Government funding for postgraduate students
Government funding for postgraduate students
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Fund your studies
One way to fund your postgraduate studies is through government funding.
You can get government funding for postgraduate study through loans, studentships, bursaries or grants.
Eligibility criteria, application deadlines and terms and conditions apply, so read below for government funding details.
Here you can find out about:
- PGCE funding
- Postgraduate loans
- Social work bursaries
- Doctoral loans
PGCE Funding 2023/24
General information
Home fee status students studying for a tuition fee-based Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) that leads to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) can apply for two types of funding and could receive both depending on their circumstances.
- Department for Education (DfE) tax-free bursary or scholarship for specific subjects only.
In languages and physics, trainees starting courses in the academic year 2023/24 will not need to be eligible for Student Finance to be eligible for a PGCE bursary or scholarship.
In all other eligible subjects, trainees are only eligible for a PGCE bursary or scholarship if they are entitled to support under the Student Finance criteria.
For more information, please visit the Get Into Teaching website.
- Student Finance funding: Tuition Fee Loan, Maintenance Loan, Discretionary Grants
Home fee status students studying a tuition fee based PGCE programme that leads to a QTS can apply for the same funding as undergraduate Home fee status students. This includes a Tuition Fee Loan and/or Maintenance Loan and Discretionary Grants from Student Finance where applicable. Eligibility for Student Finance loans and grants depends on nationality, residency, age, previous study, as well as the university and the course studied.
For more information on Student Finance eligibility please visit Student Finance for undergraduates: New full-time students.
Applications for Student Finance loans and grants can be made online via Apply online for student finance.
International Trainees
DfE recently announced the availability of the International Relocation Payment (IRP) for academic year 2023/24. This is a one-off payment of £10,000 which will be available to non-UK trainees and teachers of physics and languages (except English). This payment is a contribution towards some of the relocation expenses.
Eligibility including visa status and date of arrival will be checked by DfE. Approved funding for eligible trainees will be confirmed towards the end of term 1. IRP payment will then be made to eligible international trainees by 31st January 2024. This is not a loan and will not need to be repaid.
Trainees will not be eligible for IRP if they are already living in the UK or undergoing assessment only QTS. For further information please refer to International Relocation Payments.
How to apply for PGCE Bursaries or Scholarships
September 2023 trainees; please submit the completed and signed PGCE Bursary application form 2023/24 via email to ittfunding@uel.ac.uk. Awarded bursaries and scholarships are paid in ten monthly instalments directly into trainees’ UK bank accounts, starting in October 2023.
Please refer to the PGCE Guidance Notes 2023/24 for information on eligibility, payment details and implications of leaving your programme early with regards to your PGCE bursary/scholarship.
For September 2024 trainees; updated PGCE bursary application form and guidance notes will be available here from June 2024.
Scholarship applicants should apply to the relevant scholarship awarding body. Details are available via Get Into Teaching. If awarded a scholarship, please email a copy of your scholarship award confirmation letter/email, along with the above PGCE bursary application form to ittfunding@uel.ac.uk as certain eligibility criteria will need to be checked.
Withdrawals / Deferrals
Trainees must inform ittfunding@uel.ac.uk as soon as they decide to defer/withdraw from their PGCE studies to prevent overpayment of bursaries/scholarships. In case of overpayments, an invoice will be raised for the full overpaid amount, and trainees will be contacted via our Credit Control team to arrange repayment. Trainees must promptly repay this overpayment.
Further Information
For further information and advice on PGCE bursaries you can email ittfunding@uel.ac.uk or phone +44 (0)20 8223 4444 and ask to speak with a SMART Advisor (Monday – Friday, 10am-2pm).
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Postgraduate loans
Get up to £11,836 to fund your Masters Programme in academic year 2021/22 with a Postgraduate Master's Loan.
Loan Summary
Student Finance England provides a loan for postgraduate Masters study. The Postgraduate Master's Loan will provide non means-tested loans of up to £11,836 to taught and research masters students. It will be paid to students as a contribution towards tuition fees, living costs and other course costs.
Applications are made directly through Student Finance England.
Eligibility Summary
Loans will be available to UK Nationals, and individuals with settled status in the UK, who:
- have been ordinarily resident in England and have lived in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, for three years prior to the first day of the first academic year of their course
- are most recently resident in England
- have not moved to England from elsewhere in the UK and Islands solely for the purpose of attending the course
Students may be eligible if they are an EU national or they have residency status. For further details on eligibility, visit Student Finance England.
Brexit and Postgraduate Loan eligibility
If you're an EU, EEA or Swiss national beginning a Masters in England from August 2021 onwards, you will only be eligible for a postgraduate loan if you have EU settled or pre-settled status.
In order to apply for EU settled status, you would need to have been living in the UK before 31 December 2020.
If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss national studying a Masters in academic year 2020/21, you will be eligible for UK student finance support for the duration of your programme.
For further details please visit Student Finance England.
Postgraduate loan for two year Masters courses
If you're studying for two years, your loan will be divided equally across the two year duration of your programme.
Please note that tuition fees need to be paid in accordance with UEL's Fees Policy.
Social Work Bursaries
Award Summary
If you have been accepted for one of our postgraduate social work courses, you can apply for a bursary from the NHS.
Successful applicants will get help with tuition and living costs. You may be able to receive other allowances if, say, you care for a dependent adult, you are a parent, or if you have a disability.
Eligibility Summary
You must be studying a college-based social work course on the NHS-approved list. You must not already hold a higher education social work qualification, including the Diploma in Social Work (DipSW).
You must have been resident in the UK for the previous three years and to have settled status in the UK.
You cannot apply for a social work bursary if you are receiving support from a social care employer, such as paid time off to allow you to attend your studies, or payment of all or part of your tuition fees.
How do I apply?
You can apply for the bursary at the NHSBSA website.
Doctoral Loans
A Postgraduate Doctoral Loan can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate doctoral course, such as a PhD.
You'll be able to apply for funding for the 2022/23 academic year from summer 2022.
You have to repay your Postgraduate Doctoral Loan at the same time as any other student loans you have. You'll be charged interest from the day you get the first payment.
You can also get extra support if you have a disability.
Further information about eligibility visit gov.uk/doctoral-loan
Contact us
For more information, or for advice and guidance, contact our Student Money and Advice Team (SMART), who will be happy to help.
Phone: +44 (0)20 8223 4444
Web: login to My Portal, ensuring you have your login details (email and