Masters application process questions!

1) Is it possible now to get on a masters course starting 2010?

Maybe. Most MA's/MSc's start in September/October, so a lot of them might not have places. Some, esp taught courses, might, so ask. What course were you thinking of?

2) How long does the process generally last, inc. waiting for interviews etc?

Depends on the uni. My MA was a month in total, other unis might only take a couple of weeks.

3) Do you have to pay the fees all in one go or termly or how?

You have the option of both. You can pay in one go or you can pay in termly instalments.

Reply 2

hobnob

KayleeLand

1) Is it possible now to get on a masters course starting 2010?

Yes, but you'd have to be pretty quick about it, so brace yourself for a slightly hectic week or two. If you have specific courses in mind, get in touch with the respective departments asap. Unless the departmental website explicitly states that the course is full, it's worth asking even if the deadline is already, past, because if they do have places left over, they'll be quite happy to fill them, even now. As soon as you've found a department which tells you they'd still accept your application, get in touch with your referees so they have at least a few days to write and send off your references. Of course you'll need nice referees who are willing to do this at such notice. Limit yourself to two applications at most, though; you don't want to strain their patience too much because you might need references from them again in the future...
Once that has been sorted out, take a day to complete the application form and prepare all other documents (particularly financial proof - i.e. a letter from your bank or something similar - as this is quite important and may take a few days to get sorted out). Then start trying to find somewhere to live, because if you've left it this late it's very unlikely there'll be any university accommodation left, so you'll have to make the necessary arrangements yourself.
Then cross your fingers and hope for the best.

2) How long does the process generally last, inc. waiting for interviews etc?

There's no 'generally' here, really, as most application deadlines will have officially passed and you don't actually have much more than a month left until the beginning of term. At this stage, everything pretty much needs to be over within two weeks at most, so I'd say it's unlikely there'll be interviews.

3) Do you have to pay the fees all in one go or termly or how?

Most universities allow you to pay in termly installments, as tigermoth said.

Reply 3

KayleeLand

Blaj vlag nla

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 4

hobnob

KayleeLand

Thanks for the reply!

It's only the one course I want to apply for (and perhaps the OU but I've seen that their deadline isn't until 9th of Sept.).

I have somewhere to live... and have financial proof...

OK, good, that helps. :smile:

I've already sent an email & had no reply, so shall I send another email to a different person? Or to a general address?

It could be that they're still busy with undergraduate applicants because of results day / clearing, so they're taking a bit longer to reply. If the deadline isn't past, yet, there's no pressing need for you to get in touch with the department before sending off your application, though.

And do I need 2 referees? I downloaded the app form and it only has one part to send on to a referee... :s-smilie:

I don't know which department you're applying to, so I wouldn't know. :dontknow:

Two references seems to be most common, though.
Have a close look at the instructions for filling in the application form / instructions on the departmental website / the postgraduate prospectus. The number of references should be mentioned somewhere.