University of Manchester to offer master’s bursaries

The University of Manchester will now be offering 100 bursaries each worth £3000 in funding for master’s students.

UK and EU students who qualify will be able to apply for this bursary if they are starting a taught or research master’s course in September 2017.

Naa Acquah, the current General Secretary, told The Mancunion: “The postgraduate bursaries are something that I am very proud of working on alongside a great team in the university. It is something that I have always been really passionate about and have now ensured that at least a portion of Postgraduate tuition fees will be used towards bursaries for at least the next year.

“I really hope these bursaries are able to support students who need a bit of extra cash to support them doing their degree as money gets tighter and tighter for students. I encourage anyone eligible to apply and make the most of this important scheme.”

These bursaries are to help students from underrepresented groups gain access to master’s courses by removing barriers to postgraduate education. A number of criteria will need to be met to be eligible for the award, but because of the limited number of bursaries that are available, meeting the criteria is not a guarantee of the award.

Eligible courses include LLM, MA, MEd, MBA, MEnt, MPhil, MRes, MSc, and MusM. The courses can be studied full-time or part-time for a maximum of two academic years. Students who already hold a master’s degree or a higher qualification, such as a doctoral degree (PhD), or postgraduate certificates/diplomas (PGCert, PGDip, PGCE) are not eligible.

Students who identify as BAME are encouraged to apply, although this is not part of the master’s bursary criteria.

Students who are eligible for a School or Faculty award or discount can apply too, but only be offered the higher value award. The only exception to this rule is if a student has been awarded a University loyalty bursary — in that case, they will receive both awards.

The deadline for applications will be Wednesday, May 31. Applications must be submitted online — the form can be found on the University of Manchester website, along with other criteria that apply. This bursary scheme is competitive, so applicants are requested to complete their form and give the essential evidence as soon as they can.