Making the leap to postgraduate study is a big one, and one which I definitely think is worthwhile taking, as I’ve said in my previous post [http://microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk/postgraduate/2014/05/19/making-the-leap/], but now you’ve made that decision, you’re going to have to start thinking about money. Postgraduate study is a costly investment, especially if you’re coming straight out of undergraduate, and with tuition fees rising in recent years it’s not going to get much cheaper. But fear not, there are many options available at Bournemouth University to help out with finances and ease that burden. And as I’ve said before, while it might be daunting now, you will reap the benefits in the years to come.

First off, if you are already a Bournemouth University student and you are thinking about taking up a Masters, good news! There is currently a 20% discount available for returning BU students. This a pretty nice chunk and that extra 20% can really go far. As well as that, if you are a BU student or not, if you pay your fees within 7 days of enrolment you are entitled to an extra 5% discount. It might not seem like much, but it all adds up, 5% of a few thousand quid is nothing to sniff at!

Bournemouth also offers a range of scholarship options, available to UK, EU and International students. From sports and music, to science and technology, all offering amounts from £2,000 to £5,000. There is even the BU Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship, which offers a full tuition waiver for the most promising postgraduate candidate. Also, BU will automatically award you an Academic Excellence Scholarship if you graduate/d from your undergraduate degree with a mark of at least 65%, you can receive funding of £2,000 for UK & EU, or £3,000 for International. In addition to this, there are 15 bursaries being offered from BU worth £500, which are open to all students and cover a range of subject choices.

For more information on all of these fantastic opportunities, please visit: http://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/futurestudents/postgraduate/funding/index.html

I know what you’re thinking though, there are only so many scholarships and bursaries available, and even if you are successful in getting one, it doesn’t solve the issue of having money for food or for rent. This is when your own drive will have to come into play. Work during the summer break, work as much as you can and save as much as you can. It might suck having to work the summer, but it might mean you can afford to eat more than baked beans each week. Part-time work during your study is also a great way to earn a bit of extra cash each month for those groceries. Every bit helps, so try and be as pragmatic as possible. Give yourself a budget for each week and stick to it. Take it out as cash and spend your money that way, when you see how much you’re spending, you’re a lot less likely to spend over than you would by card (trust me).

Funding postgraduate study is costly, but it is be all means achievable. Hey, if I can do it, so can you. Just think of it as an investment into yourself, it might cost now, but it will pay off in the years to come. And more than that, when you look back in a few years time you will have some great memories and some new friends, and that is worth more than any money. (I’ll lay off the cheese now).