-Student Money Service

Financing your studies
image of University Crest

Quick links

Information

Financial support for postgraduate study at the University of Bath

This section describes some of the financial support available for postgraduate study at the University of Bath at the time that this prospectus was published (August 2007). Please check the Graduate Office website for up-to-date information. Further information about the financial aspects of undertaking postgraduate study at Bath is given at 'What are the costs of postgraduate study at the University of Bath?', and the discount for Bath alumni is described on 'Engaging our Postgraduates'.

Please bear in mind that various organisations will have different eligibility criteria, but all of the awards are highly competitive and will be allocated to truly outstanding candidates.

Awards available to all research students

University Studentships
Type of study supported: Full-time research
Eligible candidates: All research students
Subject areas: All
Provision: ‘Home’ tuition fee, training support fee and living allowance
Maximum duration: Three years

The University normally offers around 40 Studentships each academic year. They normally cover the tuition fee at the ‘home’ rate (£3800 pa in 2007-8), a training support fee to cover consumables of up to £1000 pa, and a living allowance at or better than the rate offered by the relevant Research Council. Maintenance allowances for University Studentships were paid at £12600 in 2007-8. Studentships are normally tenable for up to three years and are conditional upon satisfactory progress. If you are applying for a full-time research programme and wish to be considered for a University Studentship, please indicate this on your application form (in Section 3).

Awards available to ‘Overseas’ fee payers only

All ‘overseas’ fee payers are strongly advised to contact the British Council in their country for advice about funding. There are only limited funds available, and the processes for securing funding can be long and tiring. You will need to have secured funding for the entire length of your proposed study before you come to the UK. If you are intending to bring your family with you, please think about this very carefully and discuss the considerable financial implications of doing so with the University’s Student Money Advisors before you commit yourself.

ORS awards
Type of study supported: Full-time research
Eligible candidates: Overseas fee payers only
Subject areas: All
Provision: Difference between home and overseas tuition fee
Maximum duration: Three years

Overseas Research Student (ORS) awards are available only to full-time research students liable for the ‘overseas’ tuition fee. They are tenable for up to three years, subject to satisfactory progress by the student and cover the difference between the ‘home’ and ‘overseas’ tuition fees only. Since 2006, the University has awarded all new ORS-holders an additional studentship that covers the ‘home’ fee together with a living allowance (£12600 pa in 2007-8).

Competition for ORS awards is extremely fierce. Nine awards were offered in 2006-7. If you would like more information, including an application form, please contact the Graduate Office or the Department or School in which you intend to study. The closing date for receipt of applications in the academic Departments/Schools is normally mid-February for entry the following October. For up-to-date information please visit www.bath.ac.uk/grad-office/finance/ors.html

Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme (formerly DFID Shared Scholarship Scheme)
Eligible candidates: Students from developing Commonwealth countries, not employed by the government or other state organisations, who have not undertaken studies lasting one year or more in a developed country and are unable to meet the costs of the course themselves.
Subject areas: MSc Economics MSc International Development MRes International Development MSc Wellbeing and Human Development
Provision: Tuition fees plus other expenses
Maximum duration: One year

Further details are available from the Department of Economics and International Development. If you wish to be considered for an award, please indicate this when you apply for admission to the programmes listed above.

British Council Awards

A range of awards is available from the British Council. Please contact your local British Council representative for further details.

Type of study supported: All
Eligible candidates: Overseas fee payers from non-EU countries
Subject areas: All
Provision: Various
Maximum duration: Three years

Further details are available at: www.britishcouncil.org

Federal Student Loans Programme

The University of Bath is registered with the US Department of Education in Washington DC as an eligible foreign institution for the Federal Student Loans Programme.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office British Chevening Scholarships

British Chevening Scholarships are advertised through the British Embassy or High Commission in your home country. Most of the recent Chevening Scholarship holders at the University of Bath have been studying in the area of Management.

Type of study supported: Full-time taught course
Eligible candidates: Overseas fee payers
Subject areas: All
Provision: Tuition fees (discounted by 20%) and living expenses
Maximum duration: One year

Further details may be obtained from the British Embassy or High Commission in your home country, or from Overseas Students Policy Section, Cultural Relations, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Whitehall, London, SW1A 1AH.
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7270 1500 Web: www.chevening.com

Commonwealth Scholarships
Type of study supported: Full-time taught and research
Eligible candidates: Candidates who are permanently resident citizens of either a Commonwealth country (excluding the UK) or a British dependent territory, under 35 years old and have obtained a University degree within the last 10 years.
Subject areas: All
Provision: Tuition fees and living expenses
Maximum duration: Three years

Further details are available from the Ministry of Education in your home country or from the Association of Commonwealth Universities, 36 Gordon Square, London WC1H 0PF
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7380 6700 Email: info@acu.ac.uk Web: www.acu.ac.uk

Awards available to ‘Home/EU’ fee payers only

Research Councils

The main source of funding for postgraduate UK and EU students is the Research Councils. The subject areas they cover are as follows:

Arts and Humanities Research Council

Research and some taught programmes in Humanities, Modern Languages and Architecture.
Web: www.ahrc.ac.uk

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)

Research in Biological Sciences.
Web: www.bbsrc.ac.uk

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)

Research and some taught programmes in Science, Engineering and Management.
Web: www.epsrc.ac.uk

Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)

Research in Social Sciences, Education and Management, and some taught courses (NOT including any in the School of Management).
Web: www.esrc.ac.uk

Medical Research Council

Research in Medicine-related subjects.
Web: www.mrc.ac.uk

Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)

Research in Physics.
Web: www.stfc.ac.uk

The Research Councils run their studentship schemes in different ways: some provide the University with a block of money (Doctoral or Masters Training Account) which it then allocates to students, while others run an open competition in which students are required to submit a detailed application, usually by 1 May preceding the start of the programme of study. You can find out more by visiting the relevant Research Council website, or by contacting the University Department in which you wish to study.

Other sources of information

This listing is far from exhaustive. You should contact the academic Department in which you wish to study for up-to-date information, and also consider consulting such publications as: