Postgraduate studies
Choosing a postgraduate course
There are many different types of postgraduate courses. If you do not yet know what you want to study, try thinking about a course which brings together the things you enjoy, the things you are good at, and the careers you are interested in. You can search for different postgraduate courses here or here.
Unlike undergraduate degree, you can usually apply for a Masters or PhD course directly with the university. You should contact the relevant department or faculty directly and ask them how to apply for the course you are interested in. There are no fixed application deadlines for postgraduate courses, but it's best to apply as early as possible to maximise your chances of securing a place on the course you want to study.
Paying for postgraduate studies
Applying for postgraduate studies
Universities charge different fees for postgraduate courses depending on the subject, the duration of the course, and whether you are classified as a home or international student. You can usually find out the cost of a postgraduate course on the course description web page. If not, you should contact the department to find out how much it will cost.
You should check to see if your immigration status allows you to apply for postgraduate student finance (unfortunately, asylum seekers are not eligible for postgraduate student finance). If you are unsure whether you are eligible, you can always check with UKCISA's advice service.
If you are eligible for student finance, there are different government loans available for Masters courses or doctoral studies.
You may still need to find extra funding to supplement your loan amount. If you have permission to work, many postgraduate students chose to work and study part-time as a way of funding their course.
We would also encourage you to speak directly to the university about any internal grants and bursaries that you may be eligible to apply for.
Postgraduate scholarships
Some universities offer scholarships specifically for those who can’t access student finance on account of their immigration status. All of these have different names but these are sometimes called Sanctuary Scholarships, Equal Access, or Article 26 awards. These usually pay your tuition fees and may often also provide extra funding for your living costs.
For up to date lists of which universities offer scholarships, please visit Student Action for Refugees (STAR)’s website. Although many of these are for undergraduate degrees, some are available for postgraduate students. This will be indicated by the symbol 'PG' in the second column of the table.
We would also encourage you to speak directly to the university about any internal grants and bursaries that you may be eligible to apply for.
You may also find additional sources of funding here.
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