Funding for postgraduate study
You can get funding for postgraduate study through loans, studentships, bursaries and grants - you might also get help from your employer.
You can now apply for funding for the 2025 to 2026 academic year.
Postgraduate Master’s Loan
If you’re starting a master’s degree, you could get a Postgraduate Master’s Loan to help with course fees and living costs. You can get up to:
- £12,858 if your course starts on or after 1 August 2025
- £12,471 if your course started between 1 August 2024 and 31 July 2025
- £12,167 if your course started between 1 August 2023 and 31 July 2024
Postgraduate Doctoral Loan
If you’re starting a doctoral degree, you could get a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan to help with course fees and living costs. You can get up to:
- £30,301 if your course starts on or after 1 August 2025
- £29,390 if your course started between 1 August 2024 and 31 July 2025
- £28,673 if your course started between 1 August 2023 and 31 July 2024
It is not based on your income or your family’s and it’s paid directly to you.
Studentships
Studentships are postgraduate positions that have funding attached for fees, living expenses or both. They’re mainly funded by UK Research and Innovation.
Teacher training, social work, medical and healthcare courses
You can apply for funding for:
- Initial Teacher Training
- social work - through a social work bursary
- some medical or healthcare courses - through an NHS bursary
- most medical or healthcare courses - through a student loan
Graduate-entry medical students can also get support from Student Finance England for fees charged over £3,465.
Charities and trusts
Charities and trusts sometimes provide grants, often for students from poorer backgrounds or those who’ve achieved academic excellence. Find out more at your local library in these publications:
- the Educational Grants Directory
- the Charities Digest
- the Grants Register
- the Directory of Grant Making Trusts
Learned societies
Societies sometimes offer funding for postgraduate or postdoctoral research. They include:
- the British Academy (for humanities and social sciences - postdoctorate only)
- the Royal Academy of Engineering (for engineering)
- the Royal Society (for science - postdoctorate only)
Other help
You might be able to get funding from:
- an individual - sometimes people donate awards to help postgraduates (these are usually offered through your university or college)
- your employer - they might sponsor you if the course is relevant to your job
- a Disabled Students’ Allowance
- the Student Awards Agency for Scotland if you’re from Scotland