Funding

Worried whether you can afford to become a professional? Don’t know where to look for funding help and guidance?

The Internet provides lots of information on getting financial assistance for full-time, part-time and vocational courses. We provide links to those sources that we believe to be most useful.

Here you will find general information as well as information on types of funding, country-specific financial support, funding sources and help on searching for funding.

General information

Fees

Tuition fees for courses vary across all institutions depending on the subject, faculty, method and length of study as well as many other factors. Typical fees for UK/EU students start from a minimum of £2,000 for part-time tuition to £4,000 for full-time tuition. These rates are based on the 2009/10 academic year so they are likely to differ in 2010/11.

Other costs and expenses: maintenance costs

As well as paying tuition fees for the duration of the course, you also have to consider how much it will cost you to support yourself whilst studying. These costs are not always supported by the funding you may receive. Maintenance grant depends on your family or personal circumstances. A maximum grant of £2,906 may be given for students who normally live in England. There may be other grants and bursaries that you can apply for.

Funding in general falls into the following categories:

  • Universities
  • Government organisations
  • Commercial and private course providers
  • Other organisations

 

Types of funding

UK Government Support

Loans (e.g. tuition fee loan and maintenance loans)

  • Apply to the Student Loans Company for a loan to cover tuition fees
  • Repayable after completing course/training
  • Loan is usually interest free until course completion
  • Other criteria may have to be met to determine when you should start paying it back

 

Grants (e.g. maintenance, dependants and special support grants)

  • Non-repayable
  • The amount you get usually depends on your personal/family circumstances.

 

Check out Student Finance for information on loans and grants. You might also want to look at the Times Higher Education job search. If you select postgraduate studentships/fellowships as your criteria, you will receive weekly updates on new funding opportunities.

Bursaries

Find a cost living calculator and general information on bursaries here.

  • Non-repayable
  • Ask the education department of your local authority or the university you’re applying to about available bursaries
  • The amount you get usually depends on your personal circumstances
  • Bursaries are extra sources of funding paid in addition to loans or grants

 

Sponsorship or scholarships

  • Non-repayable
  • These are competitive schemes that some government departments or industrial organisations may offer
  • Contact the company or organisation that you’re interested in about possible funding

 

Charitable trusts

  • The Educational Grants Advisory Service can help to locate funding sources from charitable trusts
  • The following publications may be found in larger public libraries
    • Directory of Grant Making Trusts published by the Charities Aid Foundation
    • Grants Register published by Palgrave McMillan
    • The Charities Digest published by the Education Grants Advisory Service

 

Other means of funding to consider

  • Employer support
  • Family support
  • Trade union support
  • Interest-free overdrafts from banks and graduate studies loans:
    • Check all high street banks for the best student accounts
  • University discretionary funds (e.g. hardship funds):
    • Check with the student finance staff for more details

 

Country-specific financial support

England

If you live in England, then a good starting point for your search is the Student Finance England website. Use an online calculator to get an estimate of how much funding you could get from student loans, grants, scholarships and bursaries from your place of study. If you’re planning to study part-time, you may be able to get grants to help with tuition fees and your course, especially if you’re in a low-income household or one that’s on benefits.

There are Adult Learning Grants (ALG) for those taking their first NVQ level 2 or level 3 qualifications or equivalent. This pays £30 per month during term time, is means tested and you must enrol on a course at a learning provider funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). You can still work part-time and get ALG but there is an income threshold depending on whether you’re a single income or double income household. Check with the learning provider for more details.

The Educational Grants Advisory Service (EGAS) offers a range of services providing information on funding for those in post-16 education in England. EGAS specialises in funding from charitable trusts and maintains a database of trusts and charities that assist students.

 

Scotland

If your home is in Scotland or you are studying in Scotland, the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) may be able to help with some of your funding. They provide a helpful online application process to assess your eligibility. 

A new pilot scheme to fund part-time postgraduate courses was introduced in the 2009-2010 academic year. Universities had to bid for funding resulting in 19 new and existing courses receiving funding through this pilot scheme. It’s worth noting that not all post-graduate courses are supported by SAAS under the Postgraduate Students' Allowances Scheme (PSAS).

If you plan to take an advanced postgraduate course (masters or doctorate level), you should approach the department of the University responsible for your proposed course for advice about funding. They will be able to advise you of the availability of awards from Research Councils and the application procedure necessary to receive one.

 

Wales

If you live in Wales, then a good starting point for your search for funding is the Student Finance Wales website.

 

EU

If you're a student from an EU country, you can apply for financial help towards the costs of studying in England, Northern Ireland or Wales. Help may also be available if you’re a migrant worker from an EEA (European Economic Area) country or Switzerland, or if you’re the child of a Turkish worker in the UK. The definition of a migrant worker is someone who is not a national of the country they're working in. A guide to funding and fees for international students can be found on the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website.

 

Funding sources

This section highlights some of the types of funding that you can consider when sourcing financial support for your studies.

Universities 

Government organisations

Direct.gov Student Finance

Direct.gov Student Finance provides information from the UK government.

Professional and Career Development Loans

A Professional and Career Development Loan could help you pay for learning that enhances your job skills or career prospects. It’s a bank loan, so you’ll have to pay it back once you’ve left your course. A wide range of courses are covered, lasting up to two years (or three years, if the course includes a year of work experience). However, you don’t pay interest for the period when you’re in learning.

To be eligible for a loan, you’ll need to be:

  • 18 or over
  • “Settled” in the UK, and have been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least the three years prior to the start of your learning programme
  • Intending to work in the UK, the EU or the EEA when the course finishes

 

Even if you meet these criteria, the final decision to lend you the money remains with the bank. How it works is that you make an agreement with a participating bank to borrow between £300 and £10,000. The difference with a Professional and Career Development Loan is that the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) pays the interest on the loan while you’re studying – and for one month afterwards. The interest rate that you’ll pay will be fixed at the time you took out the loan. Currently, banks offer the loans at a reduced rate of 9.9% per annum, which is equivalent to a typical APR of 5-6% over the lifetime of the loan. However this rate may vary from bank to bank. You can seek advice on how much it will cost to borrow by using the FSA’s Money Made Clear website.

Typical courses that may be eligible for these loans are:

  • Undergraduate courses, except full-time first degrees
  • Postgraduate courses
  • Professional qualifications, management or technical training

 

Professional and Career Development Loan aren’t for everybody. There are certain conditions that apply for which you can’t use this loan but other types of financial aid may be more suitable for your circumstances. 

Commercial and private course providers 

Other organisations

Charities

A number of small charities may offer grants for one-off purposes to young people or to those who fall into their selection category. The Skinners Company in London manage such charities as the Lawrence Atwell Charity which aims to help young people free themselves from poverty and disadvantage by heading into the job they want. Grants can be used for vocational training (below first degree level, say, at NVQ3 level), basic qualifications (e.g. NVQ 1 and 2) and the cost of finding work.

Sponsorship

Some employers sponsor students and offer other kinds of support. They may pay fees for people in their employment to undertake part-time postgraduate study, and they may offer support through work placements for undergraduate students who are part way through their courses. For people who are in employment and hoping to undertake a course, it is certainly worth asking the employer about sponsorship.

 

Searching for funding

This section highlights where you can start your search to get financial support for your studies. Check out the links we provide in Resources and Related Links on the right side of this page.