In terms of tuition fees and main grants/loans - no. At least, not for the majority of postgraduate courses such as Masters or PhDs etc.

The Student Finance system only provides funding for tuition fees support, student loans and grants for undergraduate, rather than postgraduate courses.  The only exception is for teacher training students - e.g. those studying for a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) leading to QTS/QTLS.  See our ‘Teacher Training’ information for further details.

Students who already have a bachelors degree and study a new bachelors degree are not eligible to help from the Student Finance system for Fees Loans, Maintenance Grant & Loans and Special Support Grants. Entitlement to dependants grants and disability support from Student Finance can still be assessed.

However . . . .

Disabled Student Allowance can be paid for Postgraduate Students through the Student Finance system. It is not means-tested, and is based on equipment, travel, and non-medical assistance costs that you incur on your course as a result of your disability. See the information further down this webpage.

In recent years, the University of Sunderland has offered a postgraduate study discount of £750 to all UK / EU Sunderland alumni (graduates of the University). The discount means that a Masters course with a tuition fee of £4,050 will cost £3,300. The discount applies to graduates returning to the University to start a full-time MA or MSc course. Check the University’s website for 2015/16 updates - http://www.sunderland.ac.uk/pg/alumnidiscount/

The University of Sunderland had 83 scholarships of £10,000 each to give to postgraduate students joining the University in September/October 2015.  The £10,000 scholarship covered all of the tuition fee, and also some living costs.

One of the main sources of government funding for postgraduate students in the UK.  To be eligible for a Research Council award you must be ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK for at least 3 years before your application.  You normally need to have a 1st-Class or 2:1 Honours degree from a UK higher education institution.  The awards are offered on a competitive basis and in many areas only a small percentage of applicants are successful.  Generally, funding is easier to obtain in science and engineering than in arts and social sciences.

There are a variety of awards.  For example:

Advanced Course Studentships – for Master’s courses usually of one year’s duration.

Standard Research Studentships – for PhD or MPhil students on programmes of up to 3 years’ full-time or 5 years’ part-time.

Research Masters Training Awards – usually of one year’s duration.

Collaborative Awards in Science and Engineering (CASE) – these are similar to Standard Research Studentships but involve collaboration with industry, a public body or government research unit.

Detailed information on the funding available and the fields covered by the Research Councils can be found on the Prospects website www.prospects.ac.uk or from the Research Councils’ own websites:

• Arts and Humanities Research Council – www.ahrc.ac.uk
• Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) – www.bbsrc.ac.uk
• Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) – www.esrc.ac.uk
• Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) – www.epsrc.ac.uk
• Medical Research Council (MRC) – www.mrc.ac.uk
• Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) – www.nerc.ac.uk
• Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) – www.scitech.ac.uk

Students are also advised to check the University’s job vacancy website, as studentships are also advertised here: http://services.sunderland.ac.uk/hr/staffrecruitment/vacancies/

We are a Professional and Career Development Loans registered Learning Provider, registration number 3855. 

A Professional and Career Development Loan is a loan that you can use to help pay for work-related learning. For further information please visit www.gov.uk/career-development-loans/overview or contact the National Careers Service on 0800 100 900.

Some banks offer deferred payment ‘professional study loans’. To qualify you would generally need to have a current account with the bank too, and the loans can be restricted by subject area. Check with your bank for their study loan options.

Scholarships that provide full funding for postgraduate studies are rare; most scholarships tend to provide a contribution towards costs.  Some higher education institutions and professional institutions do have scholarship funds.  There is an internet search engine for scholarships – www.scholarship-search.org.uk

Also try www.postgraduatestudentships.co.uk and the Target Courses website at - https://targetpostgrad.com/advice/funding-advice   

Two major charities to fund postgraduate research are the Wellcome Trust  www.wellcome.ac.uk and the Professional Aid Council http://www.professionalsaid.org.uk/.

There are many other charities and trusts that can sometimes provide financial help to students – but their funding is limited and often only provides contributions on the basis of exceptional financial need/hardship.  They also tend to have wide ranging eligibility criteria.

Try the Grants Search on www.turn2us.org.uk and at Target Courses https://targetpostgrad.com/advice/funding-advice 

The NHS Grants Unit provides bursaries for courses leading to registration in the Allied Health Professions (AHPs) such as nursing, midwifery, physiotherapy, radiography.  Bursaries are available for postgraduate level courses.

If you have completed an undergraduate course for which you have received Student Support funding and choose to study an AHP course which is also at undergraduate level (a diploma in nursing or midwifery, or a bachelor’s degree) you may still receive NHS funding.  Diploma courses attract a non-means tested bursary. 

Information regarding the bursary system and eligibility for support can be found at – http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/Students.aspx

In recent years, a non-income assessed bursary has been provided to students training to become social workers.  This has included bursaries for students who have previously studied other subjects at degree level, and masters degree students. There are a limited amount of funded places allocated to each University.

More information is available on the NHS Business Services Authority website – http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/Students.aspx

The Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) runs a Postgraduate Students’ Allowances Scheme which offers awards for professional and vocational training.  These awards are made to Scottish-domiciled students studying anywhere in the UK on short courses usually at diploma level.  The awards are discretionary rather than mandatory.  Check the SAAS website for further information – www.saas.gov.uk

The Department for Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland (DELNI) provides funding for Northern Ireland-domiciled students and students from the rest of the UK who wish to study at postgraduate level in Northern Ireland.  EEA students may receive a fees only award.  You need to be ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland at the time of application.  DELNI also provides funding for full-time study in vocational courses.  Check the DELNI website for further information – www.delni.gov.uk

It may also be useful to contact your Faculty of study, as they may have information on sources of funding over and above that which is available to the Student Financial Advice team. For example, in recent years our Faculties have secured funding for Careers Guidance courses, and some Science/ICT areas.

If your course is a vocational course, further information may also be available from the national professional body for your chosen career.

DSAs are available to postgraduate students to help with study related costs.  You apply to your national Student Finance office.  Detailed information is available in the booklet ‘Bridging the gap: a guide to the Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) in higher education’ , from the Student Finance website www.gov.uk/student-finance. 

Contact the Disability Support Team in the Edinburgh Building at City Campus for help in applying for DSAs.

Postgraduate students are eligible to apply to the University Hardship Fund, which is the University's own fund that is intended to offer assistance to students facing exceptional costs or financial difficulties.  Postgraduate students are expected to have substantive funding available for their studies and the University Hardship Fund will not ‘top up’ the income of those who have started their course without securing sufficient funding. It also cannot be used to pay tuition fees.