One of the most stressful parts of studying a postgraduate degree is how it might be possible to juggle said degree with funding your daily expenses. Tuition fee loans, which include the possibility to receive up to £10,906 for the year for UK or EEA students (2019/20 entry), are a brilliant way of funding part of your postgraduate life, but rarely also cover accommodation and living expenses. Below are three ideas for how to earn, or save, money whilst completing a postgraduate degree at Bournemouth University.

Tuition fee discounts

Most of the tuition fee discounts available for people wishing to study a postgraduate degree at BU are for alums of the university. This includes a 20% loyalty discount for graduates and a 10% student discount for the immediate family member of someone who is currently studying at or has graduated from BU. However, there are also a variety of scholarships, including ones for Music and for Sport, available for anyone to apply for. The Academic Scholarship, which allows anyone, regardless of the university they attended previously, to get a £2,000 tuition fee reduction if they received a 2.1 or higher in their undergraduate degree. It’s really worth your while checking what extra funds are available. You will be surprised what you are entitled to!

Student discounts

There are many ways for students to save money whilst at university. The most commonly advertised student discount platforms are NUS Extra, which costs £12 a year, and UNiDAYS, which is free. Both of these offer many student discounts over a variety of stores in the UK and internationally. However, the most effective way to receive student discounts is to research online, or ask in-store, because sometimes the discount is not visibly advertised. For instance, both the online stores, Missguided and PrettyLittleThing, offer a 20% discount for students, and Boohoo currently has free premier delivery until graduation for students. The Odeon cinema in the centre of Bournemouth also has a variable student discount.

Part-time work

Working part-time at a café, bar or retail store is a brilliant way of earning some money whilst not taking too much time away from the study itself. It is also a great way of gaining transferrable skills that will look good on your CV. The best way to look for part-time jobs in and around Bournemouth is to check the store’s website, ask instore, or look at MyCareerHub, which is available via the University website.

Overall, then, don’t be scared to take on a postgraduate degree because money is tight. There are many options available for new postgraduate students to either earn or save money whilst studying. The most important information I can provide you with is to do your research and to find the best course of action for you.