postgraduate students are now able to apply for a loan from the government, allowing you to borrow up to £10,609 for your Masters programme. The loans are open to UK and EU nationals.

Can you get funding for a postgraduate degree?

Yes, if you're looking to fund your postgraduate course, take a look at our following guides:

When should I apply for a postgraduate loan?

You need to apply for your postgradauate loan at least nine months from the start of your final year. This means that if you're studying a one-year Masters that begins on 1 September 2020, you need to apply by 1 June 2019.

Student Finance England aim to deal with most applications in 4-6 weeks. They may take longer if additional information and evidence is required.

Who is eligible for a postgraduate loan?

To apply for a postgraduate loan, you will normally be eligible if:

  • you are a UK or EU national
  • have settled status (this means that you have no restrictions on how long you can stay in the UK)
  • normally live in England, and have been living in the UK for at least three years before the start of your course.

How can I fund my postgraduate studies?

There are many ways to fund your postgraduate studies, including:

  • Postgraduate loan schemes
  • Scholarships and bursaries
  • Grants from charities and trusts
  • Crowdfunding
  • Funds4Uni
  • Employer sponsorship
  • Government grants

For more information on these options, please see our guides above.