Choosing to study a postgraduate course is a positive investment in your future, but as with undergraduate courses, you should consider how you will pay for your studies and living costs.
The majority of students can apply for loans to help fund their studies. And depending on where you live and your circumstances, bursaries and scholarships might also be available, as well as a 25% alumni discount if you have graduated from the University of Derby.
Tuition fees
Our postgraduate degrees are competitively priced, and all essential equipment and activities are included.
Fees vary slightly from course to course depending on the facilities and resources required. For example, online courses tend to be slightly cheaper because they use fewer facilities.
The most up-to-date fees will be listed on the course page – search for your course and look for the section on fees.
The fees are different depending on whether you normally live in the UK or in another country.
We have produced a breakdown of how your fees are spent for full-time postgraduate students on our taught courses.
Paying for your studies
To pay for your tuition fees and living costs, you may be able to take out a student loan. These loans don’t usually need to be paid back until you have graduated and your salary has reached a specific level.
Sometimes, bursaries and scholarships are also available - eligibility depends on your circumstances and which country you usually live in. These don’t need to be paid back.
Alternatively, if you are working, your employer may be willing to contribute towards your fees.
Postgraduate Masters Loan
If you normally live in England and are under 60 when you start your course, you may be able to borrow up to £12,471 if your course starts on or after 1 August 2024. This loan is available whether you are studying full-time, part-time or online.
You can use this loan to pay for your tuition fees or living costs while you are studying a taught or research-based postgraduate course at masters level such as an MA, MSc, MBA, LLM, MRes or MPhil.
You have to meet certain eligibility criteria. Check the Postgraduate Masters Loan information on the gov.uk website.
Interest is charged on the Masters Loan and, of course, you need to pay the loan back – but not until you have graduated and your salary is over the threshold amount for your repayment plan. The threshold amounts change every year. You can make voluntary payments to your loan at any time.
Postgraduate Doctoral Loan
If you are under 60 when you start your course, you may be able to borrow up to £28,673 to study a doctoral-level course, such as a PhD or EdD, if your course starts after 1 August 2023. This loan is available whether you are studying full-time or part-time.
You can use this loan to pay for your tuition fees or living costs. You have to meet certain eligibility criteria. Postgraduate Doctoral Loan information on the gov.uk website.
Interest is charged on the loan and, of course, you need to pay this loan back - but not until you have graduated (or it’s the April four years after the course started) and your salary is over the threshold amount for your repayment plan. The threshold amounts change every year.
University of Derby alumni discount
If you have already completed a full undergraduate degree with us, you could get a discount on your postgraduate course fees. This applies to most postgraduate courses.
A 25% alumni discount is available if you graduated in the academic year 2021/22 or 2022/23 and fully enrol on a postgraduate course by July 2024. Otherwise, our normal alumni discount is 10%. More information can be found here.
Read terms and conditions for our alumni discount
Spreading the cost for part-time study
For UK students on a part-time course, our flexible payments make it easier for you by spreading the cost across the academic year. The repayment dates depend on when you enrol on the course.
Funding from your employer
If you are working and your course is related to your job, your employer may be willing to pay some or all of your fees.
They will need to send us a sponsor letter on headed paper confirming that they will pay for all or part of your course.
Funding for teaching qualifications
If you are training to be a teacher, you can get finance for Initial Teacher Training, a PGCE and SCITT (School-Centred Initial Teacher Training).
Bursaries are also available – these don’t need to be repaid but they do vary according to the subject you’re planning to teach and the classification of your first degree.
Find out more about paying for your teacher training on the Get Into Teaching website.
Funding for social work or health care qualifications
Funding has recently changed for postgraduate pre-registration health care courses. If you are studying one of the following courses, you will be able to apply for a tuition fee loan and a maintenance loan with the same terms and conditions as an undergraduate loan.
- MSc Nursing (Adult) with NMC registration
- MSc Nursing (Mental Health) with NMC registration
- MSc Diagnostic Radiography (pre-registration)
- MSc Occupational Therapy (pre-registration)
Visit the Student Finance website to find out more, particularly the Eligibility section.
If you are studying another health care course or a social work course, you may be entitled to a bursary to help with living costs and tuition fees. Bursaries don’t need to be repaid. Find out more about social work bursaries and health care bursaries.
Nursing and Allied Health Funding
From September 2020, all undergraduate and postgraduate pre-registration nursing, occupational therapy and radiography students will receive a grant of at least £5,000 per year that will not have to be repaid. An additional £3,000 per year is available in some circumstances to support with childcare costs and depending on regional demand for your profession. The new package will supplement existing support available, such as tuition fee and maintenance loans.
Find out more about Nursing and Allied Health Funding
Bursaries and scholarships
You may be eligible for one of our bursaries or scholarships, which provide a small contribution towards the costs of studying with us. These can range from £100 to £5,000 and you usually have to meet certain criteria to get these. Scholarships and bursaries are available for UK, EU and international students.
Learn more about Postgraduate scholarships and bursaries
Got a question?
Student Records and Awards
T: +44 (0)1332 593110
E: studentrecordsandawards@derby.ac.uk
Monday to Thursday: 9am-5pm
Friday: 9am-4.30pm
Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART)
E: smart@derby.ac.uk