Funding postgraduate study in the UK

Research Council funding

Grants are for research degree programmes and taught postgraduate courses and can be applied for through one of the Research Councils (RCUK) – only one body will be appropriate to your area of study. Obtaining these grants is highly competitive and they are not given to all students who apply for them.

Am I eligible?

Information of Research Council eligibility can be found at: Eligibility for Research Council funding

How to research into grants

Research into available grants by applying directly to your university department or by visiting the websites of the relevant Research Council body. A list of Research Councils can be found on the RCUK website.

How to apply

Research Council grants are mainly distributed to university departments, so students should apply directly to their department for this funding. The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) can sometimes be applied to directly.

When to apply

Departments will begin advertising their grants in the October/November before the start of the course in the following academic year. Lists of availability can be found on Prospects, but also check your department’s website.

Scholarships

A small handful of UK universities offer scholarships – you will need to research into if your chosen course or university offers this and apply as advised by that institution. Either conduct a search engine search or have a look on the institution’s website or in their promotional course material.

State funding

There is currently little state funding in England. The main groups funded are trainee teachers, social workers and NHS employees. Direct Gov has further information on funding postgraduate study for these areas plus information about charity funding, learned society funding and disabled students allowance.

Charity funding

Charities of varying size offer funding in the form of grants, studentships, bursaries, competitions, scholarships and prizes. These can be found on the Prospects website or in the publications listed below - particularly the Alternative Guide to Postgraduate Funding.

Employer funding

If the postgraduate course is related to your job, some employers will sponsor you or pay for you. It is important to make a strong case for how the qualification will benefit you and the company and present this to your line manager. Senior management and sometimes the personnel manager will have the final say on funding for your professional development.

Loans

The government offers professional and career development loans to cover tuition fees, books, travel and living costs for professionals who wish to further their career through postgraduate study. Loans vary from £300 to £10000.

Some students take out personal bank loans if they are unable to receive any further support.

Part time jobs

Many part time postgraduate students fund their studies through a part time job. See the LSEs information on job hunting and search for part time jobs and opportunities on LSE CareerHub.

International students

It is important to explore the funding options in your home country when you are considering postgraduate study. Contact your education ministry for information on funding.

Scholarships are sometimes available for international students. The university you are applying to should have a web page about what they offer, or be able to give you the information you need.

Useful websites

• Association of Charitable Foundations (ACF)

  The Association of Charitable Foundations (ACF) is the UK wide support organisation for grant-making trusts and foundations of all types.

• Association of MBAs

  Lots of information about studying for an MBA, including a directory of MBA programmes in the UK, a job search application and a CV uploader to be seen by MBA recruiters. Also contains information on their MBA loans.

• British Council

  Help finding funding for your chosen course through their own scholarship schemes and links to approved websites.

• Department of Government, LSE

  Find out about departmental funding for PhD students, research and teaching studentships and other scholarships.

• FindAMasters.com - HEFCE Postgraduate Support Scheme (PSS)

  The PSS funding scheme provides bursaries for 10,000 postgraduates to take up the opportunity of further study.

• Finding Financial Support

  Includes FunderFinder, a funding database which details funding for students

• Finding Financial Support

  Includes FunderFinder, a funding database which details funding for students

• Jobs.ac.uk

  Academic jobs website which also advertises scholarships. Leading UK site for academic and academic-related jobs; includes some overseas jobs. Advertises specifically jobs in science, research, academic and administrative employment.

• Lifelong Learning

  Career development loan - a deferred repayment bank loan to help you pay for vocational learning or education.

• Lifelong Learning

  Career development loan - a deferred repayment bank loan to help you pay for vocational learning or education.

• NPC Postgraduate Funding Guide

  Useful guide outlining funding options clearly.

• Postgraduate Studentships

  University of London website offering information on funding from charities, funding bodies and within institutions. Information on funding from universities, charities, funding bodies, along with articles and advice on finding postgraduate study.

• Prospects - Funding postgraduate study

  Information on postgraduate funding from Prospects, graduate careers website

• Prospects.ac.uk

  Information on postgraduate funding from Prospects, graduate careers website.

• RCUK website

  Links to UK research councils from where you can find details of funding opportunities, including scholarships and awards.

• Research Council UK (RCUK)

  Links to UK research councils from where you can find details of funding opportunities, including scholarships and awards. Offers a unique Business Plan Competition tailored to providing researchers who have ideas with commercial potential the skills, knowledge and support needed to develop a first-rate business plan.

• Scholarships search

  Search for scholarships, bursaries and awards which may be available to you.

• Scholarships search

  Search for scholarships, bursaries and awards which may be available to you.

• Student Services Centre, LSE

  Advice and support financially.

• StudentCashPoint

  Database and search for funding.

• TARGETcourses

  Newly relaunched website that compares postgraduate courses in the UK for graduates considering further study. It has been compiled with UCAS and also has institution profiles with information on research and funding.

• TARGETpostgrad

  Compares postgraduate courses in the UK for graduates considering further study. It has been compiled with UCAS and also has institution profiles with information on research and funding

• The Wellcome Trust

  Support the brightest minds in biomedical research and the medical humanities. Their breadth of support includes public engagement, education and the application of research to improve health.

• Turn2us | benefits and grants

  Use the 'Grants search' section to look for postgraduate study grants. "Turn2us exists to help people access the money available to them – through benefits, grants and other financial help.Our free, accessible website – www.turn2us.org.uk – has been desi Access benefits and grants. Use the 'Grants search' section to look for postgraduate study grants.