Self-funding

Many postgraduates fund their course with savings or family support. Part-time postgraduate study to enhance career development can be a popular option.

The Job Shop

Our Job Shop helps students to find part-time, temporary and vacation work in many areas, including postgraduate-level roles.

We recommend that postgraduates work for a maximum of 20 hours per week during term-time. Employers who advertise with the Job Shop are aware of this and may be flexible around your timetable. (International students should always seek individual immigration advice for working rights in the UK.)

For more information and to view current vacancies, visit the Job Shop.

External funding

Government Research Councils

There are currently seven grant-awarding Research Councils. You can find out about them through Research Councils UK

The Research Councils provide a variety of awards at both Master's and Doctoral level, although the number available each year to each School of the University is very small indeed.

To be eligible you must be an EU national and must hold or expect to receive a first or upper second-class honours degree from a UK higher education institution.

State funding

There is limited state funding for postgraduates.

Funding is available for teacher training in England and Wales. See the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) for more information.

If you are training to work in social work or certain areas of healthcare, you may be able to get an NHS bursary see Directgov for details.

Charities, trusts and foundations

Many charities, foundations and trusts award funding for postgraduate study - you can find lists on the Prospects website and through Scholarships search. 

Some awards are dedicated to a particular cause while others have very general eligibility criteria. Most do not cover both tuition fees and living costs, and many amount to just a few hundred pounds a year.

Sponsorship and employer-funded study

Your employer may sponsor a postgraduate course if the qualification will improve your ability to do your job. You may have to sign an agreement tying you to the company for a specified period.

Some PhD studentships are sponsored by employers who have an involvement with the research you intend to undertake.

You may also wish to apply for a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP). KTP projects usually last for two years, and involve a partnership between a commercial company and a university. Graduates work on projects central to the company’s development whilst continuing to train.

External funding for international students

There are many sources of funding available to international postgraduate students, depending on your nationality and the programme you wish to undertake. A list of scholarships is available on our International's finance and fees pages.

Additional Funding

Looking for additional funding? Postgrad Solutions now offer 15 bursaries across a number of subject areas.