Postgraduate study
Fees and funding
Loans
Bursaries
Self funding
It Pays To Stay
Midlands4Cities
Loans
Take advantage of the government’s plans to make loans of up to £10,906 available for postgraduate study. The loans are available for any subject and are a contribution to costs including fees and living costs. Worried about repayments? See how much your repayments will be using the calculator. EU students may also be able to get a postgraduate loan for a Masters course at an English university or college. You'll need to have lived in the EU for three years, and will need to live in England while studying.
Bursaries
A number of organisations offer bursaries ranging from £500 to £5,000 which you won’t need to pay back. We also have further information about Disabled Students Allowance, and Teacher Training bursaries. We also have help and advice for other options you may want to consider, including Career Development Loans, PGCE students, Disabled Students Allowance, Social Work Bursaries, and Trusts and Charities.
Self funding
You can fund your postgraduate study from savings or use money made available from family. You could approach employers, who may be able to fund the study. Students often combine working with their study too. We have many students who work either full time and study part time or work and study part time.
It Pays To Stay
Are you a final year undergraduate student planning on staying on at BCU to study for a Master’s degree? You could be eligible for an Achievement Scholarship of up to £3,000! The BCU Achievement Scholarship is available to all final year students who achieve a first or second class degree at undergraduate level and who wish to continue studying at Master’s level. It is a brand new Scholarship, aimed at encouraging you to fulfil your postgraduate potential by continuing your academic career at BCU.
Midlands4Cities
Over five years we’ll be offering 410 PhD studentships to excellent research students in the arts and humanities. This is for a fully funded place and a £14,565 stipend for living expenses. The AHRC-funded Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Partnership (M4C) brings together eight leading universities across the Midlands to support the professional and personal development of the next generation of arts and humanities doctoral researchers. There are also Collaborative Doctoral Awards (CDAs) available with pre-defined projects which involve collaboration with a local cultural institution.
How to apply
Are you interested in applying for a Master's degree? Unlike undergraduate degrees where you will apply via UCAS, you can apply straight to the university for a postgraduate degree - almost like a job application. We'll run you through the application process so that you know what to expect when you're ready.
Find out moreWhy study a Postgraduate degree?
Postgraduate Taught
Taught Postgraduate degrees are a lot like undergraduate programmes. You’ll complete a series of modules following a set timetable of seminars, lectures and other activities. The majority of Masters-level programmes are taught courses. You’ll be much more responsible for studying independently in your free time, but the academics in charge of your course will lead you through it.
Postgraduate Research
Postgraduate Research degrees are more independent in nature. You won’t have as many timetabled units (in fact, you may not have any). Instead, you’ll focus on one or more extended projects. You’ll still receive support and guidance from an expert supervisor, but the focus of your programme will be on your own research work.
Our Experts
Our staff are experts in their field, offering up-to-date knowledge and valuable industry contacts, whether it be exhibiting artists, celebrated legal experts or professional musicians. Read more about just four of our many staff who have demonstrated outstanding research, experience and teaching in their respected fields.
Sarah Cooper
School of Law
As a senior lecturer in law, Director of Mooting and a researcher in our Centre for American Legan Studies, Sarah has worked on a range of wrongful conviction cases in Arizona, and helped law students to obtain scholarships and compete in national mooting finals.
Hatem El-Gohary
Business School
Professor of Marketing Hatem El-Gohary has over 20 years of experience in academia, and was recently one of the winners at the Institute for Small Business Enterprise Awards 2014, taking home the Gold award in the Creative Industries Entrepreneurship category.
Mak Sharma
School of Computing
Mak is internationally recognised for his expertise in the use of Cisco, Microsoft and Oracle resources, and embedding these into various qualifications. He has worked with a number of organisations to provide a set of problem-based learning programmes.
Ann Cubbin
School of Nursing and Midwifery
Ann has been with Birmingham City University for 12 years, and has worked as Programme Director for Community Health Nursing for the past six. She recently received the Queen’s Award in recognition of her outstanding achievements, after being nominated by her students.