There are a few option available, the most popular way is to get a government post graduate loan. There are different criteria for residences in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Those outside the UK will need to look at post graduate loan options within the in the country they are resident in.
Government Funding by Region
Student Finance England
Available if you are a UK citizen, or have settled/pre-settled status, and currently live in the England. You must be are under 60 when the course starts, and have not already used a postgraduate loan. This is how 90% of our students fund their studies. You’ll also still be eligible if you have a PGCE or a postgraduate diploma or certificate.
Loan available: up to £12,858 (as of August 2025, check the latest figure on gov.uk) Course fee: £11,600 Remainder: yours to help with materials or travel
Payment: the loan is paid directly to you in three instalments each year
Repayment: only when you earn over around £27,000 per year
You can apply directly at www.gov.uk/masters-loan.
When can’t I get a post graduate loan?
You will not be able to get a Postgraduate Master’s Loan if:
you’re already getting payments from Student Finance England for another course that you’re studying
you’ve received a loan or grant for a master’s course before - unless you only got a Disabled Students’ Allowance or you left your course for a serious personal reason like illness or bereavement
you already have a master’s degree, or a qualification that’s equivalent, such as an integrated master’s degree
you already have a qualification that’s higher than a master’s degree
you’re behind in repayments for any previous loans from the Student Loans Company
Scotland
SAAS (Student Awards Agency Scotland) postgraduate loans are available for eligible Scottish-resident students undertaking taught or research Master’s (up to 2 years) or Postgraduate Diplomas (1 year). Applicants must be UK nationals, Irish citizens, or have settled/pre-settled status. Generally, you must have lived in the UK for 3+ years and be under 61 for living cost loans.
The amount available to eligible students breaks down as follows:
Tuition Fee Loan: Up to £7,000. This is paid directly to the university.
Living Cost Loan: Up to £6,900 (full time students, under 61 years old) pay direct to the student.
Maximum total: £13,900.
Key Eligibility Criteria for SAAS Postgraduate Loans
Residence: Must be "ordinarily resident" in Scotland at the start of your course. If you moved to Scotland solely for education, you may not qualify.
Previous Residence: Must have lived in the UK, Channel Islands, or Isle of Man for the three years immediately preceding the course start date.
Nationality: UK national, Irish citizen, or have settled/pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.
Age: No age restriction for the tuition fee loan. However, you must be under 61 on the first day of the first academic year of your course to qualify for the living cost loan.
Course Type: Eligible taught or research Masters (e.g., MRes, MPhil) or Postgraduate Diplomas.
Previous Funding: You cannot receive a tuition fee loan if you have already received SAAS Masters funding.
Wales
Our course is not currently on the Welsh Government's list of 'designated courses'. This means that, while we wait to be added to this list, students from Wales are not eligible for a postgraduate loan for our course.
Northern Ireland
You can get up to a maximum of £6,500 towards your course fees.
Key Eligibility Criteria (2025/26 Academic Year):
Nationality & Status: You must be a UK/Irish national or have settled/pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.
Residency: You must normally live in Northern Ireland and have been living in the UK, Channel Islands, or Isle of Man for the three years prior to the first day of your course.
Course Requirements: The loan applies to taught or research master's courses, as well as Postgraduate Diplomas (PGDip) and Certificates (PGCert).
Previous Study: You can apply even if you have a previous postgraduate qualification, provided you have not previously received a Postgraduate Loan from Student Finance NI.
Age: There is no upper or lower age limit for this loan.
Self-Funding
If you are not eligible for a post graduate loan, or your loan does not cover the full course fees, you will need to set up a payment plan with Make Happen to pay the remaining amount.
We can offer payment plans across 3 instalments of 12 instalments to fit with your lifestyle and cash flow.