The path to postgrad study

Despite increasing undergraduate debt, more and more people are enrolling on postgraduate courses in the hope of improving their job prospects. There are currently 530,000 people studying a postgraduate qualification in the UK. Find out how you can join them.

What is postgraduate study?
‘Postgraduate study’ is the term for a range of courses and research opportunities available to students who have completed a first degree at university. It is an ever-growing trend; there are now more than 58,000 postgraduate certificates, diplomas and degrees to choose from in the Prospects Postgraduate database alone.

Different sorts of taught programmes in the UK include Masters courses, postgraduate diplomas/certificates, other specialist courses and a wide range of professional qualifications. PhDs and MPhils are the best-known research qualifications.

As well as those who have come straight from their undergraduate study, you can expect to find mature students, people studying at a distance and work-sponsored students. The majority of postgraduates now study part time, either as part of a continuing professional development (CPD) programme or as part of post-experience training.

How much does it cost?
Students enrolling on Masters programmes can expect to pay anywhere between £3,070 and £10,000, depending on what course they choose to study at which institution.

Students wishing to study law, finance or medicine, for example, may end up paying £5,000 or more and an MBA (Masters in Business Administration) can cost anywhere between £10,000 and £40,000. Students from outside the EEA (European Economic Area) often pay double the EEA-student rate.

You will also need to consider living costs. The cost of living is difficult to quantify since it will vary according to individual needs. As a general guide, the cost of living for an academic year is reckoned at around £8,000 in London and £6,000 elsewhere. But these are very rough estimates and much depends on individual requirements.

Who pays for it?
The loans and other help available to undergraduates are not generally available to postgraduates. The reality for the majority of postgraduate students is that they will have to support themselves by working part time or even full time.

But that is not to say that there is no funding at all. The best-known exception is postgraduate teacher training which is relatively well supported. Government bursaries are also provided for social work trainees and for at least some students on a few other courses, particularly in Scotland.

A further major source of funding is the Research Councils. They provide over 10,000 postgraduate studentships every year in the sciences, social sciences and the arts, and not just for research. Students applying for some specific taught courses are also eligible to apply for funding.

It is important that you look into funding as early as possible to avoid disappointment. If you are unsuccessful, however, you should not be deterred from taking up a course, as there are other means to support your study.

Alternative sources include institutional funding, charities, foundations and trusts and employer-funded study. More information on funding can be found in the Prospects Funding Guide, which can be picked up free from your university careers service. Alternatively, you can download the Funding Vidcast from the Prospects website

How and when to apply
There is no equivalent to the UCAS system for postgraduate study and unless you are applying to become a teacher, social worker or lawyer, applications must be made direct to the institution. Deadlines for applications vary depending on the course and institution, but if you are serious about further study and want to secure a place on the right course, it is essential you act straight away.

The majority of people apply for a postgraduate course in their final year of university, but that does not mean to say that if you leave it for a year or so you have missed out.

Whilst most universities have set deadlines, it is still worth checking with the individual institution as they may accept applications later in the year. It’s not too late to apply for a course after the summer months because in many cases there is no closing date as such and a lot of universities now have January start dates. Even if you are accepted onto a course and have to defer for financial reasons, you can do so.

If you are intending to start your course in September, though, it is advisable to get your application in as soon as you can.

Written by Joanne O’Connor

Why do postgraduate study? www.prospects.ac.uk/links/PGStudy

Funding my further study www.prospects.ac.uk/funding

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