How to Fund Your Online Course
Explore your funding options.
See how you can fund your online course
Whilst funding options for online postgraduate taught courses are not as numerous as those for undergraduate and PhD study, there are still a variety of options to explore for your online course. Below are options that are applicaple to our online courses including loans, scholarships, bursaries and tuition discounts. Each funding option has specific eligibility criteria, so make sure to check whether they apply to your course and your circumstances.
Loans, self-funding and employer funding
UK and EU students can apply for a postgraduate loan (often referred to as a Master’s Loan). For 2023/24 this could be up to £12,167 if your course starts on or after 1 August 2023. You can apply for this loan if you are studying for a standalone Master’s degree.
To qualify for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan for distance learning, you’ll need to be living in England on the first day of the first academic year of your course. You’ll also need to live in:
England for the whole of your course, if you’re an EU national
the UK for the whole of your course, if you’re not an EU national
These loans differ for each country within the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland)
A certain number of our postgraduate students are partially or even fully funded by their employer, so it might be an option worth to explore with yours. They would simply need to provide you with a sponsorship letter.
You can find out more about employer sponsorship, including requirements and a sponsorship letter template here
Many of our students self-fund their studies. Paying tuition fees, either yourself or on behalf of someone else, is easy and straightforward. We encourage payment in advance of the start of your studies to avoid unnecessary delays or problems transferring funds, especially for overseas payers.
If you are self-funding, there is the option to pay by instalments for your course so you can spread the cost of studying with us.
Instalments are usually at three times in the academic year.
The first instalment is due when you register to start your studies (normally the end of August/start of September) and the other two are normally in February and May.
Scholarships
Equity and Merit Scholarships are for academically excellent students who have the potential to make a significant contribution to sustainable development in their home countries but could not afford to study at Manchester without a scholarship.
There are 30 scholarships available – with 10 for online students - for students from Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
The scholarships cover full tuition fees, and for students who will be studying in Manchester, the award includes return international airfares, living expenses and visas.
This scholarship is applicable for the following online courses:
- MSc Analytical Chemistry and Measurement Science by distance learning
- MSc Data Analytics and Social Statistics by Distance Learning
- MSc Pollution and Environmental Control (online)
- MSc Sustainable Electrical Power Systems Engineering by distance learning
- MSc Transformative Oncology by distance learning
Find out more about the Equity and Merit Scholarship Scheme here
The University of Manchester is committed to widening participation in master’s study and award a number of bursaries each year.
For the 2024/25 academic year, there are 125 bursaries worth £4,000 per selected student. The bursaries are aimed at helping students from underrepresented groups access postgraduate education.
If you match the relevant criteria and have applied for an eligible master’s course, you may apply for the Bursary. Having a confirmed master’s course placement isn't needed at this stage.
Find out more about the Manchester Master’s Bursary including eligibility criteria here
If you're a current or recent student at The University of Manchester and plan to start a master's course in the Faculty of Humanities or the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, you may be eligible.
Faculty of Humanities
£3,000 reduction on fees paid directly to the University at the start of the course.
Eligibility criteria:
- Available to UoM graduates who have received a first-class honours degree by enrolling on a Faulty of Humanities master’s course.
- Students applying will need to apply within three years of receiving their degree.
- The scholarship is available for international, EU and home students who study full-time, part-time, or by distance learning.
- You may be eligible to apply for other bursaries across the University; please contact the School in which your course will be based for further information.
*Please note that you will not normally receive the Manchester Alumni Scholarship should you be successful in applying for another University scholarship.
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health
£1,000 reduction on fees paid directly to the University at the start of the course.
Eligibility criteria:
- Available to UoM graduates enrolling on a Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health postgraduate taught master’s programme.
- You must have graduated in the previous year or be graduating currently with a first-class honours degree.
- The scholarship is available for international, EU and home students who will study full-time or part-time.
- *You must be self-funded and must not receive any other funding support.
Find out more about the Manchester Alumni Scholarship Scheme here
The Equity and Merit program was the perfect opportunity for me, offering the flexibility I required. It took dedication and perseverance, as I was admitted on my third attempt, but it was worth every effort.
Jackson Ilangali,
Equity and Merit Scholar,
Tanzania
Tuition discounts
Most of our online courses offer an early application discount, usually 10% of your tuition fees if you apply on or before the specified date. Make sure to check the individual course page’s Fees and Funding section to find out the early application deadline.
NHS employees are entitled to a 10% discount on their tuition fees for our medical and health courses. These courses are:
- Healthcare Ethics and Law
- Medical Decision Making: Ethics and Law
- Medical and Health Education
- Transformative Oncology
To receive an NHS discount on your tuition fees you must fit our eligibility criteria and provide evidence to support your discount claim. To process your discount claim, our admissions team must receive a letter from your employer, detailing your employment and contract type. This letter must be sent from a workplace email on official headed paper to verify your employment status. To qualify for the discount you must be employed at the start of the course and evidence must be provided before a discount is granted.
The University of Manchester provides alumni discounts for further study:
- Manchester Alumni Loyalty Discount: If you have successfully graduated from a credit-bearing qualification at The University of Manchester or UMIST, you may be eligible for a 10% discount on your tuition fees for taught postgraduate courses. Please see the eligibility criteria on our Manchester Alumni Loyalty Discount page.
- Alumni Discount (Online Courses): Some of our online courses offer an alumni discount of up to 15% on the tuition fees that you are personally funding. Check the "Fees and Funding" section of your chosen online course to see if this discount is available.
Please note: Only one alumni discount can be applied. If eligible for both (Manchester Alumni Loyalty Discount or Alumni Discount for Online Courses), you'll receive the higher one.
One-discount policy
Discounts and scholarships are not accumulative. If you qualify for more than one, you will be awarded the one that is the highest amount.
Additional support
If you are from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales, or are funded by a research council, you may be eligible to apply for Disabled Students' Allowances for help with costs while studying. Extra support could include:
- specialist equipment;
- non-medical helpers (support worker) funding allowance;
- help towards the additional costs of travelling to your institution;
- a general allowance.
Our Cost of Living Support Fund is a University scheme that exists thanks to generous donations from alumni and friends who want to ensure that no University of Manchester student is left struggling.
The Cost of Living Support Fund provides financial support to students who are unexpectedly suffering financial hardship.
For new students commencing their studies in September 2024, please note that this fund should not be considered as a potential means of funding your studies, and any applications in advance of commencing your studies will be unsuccessful.
It is open to ALL students, regardless of level of study, nationality, or social background, who are experiencing unforeseen circumstances or unexpected financial hardship.
International Students
You can find more country-specific information, including funding options, on the University's International Students page. Simply click on your country on the interactive map or list for counrty-specific information on entry requirements, scholarships, English language requirements and more.
