HELP! Postgraduate Financing and Scholarships

It is the first time for me to post on a forum, so I am feeling little nervous, but here we go…

My apologies if I am seen as free-riding on this wonderful service, as I have not contributed to any discussion or recommendation, but I am desperately in need of advice for financing my postgraduate study – which the application is closing in about 3 months time.

I am applying for Oxford, SOAS, Cambridge, LSE or Essex University (in order of preference). I was little too naïve to think that I will easily receive loans from the government to cover my postgraduate study, but it looks as if the government has no scheme of such. Only loan I may able to get is the Career Development Loan, but I have a bad credit score. I have been declined by my current bank account to extend my student overdraft. Therefore, I don’t think it is possible for me to get this.

I believe the only possible way of me financing my study is by scholarship, but how easy is it to get this? By that, I mean scholarship that covers the whole cost (about 15,000 to 18,000 pounds I am guessing) of study and living cost. I am on course to get first, but I would say my non-academic experience is pretty tedious, so I have no special skills to appeal to, I am guessing it is difficult to get a full scholarship – if any.

My tutor told me not to allow finance to hinder my prospect for study, but I really do not want to waste my time writing and assembling my application, then having my application rejected for not being able to meet the financial obligation.

I was thinking of taking a year off to work, but that will not cover the whole cost, as I will only be able to earn half of what I need – possibly less. Also, I am a little hesitant to use my year on unskilled labour, thus I will gain no experience, to pay for my postgraduate study.

Anyway, sorry for the long text but I am desperately in need of help. Basically, my question is “What is the chance of me getting scholarships for Oxford, Cambridge, SOAS, LSE, Essex” ?

Thank you!

How about emailing the unviersities in question and seeing what the likelyhood is? The chances are Oxford & Cambridge probally have more than the others.

Subject?

And is this for a taught Masters or Doctoral level research?

Humanities and Social Science courses dont have as many studentships/scholarships as for Science/Tech subjects. However there is some funding so dont give up hope.

The best thing to do, as already suggested is to contact the Dept (preferably the 'course convenor' or 'course leader') and ask 'what funding is available' for that course. Sometimes this isnt advertised widely, especially in relatively obscure subjects. There may also be Dept/Uni funding that actually doesn't get advertised outside the Uni at all.