2. Tuition Fees
Standard Fee
For UK/EU students in 2011 was £3,732
This WILL rise by a small amount next year, but will NOT be affected by the
rise in undergraduate fees
Fee Flexibility
Fees can be paid in instalments
Part-time study: fees are split over 3 years (for a Master’s course)
Funding your Postgraduate
2012 postgraduate fees will be
announced in April 2012 Study
www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate/fees-and-funding
3. Cost of Living
Average = £6,000 - £8,000 per year
This varies according to circumstance and lifestyle!
Swansea = low cost of living compared to other University cities
Average Rent in Swansea = £55 per week
TIP: Welfare Warden positions (accommodation@swansea.ac.uk)
Course Costs can include:
Conferences
Field trips
Books and Printing
Thesis binding
www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate/fees-and-funding
4. The Naked Truth
There is NO government funding for most postgraduate courses
The Student Loans company does not support postgraduates
When you apply for a postgraduate course you are only applying for
the place – not the funding too
You will need to make separate applications for your funding
www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate/fees-and-funding
5. The Upside...
There are lots of sources of funding for postgraduate study
Most postgraduate students successfully manage to fund their
studies
Your postgraduate degree will stand you in good stead for your
future career
www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate/fees-and-funding
6. Sources of funding
1. Swansea University
2. Research Councils
3. Student Loans
4. Charities and Trusts
5. “Portfolio” funding
www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate/fees-and-funding
7. Swansea University Scholarships
Approx 100 Master’s Scholarships (all subjects) = 75% of tuition fee
1 x Alumni Bursary (all subjects plus LPC & GDL) = full tuition fee
Approx 10 PhD studentships (selected subjects) = tuition fees plus
stipend (£13,590 in 2011) - advertised January 2012
Funding your Postgraduate
Follow us on Twitter / Facebook for regular updates
www.twitter.com/SwanseaPostgrad
Study
www.facebook.com/SwanseaPostgrad
www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate/scholarships
8. Swansea University Scholarships
PLUS externally funded scholarships:
Access to Master’s Scholarships (Biological Sciences, Computer Science,
Engineering, Geography) = full fees + stipend (£5,529)
KESS Scholarships for MRes programmes (Biological Sciences,
Computer Science, Engineering, Geography) = full fees + stipend
(£9,835)
AHRC Scholarships (MA courses in Creative Writing, History, Translation
and PhD programmes in Celtic Studies, Film Studies, History = full fees +
stipend (to be announced April 2012)
www.twitter.com/SwanseaPostgrad
www.facebook.com/SwanseaPostgrad
www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate/scholarships
9. Research Councils
Government funded agencies which support research
Arts and Humanities (AHRC) www.ahrc.ac.uk
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences (BBSRC) www.bbsrc.ac.uk
Economic and Social Research (ESRC) www.esrc.ac.uk
Engineering and Physical Sciences (EPSRC) www.epsrc.ac.uk
Medical Research (MRC) www.mrc.ac.uk
Natural Environment (NERC) www.nerc.ac.uk
Science and Technology (SciTEch) www.scitech.ac.uk
Funding your Postgraduate
Funding covers MA/MSc, MRes, EngD, MPhil & PhD studies , and usually
includes:
UK/EU Tuition Fee
Study
Maintenance grant / stipend (£13,590 in 2011)
Contribution towards travel and fieldwork expenses
www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate/scholarships
10. Research Councils
Applications:
Most Research Councils do not accept direct applications
Usually, funding is allocated to individual departments which will
advertise studentships throughout the year
Eligibility:
UK/EU nationals “ordinarily resident” in UK for 3 years
Funding your Postgraduate
First-class or upper-second class degree in relevant subject
Competition for Research Council funding is intense, and deadlines are
Study
early, so you are advised to spend time putting together a strong
application
www.rcuk.ac.uk
11. Loans
Professional and Career Development Loans
Up to £10,000 available for courses of up to 2 years ‘that will help with
your career’
Available to anyone who lives in the UK and plans to work in UK or EU
The Skills Funding Agency pays the interest on the loan while you
study Funding your Postgraduate
www.direct.gov.uk/pcdl
Study
Loan repayments are NOT linked to your income, like student loans
www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate/fees-and-funding
12. Charities, Foundations and Trusts
Usually dedicated to a specific purpose
Often one-off amounts (rather than fees + stipend)
No standard rules on eligibility criteria and applications
Application deadlines often well in advance of the start of the course
Find out more: The Grants Register
available in your careers service, at public libraries and on
www.prospects.ac.uk/funding
www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate/fees-and-funding
13. Charities, Foundations and Trusts
Arts and Humanities
The National Gallery
Royal Historical Society
Royal Institute of Philosophy
Business and Social Sciences
The Leverhulme Trust
Social Workers Educational Trust
UK eInformation Groups
Engineering
Institute of Engineering and Technology
Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining
Worshipful Company of Engineers
Science and Medicine
Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research
Epilepsy Action
Heart Research UK
www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate
14. Portfolio funding
Most postgraduate students fund their studies through 'portfolio funding'
in which they gather funds from a variety of sources.
Putting together your own funding package requires planning and tenacity
BUT most postgraduates say that the experience was worth it !
Case Study:
Gemma Reynolds, PhD Psychology
Grant-giving bodies:
Funding your Postgraduate
• £800 from The Sydney Perry Foundation
• £500 from the Chelmsford Educational Fund
StudyPart-time work - Overseas Student Mentor in Psychology department
It pays to get published - £1,400 for a 10,000 word research review about
Down’s Syndrome for the charity Cerebra
www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate/fees-and-funding
15. International Students
• Contact the Ministry of Education or Education Department in your
own country for details of scholarships
• British Chevening Scholarships - get updates on Facebook
• Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan: Cover fees and living
expenses for courses of 1 – 3 years duration
• Some country-specific scholarships are also available
• For further information see: www.educationuk.org
•
Funding your Postgraduate
Part-time work: as an international student you can work for up to 20
hours per week which can help towards your study costs
Study
www.swansea.ac.uk/international
16. Finding Funding – our tips
Start looking early
Do your research
Apply for everything you can
Get expert advice from University staff
Useful Sources:
Prospects
• Funding Guide
• www.prospects.ac.uk/search_funding_bodies
www.postgraduatestudentships.com
The Grants Register – published by Palgrave Macmillan
www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate/fees-and-funding
17. Where can a research career take you?
Interdisciplinary Research Week
Bridging the Gaps: My Academic Journey
Wednesday 23rd November, 5:30 pm
ILS Seminar Room, ILS (behind Café Glas)
Notas del editor
PG fees vary among institutionsStandard fee – exceptions include the MBA, GDL, LPC, MSc Mass Spectrometry
Welfare Warden positionsin University residences:free accommodation in exchange for pastoral duties Rents in Bristol = £65, London £75
An offer of a place on a course does not mean the University will fund you
University Master’s Scholarships – application automatically sent to offer-holders.
ATM and KESS eligibility requirements -
I also wrote a research review for the Cerebra charity which paid me £1400 for a 10,000 word review about Down’s syndrome. I found this work after it was advertised in the Psychology department at Swansea University. I work as an overseas student mentor within the Psychology Department, working 6 hours a week (as this is the maximum work allowance in the department). My job involves academically and personally supporting the overseas students enrolled on the MSc Abnormal and Clinical Psychology course, as well as the MSc Research Methods students. I aid students in improving their academic writing, as well as giving small tutorials in order to reinforce lectures or provide academic advice. I was rewarded funding from two grant-giving bodies: £800 from The Sydney Perry Foundation and £500 from the Chelmsford Educational Fund. I found both bursaries by browsing the internet, when I first commenced my PhD, for grants that I was applicable for. The former is an education trust providing financial support to students under the age of 35, showing great promise. The later is my local education fund and supplies financial support for students who underwent secondary education in the catchment area (in my case, Chelmsford).