Re: Applying for masters at this time of year
I am looking to apply for a scholarship alongside this so it can help me with living costs, as well as get a job while I'm there and/or over the summer in order to fund myself. I also have a few circumstances that could make me eligible for some, such as having leukaemia, from a low income household and being a first generation uni student, as well as having high academic achievement with straight A's on every subject and a first class undergrad degree.
I know I'm quite late to apply for these scholarships, as many I've looked at from several unis are already closed, but some are still open. I just need to know if anyone has found themselves in this situation before?
What's the worst that could happen if I accept an offer, start paying the tuition from my loan, and start uni (other than being a further 10-11k in debt for no reason) but then find myself in a situation where I have no money to pay rent? I could defer my studies and move home, which wouldn't be the end of the world.
I really want to go and study a masters, and this would hopefully be a better uni than where I attended (a mid range uni in the university rankings). Just trying to figure out if this is a manageable risk or something I should rethink entirely. I’d really appreciate any real experiences or advice
Hey!
Firstly, congrats on finishing your undergrad with great results!! Really impressive, especially given everything you’ve been through. It sounds like you worked really hard, so it makes sense that you’d want to continue with a master’s 🙂
You’re definitely not alone in stressing about living costs, it’s probably one of the biggest concerns most postgrad students have, me included, especially since the master’s loan often barely covers tuition. From what you’ve said, it sounds like you’re thinking really realistically about your options, which is good!
A few things to consider:
Scholarships & Extra Support
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You might still have some time to apply for needs-based bursaries or university hardship funds once you're enrolled, these can sometimes be applied for even after your course starts
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With your background (first gen, low income, medical circumstances, high academic performance), you sound like a really strong candidate for support, so it's definitely worth emailing the uni’s funding/scholarship team directly and explaining your situation in case they know of smaller or internal bursaries that aren’t widely advertised.
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Some unis also have sanctuary or discretionary funds that are given out case by case, again it's worth asking!
Accommodation
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Look into whether the uni offers postgraduate halls with flexible payment plans, or if they partner with affordable housing providers. Some unis have emergency accommodation support too
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Depending on the city, you might also find house shares with other students that are a lot cheaper than private student housing
Worst Case Scenario
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You're right, in the absolute worst case, you could defer or leave the course and move home. Not ideal, but definitely not the end of the world either!!
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If you're thinking ahead like this, chances are you’ll be able to make it work
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And don’t forget, being enrolled often opens the door to more support than being outside the system does.
Work Options
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Lots of unis offer part-time jobs on campus (library, admin, events) which tend to be flexible around studies.
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Some places also have graduate intern roles with decent pay, definitely worth asking if your chosen uni has those.
It always works out in the end, I had the same financial concerns, running through the worst case scenario constantly before I moved out, but if it all worked out for me then it definitely will for you too!! 🙂
All the best,
Gemma
Official LJMU Student Rep
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