Postgraduate prospectus
Tuition fees and funding
Tuition fees for 2011-12 will vary by subject but for guidance are:
Home and EU fee per annum*
Masters £3,750 to £15,000
MBA £15,000
Research degrees £3,465**
Certificates and Diplomas £1,780 to £6,360
International fees per annum*
Masters £10,750 to £15,000
MBA £15,000
Research degrees £10,750 to £12,750
Certificates and Diplomas £4,300 to £10,200
*Guidance for applicants in determining whether they will be regarded as home, EU or overseas students for fees purposes is available.
** 2011-12 fee not yet decided so 2010-11 fee given for guidance.
The most up-to-date fees for all taught courses and research degrees can be found
on the at: Tuition fee information.
Tuition fees include all academic tuition or supervision, use of the Library and IT
facilities, registration, initial examination and graduation, and subscription towards the cost
of student societies, sports and other social amenities. The fees do not include residence or
living costs, or special re-examination fees. Research students in Biological Sciences may be
required to pay ‘bench fees’ for laboratory materials, depending on their area of research.
Bench fees will be included with any offer of study. The University reserves the right to review
the fees chargeable for each academic year.
Fees for part-time study are proportionate to the full-time fee. For half-time study the
annual fee is half the full-time fee.
Payment of tuition fees
Tuition fees can be paid in full at the start of the academic year, or in three equal
instalments in October, January and April. At least one instalment must be paid in order to
register. We also have a discount scheme for those paying three terms in full, in advance.
You will be sent full details when your place is confirmed. Payments must all be in Sterling and
can be made with credit or debit cards, cheques, cash or bank transfer.
Equivalent Level Qualification (ELQ)
Home and EU students who already have a qualification at the same level as the course they
wish to take at the University of Essex will be classified as ELQ students for fees purposes.
ELQ fees are higher than standard fees for home and EU students. This is because the University
does not receive funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) for
students assessed as having ELQ fee status. Exemptions to the ELQ policy may apply; this will be
determined in individual cases by Graduate Admissions during the admissions process
Living expenses
The amount of money you will require for living expenses (accommodation, food, books, clothing,
local travel and entertainment) will vary according to your interests and means. As a guide, for
2010-11 we recommend you should have at least £600 per month available for living expenses, in
line with the student visa requirements of the UK Border Agency (UKBA). This estimate applies to
single students living in University accommodation, and allows for an adequate standard of
living, but does not take account of any personal interests, such as sports or hobbies involving
special expenses, nor does it include the cost of international travel.
If you are accompanied by dependants, the costs of accommodation will be considerably higher.
Information on costs will be included in your offer letter and up-to-date information on the cost
of living is available on the student finance page.
Our estimated typical living costs for nine or twelve months are:
Single student living in University accommodation: £6,200 (nine months) £7,500 (twelve months)
Student with spouse living in University accommodation: £10,000 (nine months) £13,000 (twelve months)
Student with spouse and one child in private accommodation: £15,500 (nine months) £20,000 (twelve months)
Student with spouse and two children in private accommodation: £18,000 (nine months) £23,000 (twelve months)
Financial liability
Before finally confirming your place, we will ask you for an assurance that you have
sufficient funds to meet all tuition fees and living expenses. Details of likely costs are set
out above and up-to-date financial information is sent to all applicants who are holding an offer
of a place.
Sources of financial support
Funding for postgraduate study is highly competitive so it is important that you fully
research the options available to you. The tuition fee loans, maintenance grants and student
loans for UK undergraduates do not apply to postgraduates so students usually have to explore a
wide range of options to fund their studies. It is important that you do not begin a programme of
study without making sure you have enough money to cover all of your academic fees and living
expenses.
For research degrees, a limited amount of funding is available from the UK and overseas
governments who are keen to promote knowledge and research excellence amongst their citizens.
The choice of subject may be restricted. Further guidance is available below.
For taught courses, most students will meet the costs of studying through a combination of
personal savings, family savings, loans and part-time employment. Most postgraduates will find
employment alongside their studies and the Careers Centre at the Colchester Campus and the
JobShop at the Southend Campus are good places to start looking for part-time work.
If you are an overseas student, you should check whether your government provides loans for
overseas study at taught or research level.
University of Essex Scholarships
The University of Essex Scholarships support talented postgraduate students from the UK, the
EU and overseas, particularly PhD students, to study at the University. The scholarships are
awarded annually by departments, schools and centres who identify eligible students.
The awards are for up to three years and are designed for students who would be unable to take
up a place without them.
For further details of the scholarships and how to apply, please
visit:
Scholarships web page.
Sources of financial support for UK and EU students
Research Council funding
UK and EU students may wish to consider applying for a studentship from one of the seven
Research Councils, each of which fund a different area of postgraduate study. The
application process for awards is extremely competitive and applications always outnumber the
awards available. The individual Research Councils are listed below. Please consult their
websites for more details of the awards on offer and the application procedures.
The Essex Silberrad Scholarships
These scholarships are awarded to research students classified as Home/EU fee status at the
point of admission, who already hold a University of Essex degree (either undergraduate or
postgraduate). Three scholarships are awarded per annum and the amount of the scholarship will
cover all tuition fees and contribute approximately 50 per cent of average living costs per year
of study. Details of the application procedures and deadlines are available
at the University Support
web page.
Essex Opportunity Scholarships
Nationals of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland or Romania,
residing in those countries, are eligible for a scholarship of £1,000 if they
register for a taught postgraduate course at the University in October 2011. For
more information please visit:
University Support web
page.
Professional and Career Development Loans (PCDLs)
For information on financial assistance to support your learning, please
visit: Adult Learning website or contact them by telephoning: +44 (0)800 100900.
NHS funding
Support for tuition fees and bursaries for living costs are available to students on the
postgraduate pre-registration health professional training courses offered by the School of
Health and Human Sciences. The courses which are eligible for support are MSc Nursing (Adult),
MSc Nursing (Mental Health), MSc Occupational Therapy, MSc Physiotherapy and MSc Speech and
Language Therapy. These courses are only open to UK and EU residents.
UK and EU postgraduate pre-registration students are eligible for tuition fee support. UK
residents may also apply for assistance with living costs. If you receive an offer of a place on
these courses, you will receive information on the funding arrangements and how to apply for
support.
Private loans
Many postgraduates use private loans to fund all or part of the cost of study. Most commercial
banks will offer an educational loan and you should compare information on the different
products available to identify the one which best meets your needs.
Charitable trusts and grants
Information about charities and trusts that offer awards and sponsorship to students and their
application procedures can be found in the Educational Grants Directory and The Grants Register.
Copies of these are available in the University Library and in most public libraries. The
Educational Grants Advisory Service (EGAS) holds a database of organisations offering educational
grants and loans to individuals studying in the UK. You can find more information on
Family Action
website.
Private sponsorship
Some companies sponsor their employees in certain study areas. Companies tend to favour
degrees which are of value to their business objectives and will benefit the employee’s career
development within the organisation. Usually any financial assistance offered by a company will
be accompanied by a commitment to continued employment.
Sources of financial support for international students
Abbey Santander Scholarships
Five scholarships of £5,000 each, funded by Santander Group, are available for taught
postgraduate students. In order to be eligible for this scholarship you need to be a national
from, and be residing in, a Santander network country (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia,
Mexico, Puerto Rico, Spain, Uruguay and Venezuela) and to have studied previously at one of the
‘Santander Universities’. Full details of the criteria and application procedures are available
on the University Support
web page.
British Council
British Council scholarships cover office fees and living expenses. Your
local British Council will have information on any scholarship schemes for which
you are eligible to apply. If there is not a local British Council office, you
could consult the Education UK website
Federal student aid for US students
The University is registered with the Department of Education as a foreign school and our
postgraduate programmes are eligible for federal aid if studied full-time. We will happily
certify your eligibility to lenders, in accordance with federal regulations. For more details,
please visit the Fees web page.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office Scholarships
These scholarships are advertised through the British Embassy or High Commission in your
country; the funds provided cover all or part of the fees, and may cover other expenses.
Graduates of Commonwealth universities who wish to undertake postgraduate study or research at a
Commonwealth university outside their own country may find Awards for Postgraduate Study at
Commonwealth Universities, published by the Association of Commonwealth Universities, useful.
Government sponsorships
Many national governments provide scholarships for students wishing to study overseas.
You should enquire at your own Ministry of Education in good time, as most sponsors will have
formal application procedures. The amount of funding available will vary according to your
country.