Postgraduate scholarships and studentships
We offer many funding opportunities to support talented postgraduates,
ranging from research council studentships (such as
ESRC and
AHRC) and University scholarships, to awards funded by charities and other external
organisations. This includes,
in 2011, becoming one of just 21 Economic and Social Research
Council-accredited Doctoral Training Centres in the UK, following a highly
competitive selection process that cements our long standing reputation as a
world class centre for social science research.
Funding for postgraduate study is highly competitive so it is important
that you fully research the options available to you. The tuition fee loans,
maintenance grants and student loans for UK undergraduates do not apply to
postgraduates, so students usually explore a wide range of options to fund
further studies. It is important that you do not begin your postgraduate
studies without making sure you have enough money to cover all your academic
fees and living expenses.
You can use our
scholarship
finder to find out about funding opportunities that are available and
our international students may also like to view our
international student funding page.
Our main University of Essex Scholarship (available to all students) and our
other main scholarships and bursaries for Home and EU students are outlined
below:
University of Essex Scholarships
Our
University of Essex Scholarships support talented postgraduate students,
particularly PhD students, with more than £700,000 per academic year
distributed in the form of University of Essex Scholarships. Each department
has a share to support students.
In the Faculties of Law & Management, Science and Engineering and
Humanities & Comparative Studies we offer three types worth £10,000 for
research students or £5,000 for research or Masters students or £2,000
for research or Masters students. The scholarships are awarded for each
year of study during the standard minimum period of enrolment for your
degree, subject to satisfactory progress. For more information contact
the department to which you are applying. In some cases, departments may
also offer additional top-up teaching or research scholarships, which provide
opportunities to gain teaching or additional research experience.
The University of Essex Social Science Research Scholarship separately
offers PhD students studying in the Faculty of Social Sciences a selection
of competitive research and teaching awards.
All scholarships are available to UK, EU and international students
and to both full-time and part-time students. To be eligible to be considered,
you must hold an offer from our University and complete the appropriate
application form by the given deadline. This will be available to you via
your myEssex applicant portal after we have made you an offer for study.
Funding for UK and EU students
Research council funding
If you are from the UK or EU, then you may consider applying for a
studentship from one of the seven research councils, each of which fund a
different area of postgraduate study. Please be aware that the application
process is extremely competitive and applications always outnumber the
awards available. Individual research councils are listed below; please
consult their websites more details and application procedures.
Economic and Social Research Council Doctoral Training Centre
Scholarships
We have become one of just 21 ESRC-accredited Doctoral
Training Centres found in the UK, following a highly competitive
selection process. This honour cements our long standing reputation as a
world class centre for social science research. Our ESRC Doctoral Training
Centre means we can offer fully funded ESRC studentships across over 20
doctoral pathways. You can submit an application once you have an offer of
study with us.
Our ESRC DTC studentships encourage research into a range of social
science and related areas, including:
- criminology and socio-legal research;
- economic and social research;
- economics and econometrics;
- environmental governance;
- finance;
- health and organisational research;
- human rights;
- language and linguistics;
- management and accounting;
- politics and international relations;
- political economy;
- psychoanalytic studies; and
- sociology and social change.
The Essex Silberrad Scholarships
These scholarships are awarded to research students classified as Home/EU
fee status at the point of admission, who already hold a University of Essex
degree (either undergraduate or postgraduate). The
Essex Silberrad Scholarships
are awarded per annum and the amount will cover all your tuition fees and
approximately 50 per cent of average living costs per year of study.
Professional and Career Development Loans (PCDLs)
Professional and Career
Development Loans offer financial assistance to support your learning.
NHS funding
There is support for tuition fees and bursaries for living costs if you
are on our postgraduate pre-registration health professional training
courses offered by our School of Health and Human Sciences. Eligible courses
are MSc Nursing (Adult), MSc Nursing (Mental Health), MSc Occupational
Therapy, MSc Physiotherapy and MSc Speech and Language Therapy. These are
only open to UK and EU residents and, if you receive an offer of a place on
these courses, you will receive information on the funding arrangements and
how to apply for support.
Charitable trusts and grants
Information about charities and trusts that offer awards and sponsorship,
and their application procedures, can be found in the Educational Grants
Directory and The Grants Register. Copies are available in our Library and
most public libraries. The Educational Grants Advisory Service (EGAS) holds
a database of organisations offering educational grants and loans to
individuals eligibility to lenders, in accordance with federal regulations.
Private sponsorship
Some companies sponsor their employees in certain study areas. Companies
tend to favour degrees of value to their business objectives, which benefit
the employee’s career development within the organisation. Usually any
financial assistance offered by a company will be accompanied by a
commitment to continued employment.