Prospects Postgrad 1

ADVICE AND GUIDANCE Postgrad 7 SOMETHING BORROWED Taking out a loan on top UK, Ireland and the Netherlands, to the Society for Underwater Technology (SUT), which offers scholarships to science students. The types of scheme available include studentships, scholarships, grants, bursaries, competitions and prizes. Some awards are others have very general eligibility criteria. For example, there are awarding bodies work of UK students in other countries or students of a particular ethnicity. There are bodies which make several just one. Most awards from these sources living. The majority of the awards made by the smaller bodies amount to a few hundred pounds a year and are provided to cover expenses such as travel and fieldwork. Sometimes awards are made solely for the relief of financial hardship. It is well worth exploring this option, as there well may be a charity out there offering funding for the course you are interested in. And it’s not just in science; the arts, business and social sciences too. To find out more, get hold of a copy of the Grant’s Register, a comprehensive guide to awards available from charities, trusts and foundations. Most careers services will have a copy of this for your reference. PART-TIME WORK The reality for most students further study, however, is actually through earnings from a part-time or full-time job. Universities understand that students have to work and so a lot of courses are structured to allow people time off for work and other commitments. It’s not an easy option but it is by no means unachievable. Thousands of students hold down part-time jobs whilst studying and make it through to Lane who combined her Masters with motherhood and her job performing cabaret. ‘I am one of the founding members of CanBootyCan, a dance group who perform at festivals and concerts all over the world,’ explains Kate. ‘I also make the costumes and realised that something that started as a bit of a giggle could be turned into a business, so I enrolled on an MA in Costume Design for Performance.’ Kate’s Masters has allowed her to specialise but it was a challenge to balance her commitments. ‘Working and studying and bringing up my daughter was a tough balancing act but being self-employed and working from to suit. I was working or studying at least six days a week but I don’t see any disadvantages. I think it is necessary to continue your study throughout your working life, so you are always at the forefront of your field.’ FURTHER INFORMATION of existing debt from your undergraduate days may not seem ideal but is an option for some. Career Development Loans (CDLs), are run by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) in partnership with three high street The Royal Bank of Scotland. CDLs are mainly for those pursuing vocational courses, law or journalism, for example. You can borrow up to £8,000 to fund up to two years of learning (three years if the course includes relevant work loan while you are studying but you are you’ve completed the course. You can agree a repayment period with the bank and it is important to read the small print regarding the rate at which you will repay it. You can also use your CDL to pay for other costs, such as living costs (food and rent) books, equipment, childcare and travel expenses. These costs must not already be covered by a grant or state benefit, however. CDLs are becoming more and more popular but it is important to consider how much debt you are taking on and how you will manage it. It’s also worth shopping around; a lot of high street banks will offer small personal loans to help you cover some of your costs. CHARITABLE OFFER There are lots of charities, banks, Barclays, The Co-operative Bank and dedicated to a particular purpose while established for the purpose of supporting the the other end successfully, including Kate experience). The LSC pays the interest on the hundred awards a year and those that make expected to start repayments one month after won’t cover both tuition fees and the cost of there are organisations dedicated to study in home allowed me to move my hours around foundations and trusts offering assistance to postgraduate students. Charities, foundations and trusts range in size from the Wellcome Trust, the world’s largest medical charity which awards hundreds of studentships each year in the is that they will need to use a number of sources to cover the costs of their study, whether that be with a loan and help from their parents, or with a grant and some savings. The most common way to fund To find out more about funding sources, pick up a free copy of Prospects Postgraduate Funding Guide from your careers service. You can also access the information online at www.prospects.ac.uk/links/fundstudy http://www.prospects.ac.uk/links/fundstudy

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Prospects Postgrad Autumn 2008 Contents: What’s Inside For Love and Money Cash for Qualifications A Tale of Two Students Meet the Postgrad People All Aboard The Postgraduate Environment Maths Market The Postgrad Programme Teacher Training Arts and Humanities Science and Engineering Business and Management Social Sciences

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