The Financial Support team is there to improve financial awareness through information and effective delivery of student funding. They are here to help students with your finances, both by raising your awareness of the funding you could get and by helping you manage your money effectively.
What we do
Loans, charities and trusts
Postgraduate programmes are funded differently from undergraduate study. The competition for scholarships can be very intense, so it may be worth exploring alternative options such as those listed below.
Charities, foundations and trusts
Some charities, trusts and foundations offer funds to students who are undertaking particular routes of study and research. These range from large medical societies and charities through to very small organisations. The awards these organisations provide will range in value and eligibility criteria, which may include academic, sport, hobbies, parental occupation and residency.
There are various publications and reference books we recommend that you consult, including the Grants Register, the Charities Digest, the Directory of Grant Making Trusts and the Education Grants Directory. These publications can be found in any good library.
Alternatively, you can search for support from trust or charity organisations online at:
Professional and Career Development Loans
We are a Professional and Career Development Loans registered Learning Provider, registration number 8802. A Professional and Career Development Loan is a commercial bank loan that you can use to help pay for work-related learning. For further information on financial assistance to support your learning, please visit gov.uk or contact the National Careers Service on +44 (0)800 100 900.
External Funding
StudentFunder is a social enterprise that provides loans to UK, EU and international students on clear and fair terms. Offer-holders and enrolled students on Masters and professional courses can apply for loans or launch crowdfunding campaigns
Earn while you work
The University recognises that many postgraduate researchers need to undertake paid employment in order to fund their studies. It is the responsibility of individual postgraduate researchers to determine the extent of any paid employment they may wish to undertake, taking into account the potential effects on your academic study and also any limitations imposed by funding bodies such as Research Councils. As an employer, the University currently operates a 16 hours a week throughout the year limit in the hours of work it will offer full-time postgraduate researchers. (This limit is in line with restrictions imposed by certain funding bodies, such as the Research Councils).
Graduate teaching assistantships and other University work
Research students are eligible to apply for teaching assistantships, which enable you to undertake a certain amount of teaching on undergraduate programmes. They provide a welcome additional source of income while also broadening your academic experience. You can get details of the assistantships when you speak to the named contact about your research.
You can also supplement your income by acting as a demonstrator, or by engaging in tutorial or marking work. Again, your programme tutor or research supervisor can provide further details on these opportunities.
Part-time employment
'Jobs', based in the Guild of Students, can help you find part-time employment. Hundreds of vacancies are advertised online ('links to an external site). Postgraduate students are very welcome to drop in and discuss their employment needs with Jobs department staff. Worklink, based at the Guild of Students, operates alongside the Jobzone to provide students with on-campus casual work opportunities.
Student Mentor Scheme
The Student Mentor Scheme offers peer-to-peer support for any students living in university accommodation with a range of issues including, well-being, accommodation, finance and academic queries. If you are going to be studying at the University for more than one year and would be interested in becoming a Mentor. This is a paid role and you would be expected to be available for 2 4 hour shifts and a team meeting per week.
Further information about the Student Mentor Scheme at the Guild of Students is available by visiting the Student Mentor Scheme website (Links to an external site.)
The Postgraduate Ambassador Scheme
Each year, we recruit a team of enthusiastic postgraduate students to join our Postgraduate Ambassador Scheme. We regularly employ our ambassadors to support postgraduate recruitment activity and encourage prospective students to consider further study. The Postgraduate Ambassador Scheme is flexible and works around your timetable. You only work if you have no prior study or social commitments and there is no minimum hourly requirement.