UK Students

Local Education Authority
The possibility of obtaining funding varies with area. Contact the appropriate authority for details. NB: if you have already graduated, your LEA may be the the one for the place where you are working now, not necessarily the one you had at university.

Career Development Loan
These are designed to cover 80% of course fees, other course costs and living expenses on full-time courses. The amount applied for can be anywhere between £300 and £8000. The loan is from one of a number of high-street banks, and the Department for Education and Skills pays the interest on the loan during the course and for a month afterward. Under certain circumstances repayment can be deferred. Phone 0800 585 505 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. Monday to Friday for a free booklet.

See the Department for Education and Skills Career Development Loans website for up-to-date details.

Other Kinds of Loans
Some advisers stress that you may be able to secure a better loan just by going straight to the bank, rather than going through the CDL route.

Access Funds
To be eligible, you must be self-funding and have applied for a Career Development Loan. Assistance is also available for child-care expenses and costs arising from disability (you need not have a Career Development Loan for these).

Contact the Student Finance Office for more details and an application form. The closing date is early August.

Charities
The Directory of Grant-making Trusts (find it in your library) gives details of charities and similar organisations which may provide funding for students.

The Student Finance Office suggests that it may be worth approaching the British Federation of Women Graduates and the Elizabeth Nuffield Education Fund, if you meet their eligibility requirements.

Working
University rules do not allow students to work during normal working hours, unless you are enrolled for the degree part-time. However, there are part-time jobs available in the evenings and at weekends. Many students find work through temping agencies, or through the University of Bristol temporary jobs website.

Another option that some of our MSc students have taken is to be a Hall Warden/ Senior Resident. Each year, the Halls of Residence appoint some graduate students who receive free accommodation in exchange for evening and weekend duties. Further information at the website, or e-mail student-houses@bristol.ac.uk. Closing date is mid-April each year.

Benefits
According to the Department for Education: "The Department of Social Security may pay benefits to particular students. Although most full-time students are not entitled to social security benefits, certain students in vulnerable groups, including lone parents and disabled students, may be able to get social security benefits. If you receive benefits and want to take a full-time course of education, you should ask your local Benefits Agency office and local authority how this may affect your benefit." Further details of grants here.

Overseas Students

The University offers five University of Bristol Santander Abbey Masters Scholarships of £5000 each for applicants for any taught Masters programme, from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, Venezuela and Peru (closing date, 1st May 2012). There are scholarships for Danish students. Further, the Hong Kong Alumni Scholarship supports one student a year who has substantial links with Hong Kong (closing date, 10th February, 2012), and the Fulbright-Bristol University Award provides generous support to one US citizen per year (closing date, 17th October, 2011, a year in advance of your start date), and the American Alumni Scholarships support up to three US citizens each year (closing date, 11th May each year). Further, there are loan schemes for US students.

Other funding for overseas students depends on the country of origin. Further information:
The University offers a funding finder.
British Council homepage or contact the British Council in your own country