New funding opportunities for taught postgraduate students
Release Date 01 April 2015
The University is offering over 80 new scholarships, each worth £10,000, for students starting Masters programmes in 2015.
The awards, jointly funded by the University and the Higher Education Funding Council (Hefce), are targeted at students who began their undergraduate studies in 2012, when the increased fees of up to £9,000 came in. The scheme promises to open up postgraduate study opportunities to students who would otherwise be deterred for financial reasons.
The scholarship scheme is targeted at Home/EU students graduating this summer, with priority given to those from groups typically under-represented in the student body. These include: female students applying to science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) subjects; black or minority ethnic students; those with recognised disabilities; or from low-income households.
Scholarships are available to students taking any Masters course at the University, either studying full-time or part-time for a maximum of two years. Those studying towards PG Certificate or PG Diploma qualifications are not eligible. Further details about the scheme, including a full list of eligibility criteria, can be found here.
How to apply
In order to apply for a scholarship, students must have received an offer of a place on a Masters programme at Reading. Students holding offers have already been sent a link to the online application form and invited to apply. The initial deadline for scholarship applications is 24 April.
Students yet to apply for a Masters still have time to apply and receive an offer before the initial deadline for scholarship applications. If there are remaining scholarships still to be allocated after this point, a second round of applications will take place with a deadline of 10 July.
In addition to these new scholarships, the University continues to offer discounted fees to Reading alumni taking Masters courses, as well as five Reading Alumni Scholarships, each worth £10,500. Further information about alumni scholarships and discounts can be found here.
International students are also able to benefit from our International Masters Bursaries, worth £5,000 each, as well as a range of PGT Country Scholarships, also worth £5,000. Further information about these awards is available here.
Peter Miskell, Professor of International Business and Media History, and who is leading the programme for the University, said: "The University is pleased to offer these scholarships in conjunction with Hefce. We recognise that students graduating in 2012 are the first to pay the increased tuition fees but we don't want that to be a barrier to postgraduate education, particularly for minority groups who may be less likely to apply."