Financing your studies
UK students (and some EU students)
Loughborough University Graduate School Full Fee Scholarships
Scholarships, valued at 100% of the standard UK tuition fee (£4,250) for the 2010/11 academic session, are open to prospective full-time taught postgraduate students who are UK residents. The awards will be merit-based as well as taking account of financial means.
These scholarships are funded by the Graduate School and the Loughborough University Development Trust, through the generosity of its supporters, most of whom are alumni.
Bursaries for Loughborough UK/EU Graduates
Many departments offer a bursary of £1,000 set against tuition fees, for the academic year 2010/11 to all self-funding full-time UK and EU postgraduate taught and research students who are not in receipt of any other University award and who obtained their previous degree from Loughborough University. Contact the department concerned for more information.
Other sources of funding
A wide variety of external funding is available, some of which are outlined below.
Career Development Loans
UK Government student loans are not available for postgraduate programmes. The Career Development Loan (CDL) is a deferred repayment bank loan to help you pay for vocational learning or education, available to all postgraduates students from the UK. It is administered by the Learning and Skills Council, with loans available from commercial banks. For information freephone: 0800 585 505
Industrial sponsorship
Applicants should ask the department in which they hope to study whether such funding is available. Those in employment should check whether their company helps fund postgraduate study. Information about company discounts/student loans for engineers is available from: Engineering Management Partnership, PO Box 81, Northgate Avenue, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP32 6EU. You can find more information at www.emp.ac.uk.
Awards – The Grants Register
The Grants Register, published by MacMillan, is a useful reference guide for grants and awards, and is available in most UK libraries.
The Official UK Directory of Graduate Education and Postgraduate Funding
Graduate Prospects is a comprehensive funding guide published in September each year by the Higher Education Careers Service Unit. For more information visit www.prospects.ac.uk
Arts and Humanities Research Council
Postgraduate studentships are available within the Department of Information Science. Apply through the department. For further details visit www.ahrb.ac.uk.
Economic and Social Research Council
Two types of studentships are available in recognised departments: a one-year training Masters linked to a three-year PhD (1+3), and a three-year PhD studentship for those who have already completed a programme of research training (+3).
For information contact the department to which you are applying. The deadline for submission to the department is usually mid-April. For application forms and further information visit www.esrc.ac.uk.
Natural Environment Research Council
Studentships are offered on a competitive basis. Apply directly to the award-holding departments. For information contact: The Natural Environment Research Council, Higher Education Section, Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon SN2 1EU or visit their website at www.nerc.ac.uk.
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Funding is available in many departments for doctoral study. Apply through the department in which you hope to study. For further details visit www.epsrc.ac.uk.
Work opportunities
One way of supplementing your income is to take a part-time or temporary job while studying. There are some employment opportunities on campus – see our Careers Centre and the Students’ Union Employment Exchange for further information.
The local press carries details of vacancies in the local area. Employment can interfere with your studying, and a better option may be to study part-time. Many of the University’s postgraduate programmes are offered part-time.