Student finance:

Postgraduate support

The University of Essex has a thriving postgraduate community. We offer many funding opportunities to support postgraduate study, ranging from research council studentships and university scholarships to awards funded by charities and other external organisations.

Funding for this level of study is highly competitive so it is important that you fully research the options available to you. It is important that you do not begin postgraduate study without ensuring you have enough money to cover all your academic fees and living expenses. The links on this page will help you and you can also contact any of our departments or our postgraduate admissions team for advice. You should also look at the National Postgraduate Committee’s funding guide.

Funding for research degrees (PhDs, Integrated PhDs, Professional Doctorates)

The UK has seven Research Councils which offer doctoral funding. Essex offers ESRC and AHRC studentships. These are available to UK and EU students and cover fees and living costs for up to three years of full-time study or six years of part-time study. Funding usually covers the cost of a Masters degree followed by a PhD. A smaller amount of funding is available to those who already hold a Masters in an appropriate discipline. University of Essex Scholarships support talented postgraduates from all nationalities and contribute to the costs of tuition fees. In some cases, living expenses may also be provided. University of Essex also has other sources of funding and bursaries available to postgraduates. International students can apply for funding to support doctoral study in the UK from a number of sources: national governments, charitable organisations, the British Council and private employers.

Funding for taught postgraduate courses (MA, MSc, MRes, LLM)

Many students meet the costs of studying through a combination of personal savings, family savings, loans and part-time employment. The tuition fee loans, maintenance grants and student loans available for UK undergraduates do not apply to postgraduates which means you should explore other sources of funding for your studies. The UK research councils offer funding for some students undertaking Masters degrees as part of a wider doctoral degree. Essex offers a number of Masters which are approved by the ESRC and the AHRC for this purpose. Health organisations, such as the Royal College of Nursing, offer funding to support students on certain postgraduate courses. Some student loans are available to postgraduate students.

Postgraduate employment opportunities at the University of Essex

Most postgraduates fund their studies through employment. JobsOnline is a good place to start looking for work. Some doctoral students are employed as Graduate Teaching Assistants within their department.