A new £4,000 bursary will be available for people over the age of 60 to study for a Master’s degree in Wales for the 2019/20 academic year.
This was published under the 2016 to 2021 administration of the Welsh Government
- £4,000 bursary for age 60+ Master’s Degree students during 2019/20 academic year
- £2,000 bursary for all-age students to study a Master’s in ‘STEMM’ subjects
- £1,000 bursary to study for a Master’s through the medium of Welsh
- Bursaries available from this autumn
New incentives have been announced for Welsh students to do their Master’s degree in Wales, as part of the Welsh Government’s aim to open up higher education to more people while attracting graduates to remain in or return to Wales.
A new £4,000 bursary will be available for people over the age of 60 to study for a Master’s degree in Wales for the 2019/20 academic year. The grant aims to provide additional support for students over 60, who are currently unable to access the same financial support as younger students due to HM Treasury restrictions.
A new £2,000 bursary will also be available for graduates of all ages to study in Wales for a Master’s degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics or Medicine, often referred to as ‘STEMM’ subjects.
A £1,000 bursary will also be available to study a Master’s degree through the medium of Welsh. The bursary aims to support the continued development of the Welsh-speaking workforce and help achieve the target of a million Welsh speakers by 2050.
Kirsty Williams, the Education Minister, said:
“Delivering a right to lifelong learning in Wales was a key part of the Progressive Agreement between myself and the First Minister. This brings benefits to individuals through their career or personal development, as well as benefitting our economy and wider society.
“Post-graduate study should be an option available to every graduate in Wales, no matter your age. Sir David Attenborough continues to make some of the best and most popular TV programmes into his nineties, so there’s no reason for age to be a barrier to develop your career once you pass 60!
“We also want to attract talented graduates to remain in, or return to Wales to study, particularly in the STEMM subjects where we know there’s a high demand from industry for skilled post-graduates.
“The bursary for Welsh-medium postgraduates is also important to the continued development of the Welsh-speaking workforce, which is essential to achieving our target of a million Welsh speakers by 2050.”
The Welsh Government will make £1.3m of funding to the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) to administer the bursaries via Welsh higher education providers.
Further information on eligibility and how to apply can be found by contacting your preferred university.