08849 - Postgraduate Funding Leaflet 2023

POSTGRADUATE FUNDING

Information about the financial support available to students entering University in 2024/25

POSTGRADUATE STUDY– GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL SUPPORT IN GENERAL

Some government funding for students starting their studies in September 2024 has not yet been announced. Some of the information included in this leaflet is provided for guidance and is for 2023 entrants. This information is marked with *. Please see our website which will be updated with information for September 2024 as soon as it becomes available.

The following groups of students are normally eligible for funding from Student Finance England, Wales, Northern Ireland or Student Awards Agency Scotland:

• UK nationals and Irish citizens who have been living in the UK and Islands for 3 years prior to the first day of the first year of the course;

• Those granted settled or pre-settled status under the EU settlement scheme who have been living in UK and Islands for 3 years prior to the first day of the first year of the course, except for the sole purpose of education;

• Those granted indefinite leave to remain who have been living in UK and Islands for 3 years prior to the first day of the first year of the course.

If you have any questions about your eligibility, please contact studentsandmoney@winchester.ac.uk

Useful websites

www.gov.uk/masters-loan

www.studentfinancewales.co.uk/postgraduate-finance/

www.studentfinanceni.co.uk/types-of-finance/postgraduate/

www.saas.gov.uk/full-time/postgraduate-funding-information

www.winchester.ac.uk/studentsandmoney

NHS Learning support Fund

NHS Social Work bursaries

TAUGHT MASTERS FUNDING

Students who have previously received a Postgraduate Masters Loan are not normally eligible to apply for a further loan;

If you already hold a Masters degree or an equivalent or higher qualification you will not be eligible (Northern Ireland rules differ – see section below);

Students must be under the age of 60 on the first day of the first academic year of the course.

GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL SUPPORT

AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS NORMALLY RESIDENT IN ENGLAND

The Postgraduate Masters loan is a contribution towards the cost of studying a full, standalone Master’s programme worth at least 180 credits. Courses can be full-time or part-time with the following caveats:

• Full-time courses must be of one or two years duration;

• Part-time courses must be two to four years duration but no more than twice the length of the equivalent full-time course;

• Part-time courses of three years are eligible if no full-time equivalent course exists;

• Students studying a distance learning course must be resident in England on the 1 September of the first academic year (1 January if Semester 2 start date) of the course and live in England for the duration of the course if they are an EU national or live in the UK if they are not an EU national.

Students are able to apply for a loan of up to £12,471 and this is not based on household income. The loan is paid directly to the student in three equal instalments and can be used to help with the cost of fees and/or the cost of living whilst studying. If the course lasts for more than one year the loan will be divided equally across each year of the course.

Additional support available

Grants for students with a disability to help with extra costs.

How to apply

Applications can be made online using an existing Student Finance England account in the summer prior to the start of the course and only one application is necessary. Applications can be made up to nine months after the first day of the first academic year of the course.

GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL SUPPORT

AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS NORMALLY RESIDENT IN WALES

The Postgraduate Masters loan is a contribution towards the cost of studying a full, standalone Master’s programme worth at least 180 credits. Courses can be full-time or part-time with the following caveats:

• Full-time courses must be of one or two years duration;

• Part-time courses must be two to four years duration but no more than twice the length of the equivalent full-time course;

• Part-time courses of three years are eligible if no full-time equivalent course exists;

• Students studying a distance learning course must be resident in Wales on the 1 September of the first academic year (1 January if Semester 2 start date) of the course and live in Wales for the duration of the course if they are an EU national or live in the UK if they are not an EU national.

Students are able to apply for a loan of up to £18,938, which is not based on an assessment of your household income. The funding is paid directly to the student in three equal instalments and can be used to help with the cost of fees and/or the cost of living whilst studying. If the course lasts for more than one year the loan will be divided equally across each year of the course.

Additional support available

Grants for students with a disability to help with extra costs.

How to apply

Applications can be made online using an existing Student Finance Wales account in the summer prior to the start of the course and only one application is necessary. Applications can be made up to nine months after the first day of the first academic year of the course.

GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL SUPPORT

AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS NORMALLY RESIDENT IN NORTHERN IRELAND

A Postgraduate Tuition Fee loan is a contribution towards the cost of studying a full, standalone Master’s programme worth at least 180 credits. Courses can be full-time or part-time with the following caveats:

• Full-time courses must be of one or two years duration;

• Part-time courses must be two to four years duration but no more than twice the length of the equivalent full-time course;

• Part-time courses of three years are eligible if no full-time equivalent course exists;

• Students studying a distance learning course must be resident in Northern Ireland on the 1 September of the first academic year (1 January if Semester 2 start date) of the course and live in Northern Ireland for the duration of the course if they are an EU national or live in the UK if they are not an EU national.

Students are able to apply for a tuition fee loan of up to £6,500*. The amount depends on the length and cost of your course. The loan is paid directly to the University in three instalments.

Additional support available

Grants for students with a disability to help with extra costs.

How to apply

Applications can be made online using an existing Student Finance NI account in the summer prior to the start of the course. If your course is longer than one year your must re-apply each year of study.. Applications can be made up to nine months after the first day of the first academic year of the course.

* 2023 entrants

GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS NORMALLY RESIDENT IN SCOTLAND

A Postgraduate Tuition Fee loan and Postgraduate Living Cost loan are available which are a contribution towards the cost of studying a full, standalone Master’s programme worth at least 180 credits.

• Courses must be full-time and not available at an institution in Scotland.

• Full-time courses must be of one or two years duration;

• Courses delivered by distance learning must have a minimum amount of teaching or contact time between the student and teaching staff at the University. Please contact SAAS for full details of eligibility criteria for distance learners.

Students are able to apply for a tuition fee loan of up to £7,000*. The amount depends on the length and cost of your course. The loan is paid directly to the University in three instalments. The living cost loan is up to £4,500* for a one year course or £2,250* per year for a two year course.

Additional support available

Grants for students with a disability to help with extra costs.

How to apply

Applications can be made online using an existing SAAS account prior to the start of the course, or by creating a new account. Applications must be made before 31 March 2024 (date to be confirmed).

* 2023 entrants

MSC SOCIAL WORK FUNDING

There are two options for funding the MSc Social Work programme. Students are only able to receive one type of funding.

NHS Social Work Bursary (subject to availability of bursary places)

The NHS Social Work bursary (which you do not have to repay) will pay £4,052* towards fees each year and at least £3,362.50* to help with living costs, so total funding over two years is at least £14,829* and is not repayable. The maximum funding for living costs is £6,083* depending on household income. Additional funding may be available if you have an adult who is wholly or mainly financially dependent on you, a child dependent or require help with Childcare costs. You should check the NHS website: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/social-work-students for updates and how to apply.

The University is allocated a number of bursary funded places on the MSc Social Work programme each year. The number of places changes each year and it is not possible to guarantee that students who are eligible for a bursary will receive a bursary place on the course.

There are not enough bursaries for all social work students and the number of students that the University can nominate changes each year.

Currently students who apply by the UCAS deadline and firmly accept their offer by the NHSBSA bursary capping deadline (usually early August) are nominated for available social work bursaries, with any additional bursaries allocated to those who apply after the deadline on a first come first served basis. If the number of eligible applicants exceeds the number of students who applied by the UCAS deadline, we allocate bursaries using first degree classification for MSc Social Work Students. If secondary criteria is required after ranking by degree classification, we use the average of the year 3 modules as secondary criteria for the MSc bursary allocation.

MSc Social Work Students will be notified prior to the course commencing if they have been nominated for a bursary (usually early in September). Students must have fully completed the registration and enrolment process by the 30 September at the latest, otherwise the bursary may be re-allocated to another student.

If you are not allocated or do not take a full NHS Social Work bursary you are able to receive the Placement Travel Allowance of £862.50* per year and this will not prevent you from applying for the Postgraduate Masters loan from Student Finance.

Postgraduate Masters Loan

For students normally resident in England this will provide £12,471 of funding over the length of the course to help with the cost of fees and living whilst studying. Please see the Taught Masters Funding section in this booklet for full details of funding depending on your normal place of residence.

Both funding routes mean that additional money will be needed to cover the full cost of the course and living expenses whilst studying and we would recommend that students make adequate provision to cover their costs before embarking on the course bearing in mind that part-time work is difficult alongside placements.

* 2023 entrants

MSC PRE-REG HEALTHCARE COURSES

Students following MSc pre-reg healthcare programmes such as MSc Occupational Therapy on a full-time basis are able to apply for Tuition Fee and Living Cost support through Student Finance in the same way as undergraduate students

Students following these programmes on a part-time basis will need to apply for the Postgraduate Masters loan.

Students are also able to apply for the NHS Learning Support Fund which allows eligible students to receive:

• A Training grant of £5,000* per academic year;

• Parental support of £2,000*. If you have at least one dependent child under 15 years, or under 17 years if registered with Special Educational Needs;

• Money back for excess travel and temporary accommodation costs while you are on a practice placement;

Further details are available on the NHS BSA website: NHS Learning Support Fund | NHSBSA

PGCE FUNDING

PGCE students are not eligible to apply for the Postgraduate Masters Loan.

Full-time PGCE students are able to apply for Tuition Fee and Living Cost support through Student Finance in the same way as undergraduate students.

Additional support available

Grants for students with a disability to help with extra costs. Support may also be available for student parents in the form of Parents Learning Allowance and Childcare Grant which are both means tested. Students with adult dependents can apply for Adult Dependents Grant

Part-time PGCE students are able to apply for a Tuition Fee loan and a pro-ratad amount of Living Cost support according to course intensity.

Additional support available

Grants for students with a disability to help with extra costs.

How to apply

Applications can be made online using an existing Student Finance account from the spring prior to the start of the course. Applications can be made up to nine months after the first day of the first academic year of the course.

Full information can be found at www.gov.uk/teacher-training-funding Students following a salaried School Direct programme will not be eligible to apply to Student Finance as their course costs are normally covered by the school where they are training. They may still be eligible for a PGCE bursary.

Government PGCE Bursaries

The government provides financial support for students on both full-time and part-time/flexi PGCE courses dependent upon the subject which the student is training to teach. Bursaries are not available for the General Primary Education PGCE programme.

For more information visit the Get into Teaching website

* 2023 entrants

DOCTORAL FUNDING

Postgraduate Doctoral loans are available to students normally resident in England and Wales who do not already hold an equivalent or higher level qualification and who are not in receipt of a Research Council studentship. This funding is not currently available to students normally resident in Northern Ireland or Scotland.

The course must be in the UK and be a full postgraduate Doctoral course leading to a qualification such as:

• Subject specialist doctorates: a formal programme of study such as a PhD

• Integrated subject specialist doctorates: a supervised research project undertaken alongside a more structured taught course. Students must register for the doctoral degree at the outset to be eligible for the Postgraduate Doctoral Loan.

• Professional and practice-based doctorates.

The course can be studied at a University or by distance learning and can be full-time up to three years or part-time up to eight years.

The details of the Postgraduate Doctoral Loan will differ depending upon where you are normally resident in the UK:

Students normally resident in England (other than for purposes of education)

Students are able to apply for a loan of up to £29,390 and this is not based on household income. The loan is paid directly to the student in instalments over the length of the course and can be used to help with the cost of fees and/or the cost of living whilst studying.

Students normally resident in Wales (other than for purposes of education)

Students are able to apply for a loan of up to £28,650 and this is not based on household income. The loan is paid directly to the student in instalments over the length of the course and can be used to help with the cost of fees and/or the cost of living whilst studying.

Additional support available

Grants for students with a disability to help with extra costs.

How to apply

Applications can be made online using an existing Student Finance England account in the summer prior to the start of the course and only one application is necessary. Applications can be made up to 9 months after the first day of the first academic year of the course.

UNIVERSITY SUPPORT

Students are only eligible to receive one Postgraduate Scholarship for their course. Students who are fully or partially sponsored by their employer or another organisation are not eligible to receive fee discounts.

The following courses are not eligible for Scholarships in 2024/25 (eligible courses are reviewed each academic year and are subject to change):

MSc Forensic Psychology;

MSc Applied Sport Psychology

MSc Occupational Therapy

Any Postgraduate level Degree Apprenticeship

Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)

Postgraduate Access Scholarship Scheme (PASS) for students meeting the PASS criteria on eligible standalone Taught Masters Programmes (MA/MSc/MPhil)

To be eligible you must fulfil at least one of the following criteria:

• Previously been in receipt of Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) or be in receipt of a disability related benefit:

• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

• Attendance Allowance (AA)

• Employability Support Allowance (ESA)

• As a child or young person spent time in Local Authority care for at least 13 weeks since the age of 14, which ended after the age of 16 and have relevant Care Leaver status, as per the Children (Leaving Care ) Act 2000.

• Be a carer for a family member with long-term ill-health or disability

• Be currently receiving any form of means-tested state benefit e.g. Housing Benefit, Universal Credit

We also offer the Postgraduate Access Scholarship to:

• Those who have served in the British Armed Forces, either as a regular or reservist

• spouses/civil partners of those who have served in the Armed Forces, either as a regular or reservist within the past five years

• children, aged 30 or under, of those who have served in the Armed Forces, either as a regular or reservist

How to apply

Applicants must first have received a conditional or unconditional offer of a place on an eligible postgraduate taught Masters programme of study before completing the application form which can be found on our website.

The closing date for completed applications and supporting evidence for 2024/25 will be published on our website.

Alumni Masters Scholarship

The Alumni Masters Scholarship provides a 20% fee discount for all alumni of the University of Winchester regardless of year of graduation for full-time and part-time eligible Taught Masters courses.

Applications for the Alumni Masters Scholarship are not necessary, as fee discounts will be automatically applied to fee invoices after enrolment. However, course applications should be made by 15 May 2024 (for a September start) or 8 December 2024 (for a January start).

Course specific bursaries and scholarships

Please visit our website Postgraduate scholarships, bursaries and awards - University of Winchester for current awards that are available including eligibility criteria and how to apply

www.winchester.ac.uk/accommodation-and-winchester-life/scholarships-bursaries-andawards/postgraduate-scholarships-bursaries-and-awards-/.

Other sources of financial support

There are various organisations, charities and trusts who may be able to provide additional funding for postgraduate study. The following websites may be useful as a starting point to research what might be available:

www.prospects.ac.uk

www.ukri.org

www.fundsonline.org.uk

REPAYMENT OF LOANS

Students don’t start paying back their loan until the April after they finished or left their course. If your course is longer than 4 years (for example if you are studying a part-time PhD) you will start repaying in the April 4 years after the course started.

You will only enter repayment if you are earning over £21,000 a year (before tax and other deductions).

The amount you repay each month is based on income, not amount borrowed. You will repay 6% of your income above the threshold.

If you have a previous Undergraduate loan you will also pay 9% of your income above the relevant plan threshold, so total repayments could amount to 15% of your income.

Full details of repayments can be found at www.gov.uk/repaying-your-student-loan

Interest

Interest is charged on student loans from the day the first payment is made and will continue to be charged until the loan is fully paid back. The rate is set annually on 1st September.

The rate of interest is initially set at Retail Price Index, plus 3%. This means that the interest rate will fluctuate according to the rate of inflation.

Please visit www.studentloanrepayment.co.uk for interest rates and threshold rates.

MAKING A PAYMENT

How to pay

The University will accept the following forms of payment:

• Most major credit or debit cards (NOT American Express) via our online payment portal

• Instalments by Recurring Card Payment (RCP), to pay in instalments, please register your card on our online payment portal by 30 September 2023*

Please see our regulations for the payment of university fees and the terms and conditions.

Payment dates

For postgraduate students commencing studies in Semester 1:

• In full at (re)enrolment

• In two equal instalments by RCP. Payments will be taken on 12 January 2024* and 26 April 2024*

• In five equal instalments by RCP. Payments will be taken on the 1st of each month - 1 December 2023* to 1 April 2024* inclusive

For postgraduate students commencing studies in Semester 2:

• In full at (re)enrolment

• In two equal instalments by RCP. Payments will be taken on 26 April 2024* and 1 October 2024*

• In five equal instalments by RCP. Payments will be taken on the 1st of each month - 1 April 2024* to 1 August 2024* inclusive

For research students commencing studies in April:

• In full at (re)enrolment

• In two equal instalments by RCP. Payments will be taken on 1 May 2024* and 1 November 2024*

• In five equal instalments by RCP. Payments will be taken on the 1st of each month - 1 June 2024* to 1 October 2024* inclusive

Payment dates for 2024/25 entrants will be published on our website in due course.

*2023 entrants