欧美高清

Careers ServicePostgraduate study and research

What types of Postgraduate study are available?

There are a variety of options for postgraduate study, including:

  • Masters Courses which can be either taught or research-based
  • Doctoral research degrees, often referred to as PhDs, take at least 3 years to complete (in the UK, often longer in other countries)

A masters degree can help you secure a particular role, aid career progression, boost your salary and enable doctoral study.

A doctoral degree can follow immediately after previous study or later in your life and career. In the first instance it is important to decide whether research is for you

Applying for courses requires thought and preparation. Think about what you hope to gain from further study, and the time and cost implications. This will help you decide whether it is right for you. Researching the options available to you will help you to make an informed choice.

Why students choose to do postgraduate study

Generally reasons fall into the following categories:

  • Employability - for example to develop further skills, gain a qualification required for a particular career, gain experience (perhaps through a placement module)
  • Deepen or broaden your knowledge
  • Step towards PhD
  • Not sure what else to do (please seek guidance if this apply to you)

When choosing a course consider:

  • how you want to study: options can include full-time, part-time, distance learning, taught/research masters
  • where you want to study: do you want to study in the same institution or experience a different university?
  • will it help your career? For example, does it add value to your existing qualifications; is the course accredited or recognised by the industry body of the profession you want to enter (note that some professional qualifications are specific to the UK)
  • will it meet your expectations? Compare similar courses as content can vary between instituitions 
  • is now the right time? (can you commit to it?)
  • do you meet the entry requirements?
  • will you be able to cope with the academic challenge?
  • can you afford it?

When applying consider:

  • competition for postgraduate courses can be high and so it is important that your application stands out. You must show your motivation and commitment to further study and detail any relevant experience that adds value to your application
  • many courses don't state specific closing dates but it is important to apply early to avoid disappointment particularly if you are also applying for funding
  • details of how and when to apply can be found on university websites

Further information

This guide, , designed to help students with a disability apply for a postgraduate course in the UK, has been published by the Disabled Students’ Commission and includes a helpful checklist.

Postgraduate study:

  •  on TARGETjobs
  •  for postgraduate news and articles  
  •  at 欧美高清
  •  (online version - incorporated into Prospects Student Guide)
  • , , ,  to help you find a postgraduate course to match your study interest
  • Postgraduate  in Scotland
  • Guidelines for writing  for postgraduate study from Prospects
  •  search tool
  •   Times Higher Education university rankings

 Postgraduate research:

  •  Advice from Vitae
  • Directory of   at 欧美高清
  •   to help you find an area of research to match your interest
  • Download an ebook from  to find out more about research degrees and academic careers
  • - research jobs and social networking
  •  - article from Nature

Study abroad

Studying abroad can be a life-changing experience. It gives you the opportunity to travel, learn about different cultures, meet new friends, and enhance your CV.

For general directories of international universities, see the list below:

  •  - Find courses in the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand
  •  - international search
  •  - international search 
  •  - news, rankings and guides from around the world

A postgraduate course in another European country can offer considerable advantages, especially if you want to work in that country.  The experience can also be very broadening and add additional skills, such as languages.

  •  and  for information on p/g study in Ireland
  • allows you to search for UK and international funding.  Funded studentships and fellowships in the UK and overseas are also advertised.
  •  is useful for language courses in France, Spain and Germany and English courses in the UK and Ireland.
  • is an information network on education in Europe including databases of all national education systems, with HE details.
  •  - information on English-taught study programmes across Europe 
  •  - database of courses at state-accredited institutions across Europe

Individual countries in Europe:

  • The  is a bursary that is awarded to international students to study in France. It is offered to students on condition that they can prove their 鈥榚xcellence鈥� and is for applicants up to 25 years old from developing countries at master鈥檚 level, and applicants up to 30 years old from developing and industrialized countries at PhD level
  • (DAAD)

Funding for study in Europe

Scholarships and grants (examples):

  •  Find scholarships/grants for higher education study in Europe. Search by discipline, course level and destination
  •  for Masters and PhD students from the UK for study in Germany
  •  and  Bursaries for Masters and PhD study in any subject at any EU institution
  •  - for the study of computer science
  •  European Commission website providing information about financial help studying abroad. Includes a list of grants available by country. Only for EU citizens.
  •  Search for Grants and bursaries in France.
  •  The Netherlands Grantfinder is an online database which brings together a range of Dutch scholarships for international students.
  •  for study at the College of Europe
  •  offers scholarship programme for British graduates studying in Denmark, and for Danish graduates studying in the UK

Australia offers many advantages for further study including a University system which is similar to the UK, meaning that British degrees are readily understood by Australian institutions.

  •  is a website for advice on study in Australia.  It has extensive information on types of courses available, study costs, scholarships, student visas.
  •  has information on 10 of Australia's universities, including scholarships.
  •  provides advice on studying in Australia
  •  - study in Australia or New Zealand

USA:

  •  is the US government's portal for international students.  It includes information on undergraduate and postgraduate study, short-term study and opportunities for scholars and funding.
  •  website for information on postgraduate study in the USA.
  •  covers full tuition fees and health insurance for up to two years of post-graduate study at the University of Pennsylvania. Applications for the coming year close on 1 November. Contact Jennie Eldridge from the Thouron team directly with any questions at jeldridge@thouronaward.org. Fay Lockett, a Thouron scholar during the 2020/21 academic year, has written about  programme.
  •  - guide to grade equivalence for US study.

Scholarships and grants (examples) for USA:

  •  are awarded to British citizens educated in the UK for postgraduate study in any field at Harvard University
  •  awards are made to British postgraduate students to enable them to study at Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  •  The Society offers scholarships to enable Scottish graduates to study for a year in US. The selection process is administered in the UK by the
  •  Support for up to 2 years at the University of Pennsylvania

Canada:

  •  - with testimonials and search facility.
  •  - Erudera's complete guide to studying in Canada as an international student.
  • - course search and also information on living in Canada.

 information to help you to choose colleges and courses, and includes the International Scholarship Search database for possible sources of finance.

The School of Business, Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) offers a FULL SCHOLARSHIP plus LIVING ALLOWANCE for various Business Taught Postgraduate Programmes to outstanding international applicants. (apply by early June each year).

Research Grants Council of Hong Kong: 

 

includes information about Japanese universities, student exchanges, funding to study in Japan, student visas, how to apply and language requirements

Funding study abroad:

  • Campus France  for bursaries to study in France
  • The  is a bursary that is awarded to international students to study in France. It is offered to students on condition that they can prove their 鈥榚xcellence鈥� and is for applicants up to 25 years old from developing countries at master鈥檚 level, and applicants up to 30 years old from developing and industrialized countries at PhD level
  •  - free searchable database - to view details you need to create an account
  • - scholarships
  •  (BUNAC Education Scholarship Trust - scholarships for study in North America

 USA:

  •  for study at University of Pennsylvania

Postgraduate study:

  •  Prospects funding guide
  •  Tuition fee loans for certain eligible postgraduate course
  • 欧美高清 University's searchable database of 
  • Search for studentships, scholarships etc at , or  from Postgraduate Search
  • Information about some specific scholarships/grants
  • Educational trusts and charities - search for grants using  and .  
  • The Grants Register - "the complete guide to postgraduate funding worldwide" - available through the 
  • FindAPhD 
  • FindAMasters 
  • Gov.uk
  • provides links to scholarships for international students wishing to study in the UK
  •  Scholarship applications for mathematics students/graduates, who have faced or are facing financial barriers, looking to pursue a masters in postgraduate research

Postgraduate Research funding:

  • list of UK research councils and searchable list of current funding opportunities
  • University of 欧美高清 list of PhD research opportunities
  • - searchable database of funding opportunities
  •  - Research Grants in Japan and Europe - grants, regardless of discipline to Europeans for research in Japan; and for Japanese for research in Europe 

Scholarships and grants examples:

  •  Carnegie-Cameron Taught Postgraduate Bursaries (for a one-year, taught course at a Scottish university) and Carnegie/Caledonian Scholarships (for a PhD course at a UK university)
  •  and Bursaries for Masters and PhD study in any subject at any EU institution
  •  Various awards for women for postgraduate study and research
  •  Grants for City of Glasgow residents
  • - teacher training scholarships
  • - for a second undergraduate degree at St John's College, Cambridge
  •  Study bursaries for various subject areas
  • - industrial fellowships and industrial design studentships
  •  - various Business Taught Postgraduate Programmes with Full Scholarship plus living allowance, available to outstanding international applicants
  •  Bursaries for journalism and software development training
  •  Entries welcome from anyone (home or overseas) with an offer of a postgrad place at a UK university

  • make direct contact if you already know the course you want to follow or the institution you want to study at - their postgraduate prospectus or website will provide you with course information and, in many cases, the name of someone from whom you can find out more
  • get individual advice from a Careers Consultant
  • get advice on funding from 欧美高清's Student Financial Support Team
  • prepare a winning application

  •  - a searchable database of courses across the world
  •  - QS rankings for the top universities across the world
  •  - Studylink allows you to search for university courses around the world -the site also has advice on visas, applications, funding, and entry requirements as well as country profiles
  •  - a searchable database of universities around the world -users can search the database by country or by US state