Postgraduate Study
Tuition Fees and Financial Support
Research Degrees - UK/EU Postgraduate Students
On this page you can find information about possible funding sources that you can contact if you want some help with financing your programme of study. If you are unsure about the cost of your course, please see our list of course tuition fees.
Departmental Assistance
Several University departments can offer scholarships and financial assistance to postgraduate students. Selection is usually based on a candidate's academic performance and the quality of the application. For additional information please contact the relevant department directly.
UK Research Councils
The UK Research Councils, the British Academy and the Student Awards Agency for Scotland offer both one-year and three-year awards which can cover tuition fees and maintenance for UK students. EU students may apply, but are normally eligible only for payment of tuition fees and not a maintenance grant.
To find out if your programme is eligible for funding, contact the relevant Department at the UNiversity of Stirling. You can also find out further information about the Research Councils at the following addresses:
The British Academy
10 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AH
Tel: +44 (0) 207 969 5200
www.britac.ac.uk
Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
Whitefriars, Lewins Mead, Bristol, BS1 2AE
Tel: +44 (0) 117 987 6543
www.ahrc.ac.uk
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon, SN2 1UJ
Tel: +44 (0) 1793 413 000
www.esrc.ac.uk
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon, SN2 1EU
Tel: +44 (0) 1793 411 500
www.nerc.ac.uk
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon, SN2 1UH
Tel: +44 (0) 1793 413 200
www.bbsrc.ac.uk
The Carnegie Trust
Awards are typically made to graduates of a Scottish university with a first class Honours degree in any subject. Scholarships provide fees, maintenance and a research and travel allowance. Applicants, who must be nominated by a member of academic staff, must submit their application by 15th March.
Forms may be obtained from:
The Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland
Cameron House, Abbey Park Place
Dunfermline, Fife, KY12 7PZ
Tel: 01383 622148
www.carnegie-trust.org
Trusts and Charities
Organisations such as the Rotary Club and other trusts and charities can be a useful source of small grants, but very few will be able to meet the total amount needed for fees and maintenance.
There are a wide variety of trusts covering differing locations and professions. Consult the Grants Register and/or the Directory of Grant Making Trusts available from most libraries. The Association of Charitable Foundations provides links to charitable bodies that may have funding available: www.acf.org.uk
Teaching Assistantships
Some departments at the University of Stirling may offer teaching assistantships for research students in return for undertaking part-time teaching duties and such students will receive a stipend to support them in their studies. The amount of teaching will not normally exceed six hours per week. More information can be found by contacting the relevant department directly.
Employer Sponsorship
Your employer may give you paid leave for study, or pay for all or part of your tuition fees and other costs such as examination fees and books. This is only likely if the programme of study is directly relevant to your work but it may be worth considering if you feel that indepth knowledge of a particular subject area will benefit your employer.
