Funding Postgraduate Study Dr Emily Rozier Postgraduate Recruitment

Funding Postgraduate Study Dr Emily Rozier, Postgraduate Recruitment Officer e. j. rozier@bham. ac. uk

Courses with specific funding • Initial Teacher Education (ITE) • Tuition fee and maintenance loans • Training bursaries for some subjects • Social Work • Social Work Bursary and tuition-fee support (administered by the NHS) • Medical or Healthcare Sciences (e. g. Physiotherapy) • NHS Bursary (possibly for 2017 entry only) • Graduate-entry Medicine • Various support elements available from SLC and NHS • Advertised Ph. D opportunities • www. birmingham. ac. uk/dr • Look for ‘directly funded’

UK research councils If you want to propose your own research topic, or you are applying for a self-funded or competition-funded Ph. D, you can apply for funding from the: • Arts and Humanities Research Council • Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council • Economic and Social Research Council • Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council • Medical Research Council • Natural Environment Research Council • Science and Technology Research Council

Postgraduate Loans – figures • You can borrow up to £ 10, 280 (2017/18) • Interest is charged at RPI +3% • Repayments are 6% of earnings above £ 21, 000 (after graduation) • You will repay the PGL alongside any UG loans that you hold

Postgraduate Loans – eligibility • • • For all Masters-level programmes (taught, research and professional) , so long as you do not already hold a Masters qualification (or higher) The loans are not means tested – you only need to supply very basic information to apply You must be under the age of 60 on the first day of the programme Available to UK nationals who have been ordinarily resident for three years by the first day of their course (a temporary absence for study or travel will not harm an application) Students must also have been most recently resident in England, which means that Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish applicants need to already be living in England to be eligible (and not have moved to England just to study) The loan is also available to EU students (resident in the EU for three years) Only available to those taking a full Masters qualification (so no intercalated Masters) You can’t be in receipt of a bursary (e. g. from NHS or DHSSPS) You can hold other scholarships

Scholarships • Available through schools and departments at the University to which you apply • Majority cover tuition fees but some also contribute towards living costs • Competition is intense and applicants must be aware of deadlines (which vary) • Criteria and duration will vary, but selection is usually based on academic excellence • We offer scholarships exclusively for our alumni

Postgraduate Funding Database www. birmingham. ac. uk/pgfunding #Postgrad

Sponsorship • Sponsorship could be obtained from your employer. If you are currently working, you may be able to get sponsored by your employer if your prospective programme is relevant to your job. • Make the case to your employer as a training and development opportunity – how will it benefit your employer?

Charities and trusts • Charities, trusts and foundations offer nonrepayable financial support. Search for: • Educational Grants Directory • Charities Digest • Grants Register • Directory of Grant-Making Trusts • If you order a Doctoral Research Prospectus, it contains a link to the Alternative Guide to Postgraduate Funding: www. birmingham. ac. uk/drp

Part-time employment • Jobs, Skills and Volunteering at the Guild • On-campus opportunities are also available, e. g. Worklink, Unitemps and the Postgraduate Placements Programme • Paid teaching/lecturing • Become a PG Ambassador! • Remember the work/study balance • Learn more: www. birmingham. ac. uk/pgwork