funding yourpostgraduate study

POSTGRADUATE

OPEN DAY

LJMU will be holding Opens Days where you cancome and find out about specific postgraduate taughtcourses and research opportunities available in each ofour Faculties. You will also be able to tour our Librariesand other facilities and talk directly with both staff andstudents studying at the University.

FOR THE LATEST UPDATES ONLJMU POSTGRADUATE EVENTSgo to www.ljmu.ac.uk/pgopendays

Designed and produced by Marketing and Corporate Communications © LJMU.This document is available in different formats, please contact us for more information.

It is very important to be aware of the sources of funding available to you before youembark on further study. It is also crucial to choose the right course that will help youmeet your future employment goals. LJMU can help you select both the right courseand find up-to-date information about fees and funding.

Unlike undergraduate study there is no automatic Government funding for postgraduatestudents. To make the most of the funding opportunities you need to make sure youknow what is available, whether you are eligible and how and when you need to apply.

Many postgraduates are self-financed. However financial support may be available forboth taught programmes (normally for one year) and research (normally up to threeyears) through a range of studentships and sponsorships.

LJMU can give you comprehensive advice on the range of funding available so pleasedon’t hesitate to get in touch. We are here to help.

FOR MORE INFORMATIONemail studentadvice@ljmu.ac.uk

or call 0151 904 6056/6057

Deciding to complete a taught postgraduate programme orresearch degree at Liverpool John Moores University is abig decision but we are confident that it is one that willenrich your life, both in terms of your future careerprospects and your personal development.

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DID YOU KNOW THAT...?

n POSTGRADUATES earn more than undergraduates over their careers n

Many of our POSTGRADUATE courses can act as conversion courses if you wantto enter a different sector or meet professional body requirements for specificqualifications n Our POSTGRADUATES forge invaluable industry contactsand enjoy career-enhancing work experience opportunities n Many of ourPOSTGRADUATE courses can be studied around your existing career and family/caring obligations

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taughtpostgraduatedegrees

The two main expenses facing youwhen applying for postgraduate studyare tuition fees and cost of living.

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Tuition feesAll full and part-time students enrolled on postgraduate taught programmes at LJMU areliable to pay an annual tuition fee.

The table below summarises the tuition fees charged for our postgraduate taught courses. You should alsocheck the relevant online course factfiles for up-to-date Home/EU and International tuition fees:www.ljmu.ac.uk/ courses/postgraduate. Further information is also available by calling the Course EnquiryHelpline: 0151 231 5090.

You can opt to pay your tuition fees in full at the start of each academic year or pay by instalments.

The important thing to remember is that LJMU does not want financial worries to deter any capable studentsfrom completing their studies at the University. So if you need advice about how you will pay your tuition fees please talk to LJMU’s Student Funding Team as soon as possible: studentadvice@ljmu.ac.uk, 0151 904 6056/6057.

All fees quoted below relate to the 2013/2014 academic year.

UK/EU Fee Full Time Part Time

Standard taught postgraduatedegrees Range from £4,100- £6,000 £20.50 - £33.50 per credit

Non-standard taughtpostgraduate degrees

Contact the Course EnquiryHelpline for more details.

Contact the Course EnquiryHelpline for more details.

MBA £5,000 N/A

PGDE £9,000 N/A

International Fees

All taught postgraduate degrees Range from £11,000 - £12,000 N/A

MBA £12,000 N/A

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Sources of FundingLJMU POSTGRADUATE BURSARY

Final year undergraduates and alumni of the Universityare eligible to apply for a 15% reduction in theirpostgraduate tuition fees if they choose to progress ontoa higher degree programme at LJMU. Both Home andInternational LJMU students and alumni can apply forthe Bursary (subject to eligibility criteria).

SCHOOL OF LAW AWARD

LJMU’s School of Law offers its undergraduates a 10%reduction in their postgraduate tuition fees. In order tobe eligible for this award, you need to progress directlyfrom your undergraduate degree onto a taughtpostgraduate programme. Please contact the School ofLaw direct for more information: www.ljmu.ac.uk/law

EARN WHILE YOU LEARN

According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency(HESA), almost half of all postgraduate students studypart time. Working while you study means you may beable to pay for your course without taking out any furtherloans or at least reducing the amount you need toborrow. Working while you study also gives you the skillsvalued by employers, such as managing your workloadand prioritising your time.

LJMU’s Vacancy website (http://ljmu.prospects.ac.uk) canhelp you find graduate vacancies, sandwich/industrialplacements, internships/ summer work, part-time jobs,volunteering opportunities and work-based learningplacements. Over 1,000 local and regional employersregularly list opportunities on the website.

LJMU also works with The WorkBank, a commercialemployment agency providing a wide range of betterpaid student jobs across Merseyside in retail,administration, postal services, secretarial, call centres,computing, translation and marketing. The Workbank isbased in the Liverpool Students’ Union.

PROFESSIONAL AND CAREER DEVELOPMENTLOANS (PCDLs)

Many students fund their postgraduate studies viaProfessional and Career Development Loans. Theseloans are used by students to enhance their job skills orcareer prospects. This is a bank loan which you will haveto pay back once you’ve completed the course.However, while you are studying any interest on the loanwill be paid for you by the Skills Funding Agency. PCDLsworth between £300 and £10,000 are available foreligible postgraduates to fund up to two years of study(three if the course includes work experience). The loanis split into course fees and living costs. Many major highstreet banks also offer loans for professional courses.

Go to www.gov.uk/careerdevelopment-loans for moredetails.

EMPLOYER SPONSORSHIP

Some organisations and companies fund the cost ofpostgraduate studies for their employees as theyrecognise the value of having well qualified staff. Whynot check out our courses and see if there are any onoffer that could enhance your current career. Remember,employer support doesn’t always have to be financial; itcan take other forms too, such as flexible workingarrangements, day release and time in lieu of study.

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taught programmeswith statutoryor other governmentsupport

Postgraduate nursingcoursesIf you are accepted onto one of LJMU’s postgraduatenursing programmes, your annual tuition fees will bepaid by the NHS providing you meet the residency andprevious study criteria. For further details on residencycriteria, please go to: www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/students

All new eligible NHS students are eligible to receive a£1,000 non-means-tested grant from the NHS. This grantis awarded for every year of your course and does nothave to be repaid.

Depending on your household income you may also beeligible to receive a further means-tested NHS bursary forevery year of your degree. You can apply for your NHSbursary once you have been offered and accepted your placeto study. The application cycle for these bursaries opensaround the start of April for courses starting in September.

Initial Teacher Training(PGDE) coursesFull-time students on PGDE courses are eligible for thesame range of financial support as undergraduatestudents. This includes:n a non-means-tested student loan to cover your

tuition feesn a means-tested student loan to help cover your

living expensesn a means-tested maintenance grant, which does not

have to be paid backFor more information go towww.gov.uk/teaching-training-funding

NATIONAL COLLEGE FOR TEACHING ANDLEADERSHIP BURSARY

The cost of initial teacher education training in somesubject areas may be supported by the national bursaryscheme. The level of bursary offered is determined bythe National College for Teaching and Leadership basedon its priority for recruitment in shortage subjects, andeach applicant’s degree classification.

Go to www.education.gov.uk/schools/careers/ for more

details and click on Initial Teacher Training under theCareers and Development heading.

SUPPORT FOR APPLICANTS CHANGING CAREERS

If you are considering changing your career to becomea teacher or if you have extensive subject-relatedindustry experience, acquired either via yourprofessional career or accredited further study you maybe eligible for a discretionary bursary. Please contact theFaculty Admissions Team for more details.

Additional sources ofsupport for nursing andteacher education studentsChildcare Grant and support for dependants:A Childcare Grant is available for full-time students whohave dependent children in registered or approvedchildcare. This grant is means-tested. This grant cancover up to 85% of your actual childcare costs during bothterm-time and holidays up to a maximum amount perweek. This grant will be available for the duration of yourcourse, providing you are still using approved childcare.This money does not have to be paid back.

Parents’ Learning Allowance: If you are a parentstudying a full-time course at LJMU you may also beentitled to the Parents’ Learning Allowance. This means-tested grant is designed to help you with the additionalcost of being a parent. You do not have to be paying forchildcare or send in receipts to qualify for this grant.

Help with travel costs while you are on placement: Ifyou have to undertake a placement as part of your courseyou may be entitled to be reimbursed for some of thetravel costs you incur. Please note: You can only claimthese expenses if the cost of travelling to your placementis greater than the normal cost of getting to LJMU. Thisfunding is also means-tested which means if yourhousehold is above the threshold you will not be eligibleto make a claim.

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MArch ArchitectureStudents studying on the MArch in Architecture areeligible for statutory support (grants and loans) on thesame basis as undergraduate students as long as theyare continuing from the BA (Hons) Architecture onto theMArch after any relevant periods of work experience.Students that are planning to study this course afterfollowing another study route should seek advice aboutfunding options before commencing the course.

MA in Social WorkIf you are accepted onto the MA Social Work and youmeet the eligibility criteria, you will receive a grant foryour tuition fees from the General Social Work Council(GSWC) through the NHS Business Services Authority(NHSBSA). For more information on the NHS grants, goto: www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/students

Please note:

n This funding is only available to students from England, studying in England

n From 2013/2014, the number of bursaries available are restricted in number and specific eligibility criteria may be applied

You may also be eligible for help with your living costs, inthe form of:n a non-means-tested Basic Grant – in 2013/2014

eligible students received a basic grant of up to £3362.50

n a means-tested Maintenance Grant – in 2013/ 2014 eligible students could apply for a furthergrant of up to £2,608

n financial support for looking after dependents in some cases.

Applications for NHS funding is made via the onlineapplication system. www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/students. aspxThis application will check you meet the residencycriteria and then whether you are entitled to receive thenon-means-tested Basic Grant as well as the means-tested Maintenance Grant. As part of the applicationprocess you will need to provide details of yourhousehold income.

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20 week course: £5,700 12 week course: £3,420 6 week course: £1,710

Full time: £5,000 £11,000 - £12,000

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Name of scholarship Level of study Value of Number Additional scholarship available eligibility criteria

LJMU Roscoe One year taught Full tuition fee 8 Applicants must have International Scholarship Masters programmes waiver worth up a good first degree (2.1 to £12,000 or equivalent)

English IELTS score of 7.0 (with a minimum score of 6.5 in each component) or recognised equivalent

Developing Global Citizens Taught Masters £4,000 fee 20 Applicants must be from Postgraduate Scholarship programmes (MA, waiver Africa, the ASEAN MSc, MRes) or countries, the People’s research programmes Republic of China or (MPhil/PhD) Commonwealth country

Postgraduate International ScholarshipsLJMU has recently launched a series of new scholarships for international applicants accepted onto taughtmasters programmes (excluding distance learning programmes) and research degrees. These scholarshipstake the form of full and partial tuition fee waivers. Current LJMU international students and alumniinterested in pursuing postgraduate study and research at the University are eligible to apply for thesescholarships along with new applicants.

For full eligibility criteria and details on how to apply, go to: www.ljmu.ac.uk/international

English for Postgraduate Studies BursaryA Bursary is also available for international students who must complete the six week English forPostgraduate Studies course to improve their IELTS score by 0.5 prior to enrolling on their postgraduatecourse or research programme at the University. This course is run by LJMU’s International Study Centre:www.ljmuisc.com

This Bursary is worth £700 and takes the form of a tuition fee waiver, which will be deducted from yourtuition fee when you progress onto your masters degree or research programme. You do not need tocomplete the online scholarship application form in order to receive this Bursary. Please note: If you areawarded this Bursary you are not eligible to apply for an international scholarship.

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targeted financialsupport

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Support for disabledstudentsDisabled Students’ Allowances or DSAs are grantsto help meet the extra course costs students canface as a direct result of a disability, on-going healthcondition, mental health condition or specificlearning difficulty.

DSAs don’t have to be paid back and the type ofsupport you receive will be determined by yourspecific needs not your household income.

Full and part-time postgraduate students with adisability or on-going medical condition may beeligible for assistance with costs to support themduring their studies.

You should apply for the Disabled StudentsAllowance (DSA) via your funding body, forexample, your Research Council or the NHS andthey will be responsible for providing this support.This support is not means-tested; it is based onneed.

In addition, LJMU’s Assessment Room provides afully accessible, discrete and welcoming spacewhere you can test out a range of differentfurniture, equipment and technologies based onyour specific needs.

LJMU’s Disability team is available to provideadvice and support both before you start andduring your studies on areas such as how to applyfor your DSA, arranging personal support workersand facilitating needs assessments. Please contact0151 904 6052/6037 for further advice.

The Access toLearning Fund (ALF)Sometimes despite your best efforts you can findyourself in financial difficulty. This could be due to adelay in funding or unforeseen circumstances thathave arisen which could place you in financialhardship.

The Access to Learning Fund is a government fundthat is available to students who find themselves insuch a position. We don’t want money worries tostop any of our students from succeeding in theirstudies at LJMU. That’s why we have added anadditional £200,000+ from University funds to theALF to help more of our students reach their fullpotential. The ALF is only open to UK students andfunding does not usually have to be paid back.

Please note: Before submitting an application forALF support, you should ensure that you havesecured enough money to pay your tuition fees andcover the majority of your living expenses. The ALFcannot be your main source of income whilestudying a postgraduate course at LJMU and itcannot be used to pay your tuition fees.

Council taxexemptionAll full-time postgraduate students studyingcourses lasting one year or more are eligible for acouncil tax exemption certificate.

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funding forresearch students

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How much does it cost The current 2013/2014 academic year fees are as follows:

Research (MPhil and PhD) Full-time tuition fee Part-time tuition fee

Home/EU

Band 1 £3,732.00 £1,886.00

International

Band 1 £11,000 N/A

Band 2 £12,000 N/A

Funding sources The main awarding bodies are the Research Councils, but funding may also be available from Trusts andCharities or National Bodies and Government Departments. Industry sponsorship, bank loan schemes andProfessional and Career Development Loans may also be available. For more detailed guidance, we wouldrecommend that you visit the Prospects Postgraduate website: www.prospects.ac.uk

You may also want to check the Grants Register, published annually by Palgrave Macmillan and theDirectory of Grant Making Trusts, published annually by the Directory of Social Change.

LJMU also publishes a summary of Research Councils, Trusts and Charities, National Bodies andGovernment Departments, which can be found at: www.ljmu.ac.uk/RGSO

The University operates a limited student fee bursary/stipend scheme for postgraduate researchers. For moredetails, please contact the relevant School or Research Centre to discuss your eligibility for such support.

Go to the LJMU website for the latest details on funded PhDopportunities

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n ASTROPHYSICS RESEARCH INSTITUTE

n BRAIN AND BEHAVIOUR RESEARCH CENTRE

n BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES RESEARCH INSTITUTE (BEST)

n CENTRE FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE INFORMATICS (CHaSCI)

n CENTRE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH

n CENTRE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND EVALUATION SERVICES

n ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING RESEARCH CENTRE

n EUROPEAN INSTITUTE FOR URBAN AFFAIRS

n EXHIBITION RESEARCH CENTRE

n GENERAL ENGINEERING RESEARCH INSTITUTE

n INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH RESEARCH

n INSTITUTE OF CULTURAL CAPITAL

n LIVERPOOL LOGISTICS, OFFSHORE AND MARINERESEARCH INSTITUTE (LOOM)

n MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AND MATERIALS RESEARCH CENTRE

n RESEARCH CENTRE FOR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY AND PROTECTION (PROTECT)

n RESEARCH CENTRE FOR LITERATURE AND CULTURAL HISTORY

n RESEARCH CENTRE IN EVOLUTIONARY ANTHROPOLOGY AND PALEOECOLOGY

n RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR SPORTS AND EXERCISE SCIENCES (RISES)

n THE CENTRE FOR THE STUDY OF CRIME, CRIMINALISATION AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION

For more details go to: www.ljmu.ac.uk/research

Research Centresand Institutes

website: www.ljmu.ac.uk enquiry helpline: 0151 231 5090email: courses@ljmu.ac.uk international enquiries: international@ljmu.ac.uk LJMU TV: www.ljmu.ac.uk/ljmutvtwitter: @askLJMU