Loans, scholarships and bursaries

There are many ways to finance your postgraduate studies with us. The funding avenues open to you vary depending on several factors, starting with what you choose to study. Explore what financial support you could get for your postgraduate degree here.

Most postgraduates pay for their studies using loans, scholarships and bursaries, and often a combination of the three. In case you're not sure – loans need to be repaid (depending on what you earn after graduating), but scholarships and bursaries don't. 

If you're applying for an undergraduate (Bachelor's) course or postgraduate research programme, or you're an international student, we also have information on undergraduate scholarships and bursaries, funding a postgraduate research degree and scholarships for international students (including our Transition Scholarship for EU students).

Loans, discounts and bursaries

Government Postgraduate Master's Loan

Most students fund their Master’s degree with a Government Postgraduate Master's Loan, which you can use to fund your tuition fees, living costs and other course costs. The loan is paid directly to you.

These loans aren’t based on your income or your family’s income, so you can choose how much you borrow, up to a maximum of £12,167 per course. You'll start repaying your loan after your course, once your annual income is more than £21,000. The loan starts accruing interest from the day you receive the first payment.

How to apply

If you’re an English national, you can apply for a Government Postgraduate Loan online through Student Finance England. If you’re a Welsh national, apply online through Student Finance Wales.

Alumni discounts

If you've studied at the University of Portsmouth on an undergraduate programme before, you may be able to get a 20% discount off your course tuition fee – use our alumni discount checker to see if you're eligible for this scholarship.

Master's in Architecture funding

If you're studying MArch Architecture, you can usually get undergraduate student funding instead of postgraduate funding, but you'll need to start your MArch course within 3 years of completing your undergraduate degree. Email our Student Finance Team for more details – student.finance@port.ac.uk.

MSc Social Work bursary

If you're a UK student studying an MSc in Social Work, you may be able to get a bursary from the NHS Business Services Authority. The bursary consists of a basic grant of up to £4,052 towards course tuition fees and £3,362 towards your living costs. You might also get a further maintenance grant of up to £2,721. You can apply for this bursary on the NHS Business Services Authority website. Please note if you receive the MSc Social Work bursary you are not eligible for the Postgraduate Master's Loan. 

Other sources of Master's funding

Charitable grants and bursaries

Some organisations, charities and trusts offer bursaries and grants. These are often given to high-performing students or people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

You can search for sources of Master's funding from charities, trusts and foundations on The Alternative Guide to Postgraduate Funding website. (Choose the ‘I am a prospective student’ option and enter our PIN – 7517 – and your email address to get your username and password.)

You can also use the following publications to search for grants. You can access these at local libraries:

• Educational Grants Directory
• Charities Digest
• Grants Register
• Directory of Grant Making Trusts

Postgrad Solutions

Postgrad Solutions now offer 15 bursaries across a number of subject areas. Visit their website to find out more and apply.

Staff discounts

If you or one or both of your parents works at the University, you can get a 30% discount on course fees. Email income@port.ac.uk to check you're eligible before applying for a course.

PGCE funding

If you're doing a PGCE, you can get undergraduate student funding, such as a tuition fee loan and a maintenance loan to fund your course. Depending on your circumstances and the course you choose, you may also be eligible for one of the following bursaries. You won't need to pay these back.

Primary PGCE Bursary

If you're studying PGCE Primary, you're eligible to receive a bursary of £1,000 from the University of Portsmouth. You don't need to apply and students starting in September 2023 will be paid in 3 instalments – with one instalment in each school term.

Secondary PGCE Bursaries and Scholarships

If you're training to teach at a secondary school in 2023/2024, you may be able to get a bursary of up to £27,000, or scholarship of up to £29,000 from the Department of Education. The amount you receive depends on the subject you study and how well you did in your undergraduate degree.

You don't need to apply for a bursary. If you're eligible, you'll automatically receive it. The following PGCE courses are eligible for bursaries:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Computing
• English
• Geography
• Languages 
• Maths
• Physics

Students studying PGCE English are also eligible to receive a bursary of £1,000 from the University of Portsmouth. You don't need to apply and students starting in September 2023 will be paid in 3 instalments – with one instalment in each school term.

Scholarships are offered by independent charitable institutions. They set their own eligibility criteria and you’ll need to apply through the relevant scholarship body. The following PGCE courses are eligible for scholarships: 

• Chemistry
• Computing
• Languages (French, German or Spanish only)
• Maths
• Physics

Research degree and PhD funding

To find out how to fund your research degree or PHD, see our funding your research section. You'll find details about research council studentships and bursaries, plus guidance on finding a funded PhD project at Portsmouth.

Financial support

Other sources of funding include financial support for postgraduate students with dependants and financial support for disabled postgraduates.