How did you fund your masters?

Durz0 Blint

Hi guys

I am currently a second year and I am looking to do a masters when I graduate.

It is my understanding that postgraduate funding doesn't really exist for masters students. I am wondering how you all managed to afford to do a masters?

I would especially be interested in hearing from people who studied overseas as the areas I am interested in (currently doing a joint degree in Archaeology and Economics but I would like to do research into ancient Dna) would probably require me to go overseas.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Durz0 Blint

Anyone?

Over 300 views and nobody can discuss how they funded their masters?

Dempsey

Got SUSI to pay the fees. Paid for the year's living using a bank loan

Manco

SUSI and parental assistance, before being fortunate enough to get a PhD grant.

Viva La Gloria

€6,000 loan from the credit union, won't be paid off until September 2016. Thanks, Quinn.

innad

I did my masters part-time and worked full-time to cover living expenses. Paid fees through a mixture of savings, parents, and credit union loan. Claimed €1600 tax back from tuition fees.

trippertds

Also interested to hear about anyone's experience abroad, specifically in the UK. I've been offered a place on a Masters in Edinburgh and am on a waiting list for one in London. Both cost around 10,000 sterling. I have some savings but any could do with any available grants or loans

ciaradx

I got a grant all through my undergrad so entitled to 2000 from SUSI. Borrowing 4750 for the rest of my fees in the form of a postgrad loan so only paying interest for the first 15 months. Living expenses will be covered by money I've saved working fulltime in the summer and will hopefully stay working part time during the masters until I start the research part of it. Parents will help out a small bit too.
There isnt much funding around for masters but its still doable. I know other people in my undergrad are taking this next year out to work full time and starting their masters next year instead to make it easier financially.

Lockstep

I did my masters in Britain, got a partial fees scholarship which covered a third of the fees, my parents covered another third and I paid the rest myself from savings.

As for living costs, I worked two jobs during my LLM year. It's not easy (I wouldn't reccomend it) but it kept me afloat.


I was very lucky to get PhD funding (fees and maintenance) for my PhD.

shell18244

ciaradx can I ask where you got the interest only loan from? I know they have them in the UK but didn't know Ireland had any

mickstupp

Durz0 Blint wrote: »

Hi guys

I am currently a second year and I am looking to do a masters when I graduate.

It is my understanding that postgraduate funding doesn't really exist for masters students. I am wondering how you all managed to afford to do a masters?

I would especially be interested in hearing from people who studied overseas as the areas I am interested in (currently doing a joint degree in Archaeology and Economics but I would like to do research into ancient Dna) would probably require me to go overseas.

Any advice would be appreciated.

There may be some form of Masters funding specific to the university you want to study in. When I was doing my MA in Maynooth each department at the time could award tuition bursaries to the applicant with the highest marks, meaning your fees were paid, for two years in my case. Now I think there are awards of €2000 for the top applicants, which isn't nearly as useful if you don't get a grant to cover your course fees. If you want to do a research Masters, rather than taught, your funding options are better in general.

I'd suggest looking at the graduate studies webpages of whichever university you're interested in, take a look at their specific awards and funding opportunities. If you can't find those, I'd suggest going to departmental site of wherever you're interested in, finding the staff member who deals with postgraduate students, and just emailing them for information on funding. Express your interest and ask for their advice.

reap-a-rat

In my case, the Masters I am just finishing up is in an area that is heavily subsidised by the EU, therefore fees are lower; they were just under €3000 all things included. I got €2000 paid from SUSI. Although it was a full-time course, the lectures were only on 2 days of the week, so I worked part-time for two more days, and did some tutorials/labs/correcting for the department on the other day. That kept me afloat for rent/food/life throughout the Masters. The fees are the initial worry for lots of people, but you really have to take into account how expensive it is to live without an income. Only for the work, I'd have no chance of surviving without loans. It's not like I had loads of savings from my undergrad or anything!

EDIT: I also got a scholarship for having got a 1.1 in my undergrad - NUI Galway offers this for all TAUGHT Masters programmes. Was a big boost too.

guernica

I got my fees paid by the council which I think is available to everyone but you might have to be a mature student (over 23). Can't remember the exact rules though. I worked part time (20 hours a week) for living expenses.

maguic24

Working to fund mine

stardollz

ciaradx wrote: »

I got a grant all through my undergrad so entitled to 2000 from SUSI. Borrowing 4750 for the rest of my fees in the form of a postgrad loan so only paying interest for the first 15 months. Living expenses will be covered by money I've saved working fulltime in the summer and will hopefully stay working part time during the masters until I start the research part of it. Parents will help out a small bit too.
There isnt much funding around for masters but its still doable. I know other people in my undergrad are taking this next year out to work full time and starting their masters next year instead to make it easier financially.

I also got a grant throughout my undergrad but have just been refused the 2000 grant from susi for the masters. How do you mean were entitled to it?

Does anyone have any info on scholarships for finance in UCC?

ciaradx

shell18244 wrote: »

ciaradx can I ask where you got the interest only loan from? I know they have them in the UK but didn't know Ireland had any

Bank of Ireland postgrad fees loan. Not sure if any other banks do them.

ciaradx

stardollz wrote: »

I also got a grant throughout my undergrad but have just been refused the 2000 grant from susi for the masters. How do you mean were entitled to it?

Does anyone have any info on scholarships for finance in UCC?

What I meant was under the grant regulations for masters I should get a grant for my masters although still waiting for a final decision from SUSI. Can't see why they would refuse me. If they do refuse, UCC has a postgrad bursary for students who would have previously qualified for a grant but who have been refused by SUSI. Its open to all taught masters so maybe you should look into it www.ucc.ie/en/financeoffice/fees/

Tardful Slakerly II

reap-a-rat wrote: »

In my case, the Masters I am just finishing up is in an area that is heavily subsidised by the EU, therefore fees are lower; they were just under €3000 all things included. I got €2000 paid from SUSI. Although it was a full-time course, the lectures were only on 2 days of the week, so I worked part-time for two more days, and did some tutorials/labs/correcting for the department on the other day. That kept me afloat for rent/food/life throughout the Masters. The fees are the initial worry for lots of people, but you really have to take into account how expensive it is to live without an income. Only for the work, I'd have no chance of surviving without loans. It's not like I had loads of savings from my undergrad or anything!

EDIT: I also got a scholarship for having got a 1.1 in my undergrad - NUI Galway offers this for all TAUGHT Masters programmes. Was a big boost too.

Hi, if you could clarify for me? Are you saying that anyone with a 1.1 at nuig qualifies for a scholarship for a masters automatically? Could you give an indication as to what that money is? It would be appreciated.

reap-a-rat

Tardful Slakerly II wrote: »

Hi, if you could clarify for me? Are you saying that anyone with a 1.1 at nuig qualifies for a scholarship for a masters automatically? Could you give an indication as to what that money is? It would be appreciated.

If you have a 1.1 from your undergraduate degree, and you are going on to study a taught masters program at NUIG, you can apply for a postgraduate scholarship worth €1600 or so, and you will get it.

Details here: http://www.nuigalway.ie/postgrad/scholarships/

Lockstep

reap-a-rat wrote: »

If you have a 1.1 from your undergraduate degree, and you are going on to study a taught masters program at NUIG, you can apply for a postgraduate scholarship worth €1600 or so, and you will get it.

Details here: http://www.nuigalway.ie/postgrad/scholarships/

+1
Not many people know about it but it's a handy scholarship.

head_honcho

I self-funded my masters from my savings, wouldn't recommend it :rolleyes:

Gandalph

Moved to Oz for a year after I graduated to work hanky panky jobs to help fund my masters. Decent pay, year out and had fun. Wouldn't be for everyone I guess.

djpbarry

Durz0 Blint wrote: »

I would especially be interested in hearing from people who studied overseas as the areas I am interested in (currently doing a joint degree in Archaeology and Economics but I would like to do research into ancient Dna) would probably require me to go overseas.

If you're interested in pursuing a career in research, then I would suggest you consider applying for a PhD rather than a masters. And yes, a career in research very often necessitates working abroad at some point.

takamichinoku

Master's was partially subsidised so fees were only €2750; lived at home on the farm for a year (parents didn't charge me anything but in retrospect it was a horrible idea), got way more dole than I was expecting and am spectacularly cheap.

Worked an absolute ton of labs across both semesters so if that option is available, go for it! Was pretty incessant messaging any lecturer I could think of who I thought might have some slots they needed to fill. Surprised more people don't do this cos it really reinforces what you know and is pretty easy money.

Durz0 Blint

djpbarry wrote: »

If you're interested in pursuing a career in research, then I would suggest you consider applying for a PhD rather than a masters. And yes, a career in research very often necessitates working abroad at some point.

I'm currently looking to switch field so I really need the masters (Joint major in archaeology and economics, looking to find a taught masters in population genetics, so I can use ancient dna to research ancient economies and trade)

Doesn't get more niche than that

djpbarry

Durz0 Blint wrote: »

I'm currently looking to switch field so I really need the masters...

Do you? My undergrad was in electronic engineering, but I did a PhD in biotechnology with absolutely no formal biology training whatsoever.

Where are you planning on doing your research? Do you have a particular supervisor in mind? Have you been told that you should consider a masters before embarking on a PhD?

Squeeonline

djpbarry wrote: »

Do you? My undergrad was in electronic engineering, but I did a PhD in biotechnology with absolutely no formal biology training whatsoever.

Wow, that's quite the switch. How did you manage that? was Biotech a hobby/interest of yours for a long time? Did you integrate anything from EE into your PhD?

stephenamccann

Took 2 years out to save. So much easier to return with work experience IMO.

djpbarry

Squeeonline wrote: »

Wow, that's quite the switch. How did you manage that? was Biotech a hobby/interest of yours for a long time? Did you integrate anything from EE into your PhD?

I developed an interest in the life sciences during the final year of my degree and fortunately, there is a massive need for engineers, physicists and mathematicians in biology. My PhD involved developing image analysis routines to quantify the morphology of filamentous microbes for bioprocess optimisation and I now work in a cell biology lab, again developing image analysis algorithms.

Durz0 Blint

djpbarry wrote: »

Do you? My undergrad was in electronic engineering, but I did a PhD in biotechnology with absolutely no formal biology training whatsoever.

Where are you planning on doing your research? Do you have a particular supervisor in mind? Have you been told that you should consider a masters before embarking on a PhD?

Can't say i've been told but it seems to be standard for humanities (although my ideal research would be archaeological science which straddles science and the humanities).

Doing an internship at the minute and I wouldn't feel I have the knowledge to conduct research at this stage.

izzyflusky

Fees will be paid with savings, but one of the requirements of my masters is to be working in a live organisation. Its full time but only have to attend college once a week, so I'll continue to work full time at the same time. It's gonna be tough going, but hopefully worth it.