Government grants and loans

If you’re applying for a postgraduate course at Brighton and are unsure about tuition fees or living costs, there are government loan options.

Government loan schemes:

Other funding:

  • Teacher training bursaries and scholarships
  • NHS funding for specific courses (eg healthcare, social work).
Students talking

Postgraduate masters loan

The UK government offers a postgraduate master’s loan to help with tuition fees and living costs.

You can borrow up to £13,206 for courses starting in 2026–27.
The loan is paid directly to your bank account in instalments.

Eligibility is based on your course, your nationality or residency status and your age.

Eligibility

You can apply if you:

  • Are starting an eligible master’s course (e.g., MSc, MA, MRes, LLM, MBA).
  • Do not already hold a master’s or higher qualification.
  • Are under 60 years old.
  • Are a UK national, Irish citizen, or have Settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme or indefinite leave to remain
  • Have lived in the UK, Channel Islands, or Isle of Man for 3 continuous years before your course starts.
  • Normally live in England.

You may be eligible if you have another immigration status (e.g. pre-settled status under the EU settlement scheme)

If you live in Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland, contact your local funding body.)

View full details about the loan and eligibility on gov.uk.

Eligible courses

Most standalone master’s courses worth 180 credits, including:

  • Full-time: 1–2 years
  • Part-time: 2–4 years (no more than twice the length of the full-time course)
  • Part-time up to 3 years if no full-time equivalent exists

The following courses are not eligible:

  • PGCert and PGDip courses
  • Students receiving a Social Work bursary (except for Placement Travel Allowance).

Students on the following postgraduate courses should apply for the Student Finance England undergraduate loans package for tuition fees and living costs:

  • Integrated undergraduate master’s courses
  • PGCE courses
  • Postgraduate pre-registration healthcare courses (MSc Physiotherapy, MSc Podiatry, MSc Occupational Therapy).

How to apply

  • Apply through Student Finance England.
  • Applications for autumn 2026 entry open in spring/summer 2026.

Additional support

You can apply for disabled students’ allowance (DSA) (gov.uk) if have a disability or long-term health condition.

Other funding options

Teacher training

Bursaries or scholarships may be available for certain subjects. For full details visit: DfE Get into Teaching

Healthcare courses

Students on postgraduate pre-registration allied health courses (MSc Physiotherapy, MSc Podiatry, MSc Occupational Therapy) can apply for:

University of Brighton Bursary

Eligible students studying the postgraduate pre-registration health courses or designated non-salaried PGCE and who receive the full undergraduate loan package may also be eligible for a bursary.

Repaying your master’s loan

  • Repayments start the April after you finish or leave your course, if your income is above £21,000.
  • You repay, monthly, 6% of your income over the threshold.

Where to find more information

Postgraduate doctoral loan

If you’re starting a doctoral degree in 2026–27, you can apply for a postgraduate doctoral loan.

You can borrow up to £31,122 for the duration of the course.

Eligibility

You can apply if you:

  • study a full-time or part-time doctoral degree, such as PhD
  • started on or after 1 August 2018
  • do not already hold a doctoral degree or equivalent higher qualification
  • are under the age of 60
  • are a UK national or Irish Citizen or have settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme or have indefinite leave to remain (no restrictions on how long you can stay in the UK)
  • have been living in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man for 3 continuous years before the first day of the the first academic year of your course
  • normally live in England.

Further details are available about doctoral loans on the gov.uk website.