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Introduction

These are rates which may vary from year-to-year. They are subject to regulations being made. In the event of a difference between the regulations and this document, the regulations prevail.

Support for students on postgraduate courses

Master’s Courses

Eligible students may be entitled to a loan, as a contribution to costs, if studying a designated postgraduate Master’s degree course. The total amount of support available is non-means-tested and paid directly to the student. 

The support available for courses commencing on or after 1 August 2025 is a maximum loan of £19,255, over the period of the course.

Courses can be full or part-time and between one and four years in length. Payments are made in tranches across the number of years of the Master’s course.

The maximum amount of support payable in any one academic year is dependent on the course length. Where the course duration is one-year, eligible students can receive the maximum entitlement. Where the course duration is longer, their entitlement is split equally across course years.

Those receiving other direct forms of Government support for maintenance and fees costs, including any salary contributions or fees provided by the NHS or social care for the purposes of Master’s study, are not eligible. 

Existing arrangements will continue for continuing postgraduate students who started their courses in academic year 2017 to 2018 or 2018 to 2019.

Courses starting from academic year 2019 to 2020 or later (i.e. on or after 1 August 2019) but prior to 1 August 2025 are eligible for support at the rates applicable to the academic year they started (i.e. 2019 to 2020, 2020 to 2021, 2021 to 2022, 2022 to 2023, 2023 to 2024 or 2024 to 2025).

Doctoral Courses

Eligible students may be entitled to a loan, as a contribution to costs, if studying a designated postgraduate Doctoral degree course. The total amount of support available is non-means-tested and paid directly to the student. 

The support available for courses commencing on or after 1 August 2025 is a maximum loan of £29,130, as a contribution to costs, over the period of the course. 

Courses can be full or part-time and between three and eight years in length. Payments are made in tranches across the number of years of the doctoral course. 

The maximum amount of support payable in any one academic year is capped at 50 per cent, rounded down to the nearest whole £5 of the total maximum amount of support of £29,130.

Those in receipt of studentship funding from any of the seven UK Research Councils (whether full or fees only) are not eligible to receive a loan. Those receiving other direct forms of Government support for maintenance and fees costs, including any salary contributions or fees provided by the NHS or social care for the purposes of doctoral study, are not eligible. Additionally, students who are undertaking a Doctoral Degree in Educational Psychology at Cardiff University and are in receipt of a bursary are not eligible.

Courses starting from academic year 2018 to 2019 or later (i.e. on or after 1 August 2018) but prior to 1 August 2025 are eligible for support at the rates applicable to the academic year they started (i.e. 2019 to 2020, 2020 to 2021, 2021 to 2022, 2022 to 2023, 2023 to 2024 or 2024 to 2025).

Disabled Student’s Grant

Postgraduate students, studying full time or part time, may be eligible for a grant to assist with additional expenditure which the student is obliged to incur as a direct result of disability. It is not means-tested or pro-rated based on the intensity of study. The maximum amount of grant in the 2025 to 2026 academic year will be £34,000 and covers the following areas of expenditure:

  • non-medical personal helper
  • major items of specialist equipment
  • other disability related expenditure

A separate uncapped travel allowance will also be available for students who incur additional study related travel costs due to disability.