Confused about postgraduate loans

I graduated from my degree in 2022 and have applied for a Masters in Social Work (due to begin in Sep 2023) Just to verify, my degree and applied masters are not associated and in completely different sectors.

This is where the problems begin: I got accepted into my Masters (WAHOO🥳) but student finance has thrown me for a loop.

I can apply for student finance but I’ve heard it covers your tuition fees but nothing else? I know there’s also NHS bursaries available but apparently you can’t apply to the NHS and SFE?

I’m a little lost and every time I try to research I’m getting mixed messages.

Has anyone recently finished their Social Work Masters 1st year and has some advice?

I’m from a very low income family and don’t want to put myself into a position where I can’t pay rent etc. (Especially with todays living crisis lol)

Hiya,

It can be a bit of a confusing system, especially because it works a differently to the undergraduate system. We have some info on the site that will show you what's available. This will go towards both your tuition fees and living costs and it isn't as much as you will have probably had for your undergraduate course.

That said, your university may well have bursaries available; mine did and I was awarded a scholarship which paid my fees and so I could put the full loan amount towards my living costs. Your next steps might be to look at your university specifically and find out what additional help is available.

Best of luck!

Reply 2

emma_hatt0n

OP

4

Original post by Pwca

Hiya,

It can be a bit of a confusing system, especially because it works a differently to the undergraduate system. We have some info on the site that will show you what's available. This will go towards both your tuition fees and living costs and it isn't as much as you will have probably had for your undergraduate course.

That said, your university may well have bursaries available; mine did and I was awarded a scholarship which paid my fees and so I could put the full loan amount towards my living costs. Your next steps might be to look at your university specifically and find out what additional help is available.

Best of luck!

Thanks for the link! I've had a read but still very confused. If I go through with SFE funding, it wouldn't even cover my tuition 🙃 My course is around £9,000 per year and it's a 2 years course. I tried calling SFE but unfortunately they weren't much help.

Reply 3

PaigeDono

1

Original post by emma_hatt0n

Thanks for the link! I've had a read but still very confused. If I go through with SFE funding, it wouldn't even cover my tuition 🙃 My course is around £9,000 per year and it's a 2 years course. I tried calling SFE but unfortunately they weren't much help.

Hey! The way it works is, depending on your income etc you can get up to £12,167 for your postgrad studies. If you're course is more than one year then the £12,167 will be divided over 2 years so roughly £6,000 a year. I'm in the same boat as you as I got accepted into drama school which is £25,000 for 2 years. This means that I can use the £12,167 to contribute towards my tuition but the rest (around £13,000) I will have to pay for myself. Unfortunately, this is how it works for postgrad. I'm lucky enough to have got a scholarship for my undergrad so am putting money from this towards my tuition. I will also be applying for scholarships at my drama school. I suggest trying to look for scholarships and bursaries and working as much as you can. Hope this helps!

Reply 4

VoodooHannah

3

Original post by emma_hatt0n

Thanks for the link! I've had a read but still very confused. If I go through with SFE funding, it wouldn't even cover my tuition 🙃 My course is around £9,000 per year and it's a 2 years course. I tried calling SFE but unfortunately they weren't much help.

Same boat here, but my Uni has mentioned on the website that you can get the undergrad SFE package for certain postgrads inc Allied Health Professionals. It's the only place I've read this so far other than one other post in a different forum so hopefully the uni will email me back explaining and then we can ask SFE when it opens in May. I'll keep you updated in case it's true..! x

Reply 5

normaw

Clearing and Applications Advisor, Universities Forum Helper

19

Original post by VoodooHannah

Same boat here, but my Uni has mentioned on the website that you can get the undergrad SFE package for certain postgrads inc Allied Health Professionals. It's the only place I've read this so far other than one other post in a different forum so hopefully the uni will email me back explaining and then we can ask SFE when it opens in May. I'll keep you updated in case it's true..! x

If you post on the Ask Student Finance England forum with details of your uni and course, the SFE experts will advise you what funding you may be eligible for.

Reply 6

emma_hatt0n

OP

4

Original post by PaigeDono

Hey! The way it works is, depending on your income etc you can get up to £12,167 for your postgrad studies. If you're course is more than one year then the £12,167 will be divided over 2 years so roughly £6,000 a year. I'm in the same boat as you as I got accepted into drama school which is £25,000 for 2 years. This means that I can use the £12,167 to contribute towards my tuition but the rest (around £13,000) I will have to pay for myself. Unfortunately, this is how it works for postgrad. I'm lucky enough to have got a scholarship for my undergrad so am putting money from this towards my tuition. I will also be applying for scholarships at my drama school. I suggest trying to look for scholarships and bursaries and working as much as you can. Hope this helps!

You’ve got to find £13,000 towards tuition? That’s crazy 😭 I’ve tried the bursary/ scholarship route but all I’ve found is this: I can’t have the NHS bursary AND SFE loans. The NHS bursary gives more money but STILL only just covers my tuition (and as it’s a bursary, I’m not guaranteed it) I just don’t understand all if this! I come from a very low income area and the idea of doing a Masters full time, with placements, and working full time to pay rent seems IMPOSSIBLE 😔

Reply 7

emma_hatt0n

OP

4

Original post by VoodooHannah

Same boat here, but my Uni has mentioned on the website that you can get the undergrad SFE package for certain postgrads inc Allied Health Professionals. It's the only place I've read this so far other than one other post in a different forum so hopefully the uni will email me back explaining and then we can ask SFE when it opens in May. I'll keep you updated in case it's true..! x

HI!! Feels good to meet someone as confused as me lol 😆 Yes, I do know that if you’re doing a postgrad study in certain allied health professional subjects you can get a £5,000 bursary on the NHS, as well as, (basically) the same funding you got at undergraduate level from SFE.

Here’s the link:
https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-learning-support-fund-lsf

Unfortunately, Social Work doesn’t come under that category I don’t think 😞 Only nursing, OTs, physiotherapists etc. That’s what a lady from SFE told me on the phone the other week anyway.

Confused about postgraduate loans

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