GoPostgrad
WHY POSTGRADUATE?
Choosing to study a postgraduate qualification can help enrich your academic development and enhance your employability. Whether you are looking to boost your career, follow your passions or even change career, postgraduate study can help you reach new heights.
LJMU offers over 150 postgraduate courses across the University, ensuring that there’s something to suit all tastes. Many of our courses are accredited and offer you the opportunity to gain excellent insights into your possible future career opportunities.
Postgraduate study enables you to forge key industry contacts and tackle real world projects. Many programmes even offer the chance to gain valuable work experience. We are very proud of the fact that an impressive 97%* of LJMU postgraduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduation.
According to the Graduate Labour Market Statistics, those with a postgraduate qualification earn on average £5,000** more annually than those with an undergraduate degree as their highest qualification.
With flexible learning options meaning you can even fit your learning around family and work commitments, there’s never been a better time to apply for postgraduate study. And, as you’ll discover in this booklet, there’s a wide range of options to help you fund your studies whatever your personal circumstances.
COME AND VISIT US
Find out more about our postgraduate courses and research opportunities at our events.
Our events give you the opportunity to talk to staff and students and see the University for yourself.
* Graduate Outcomes Survey (GOS), published 2024
**Department for Education Graduate Labour Market Statistics published 2025
Staff are really helpful and always available to talk to you. Whether it’s your academic tutors or the library staff, they will do whatever they can for you.
Lee Schwarz, MSc Maritime Operations Management
TUITION FEES
All postgraduate students pay an annual tuition fee. You can pay this at the start of each academic year or in instalments.
For exact details of tuition fees, please refer to the online course information for your chosen programme(s).
If you would like any advice on postgraduate fees and funding, please contact our Money Advice team: moneyadvice@ljmu.ac.uk 0151 231 3153/3154
FUNDING YOUR STUDIES
PLANNING AHEAD
Starting a postgraduate course is exciting, but it is a financial commitment. To maximise your opportunities, it is important to plan ahead before you start your course and ensure you have a full and reliable funding package in place from the outset.
Government funding is available for most postgraduate courses, but is considered a contribution rather than a way to fully fund your studies. You will likely need to access additional funding sources to finance your postgraduate studies.
To start, look at your income and expenditure to put together a budget. You should consider your budget carefully and, to assist with this, LJMU has collaborated with Blackbullion (www.blackbullion.com) to enable current students to use their online tools and resources when registering with their LJMU email address.
Our Money Advice team are happy to discuss funding options with your before you start your course.
POSTGRADUATE TAUGHT FUNDING
Postgraduate loans are available for those wishing to study full-time or part-time. Some courses have different funding structures, including PGCEs, MArch and research programmes, which is discussed later in this brochure.
Different funding arrangements apply depending on where you normally live.
Loan rates quoted are for 2025 entry.
STUDENTS FROM ENGLAND
If your permanent home is in England you will be eligible to apply for:-
A non means-tested Postgraduate Master’s Loan for £12,858 if your course starts on or after 1 August 2025. This loan will be paid to you in termly instalments over the course duration. You can set up a direct debit to pay your tuition fees in line with the loan instalments.
If you decide to take out a postgraduate loan, your repayments will start in the April after you complete your course if your salary is higher than £21,000.
For details of eligibility and more information see: www.gov.uk/ funding-for-postgraduate-study
STUDENTS FROM WALES
If your permanent home is in Wales and you want to study in England, you will be eligible to apply for:-
Means-tested postgraduate funding of up to 19,225. This will be paid as a combination of a grant and a loan, where both are means-tested on your household income. The loan will be paid to you in termly instalments over the course duration. You can set up a direct debit to pay your tuition fees in line with the instalments.
If you take out a loan, your repayments will begin once you leave your course and earn over £21,000.
For details of eligibility and more information see:
www.studentfinancewales.co.uk/ postgraduate-students.aspx
STUDENTS FROM NORTHERN IRELAND
If your permanent home is in Northern Ireland, you will be eligible to apply for:-
A non means-tested postgraduate loan of up to £6,500. This loan will be paid direct to LJMU towards your tuition fees. Students from Northern Ireland are not eligible for money towards living costs. If your tuition fees are higher than £6,500 for those wanting to start their studies in the 2024/25 academic year, you will need to make arrangements to pay the remaining balance yourself.
If you take out the postgraduate loan, this will be added to the balance of any undergraduate student loans that you have and will be repaid under existing Plan 1. Repayments will start when you earn more than £24,990.
For details of eligibility and more information see:
www.studentfinanceni.co.uk/ types-of-finance/postgraduate/
HAVE YOU STUDIED AT POSTGRADUATE LEVEL BEFORE/ PREVIOUSLY?
As a general rule, postgraduate funding is restricted by the government to one course only. If you have studied at postgraduate level previously then please contact us for information about further funding.
STUDENTS FROM SCOTLAND
If your permanent home is in Scotland and you wish to study a full-time course within the UK, you will be eligible to apply for the following funding:-
A tuition fee loan of up to £7,000, which will be paid to LJMU directly. If your fees are more than £7,000, you will need to make arrangements to pay the remaining balance yourself.
A living cost loan of up to £6,900. Please note: part-time students are not eligible for the living cost loan.
If you take out a loan, your repayments will begin once you leave your course and earn over £32,745.
For details of eligibility and more information see: www.saas.gov.uk/full-time/ postgraduate-funding-information
SUBJECT SPECIFIC FUNDING
POSTGRADUATE
TEACHER TRAINING
If you are studying a full-time PGCE course, you will be eligible for the same funding as an undergraduate student. This includes:
n a non means-tested loan to cover your tuition fees in full
n means-tested funding for your living costs. The amount you receive depends on where in the UK you normally live and your household income
You may also be eligible for additional funding in the form of a bursary or scholarship, depending on your subject choice and the classification of your undergraduate degree.
For up to date information on the bursaries and scholarships available see:
getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/fundingyour-training
MArch ARCHITECTURE
If you are continuing onto the MArch from the BA (Hons) Architecture either directly or after a period of work experience, you will be eligible
for the same funding package you received on your undergraduate course.
If you have had more than two years out from the previous academic year then please seek funding advice from LJMU’s specialist funding team on 0151 231 3153.
If you are planning to start the MArch from another study route, or have taken more than two years between part one and two of the qualification, please contact us for more information.
GRANTS FOR DEPENDANTS
If you are studying an MArch or a PGCE and have dependants, you can apply for grants for your dependants (including help with childcare costs) when you apply for your student finance.
LJMU have a childcare bursary for those not eligible for help with childcare costs from Student Finance or the Government. To enquire about this bursary, contact the Money Advice team.
Doing my masters felt like a natural progression to help me achieve what I want in my career.
Manisha Aggarwal MSc Sports Psychology
POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH FUNDING
The costs of studying for a postgraduate research qualification can be broken down into three parts:
n tuition fees – variable, depending on subject area
n living costs – often covered by a stipend
n research costs (‘bench fees’) – variable, depending on subject area
If you are a self-funded or part-time student you must have sufficient funds to cover all three.
POSTGRADUATE DOCTORAL LOANS
A Postgraduate Doctoral Loan can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate doctoral course, such as a PhD.
If starting in Autumn 2026 you should apply for your Doctoral Loan from June 2026.
You have to repay your Postgraduate Doctoral Loan at the same time as any other student loans you have. You’ll be charged interest from the day you get the first payment.
POSTGRADUATE MASTERS LOANS FOR MPHIL STUDENTS
A non means-tested loan of up to £12,858 per student is available to assist with the cost of a full or part-time standalone masters course for English applicants. Welsh students can access means-tested funding (a grant and loan) of up to £19,225 and full-time Scottish students applying for a full-time course within the UK can access a tuition fee loan of up to £7,000. Full-time Scottish students can also apply for a living costs loan of up to £6,900 per year.
Northern Irish students wishing to study an MPhil can apply for a non means-tested loan of up to £6,500.
For more information see:
n www.gov.uk/studentfinance
n www.studentfinancewales.co.uk/
n www.saas.gov.uk
n www.studentfinanceni.co.uk
You may also want to look into funding streams and perhaps consider contacting our Money Advice team to discuss further funding options.
SCHOLARSHIPS/STUDENTSHIPS FOR PHD STUDY
These usually cover tuition fees and living costs. They may also cover research costs but you will need to check the terms and conditions of the offering to find out.
LJMU scholarships/studentships are offered:
n at University level (see LJMU website for details)
n at Faculty level (contact your chosen Faculty)
You can also search for LJMU scholarships/ studentships at:
n www.findaphd.com
n www.prospects.ac.uk/postgraduatestudy
EXTERNAL FUNDING SOURCES
If you are interested in external sources to fund your PhD study, help is available from trusts, charities, national bodies, government departments and industries connected with your area of research interest.
For guidance on external funding sources please consult:
n the Grants Register, published annually by Palgrave Macmillan
n the Directory of Grant Making Trusts, published annually by the Directory of Social Change
n the Alternative Guide to Postgraduate Funding, a database of funding from charities, which can make awards (fees, maintenance, research costs) to any student regardless of subject or nationality. If you are a prospective LJMU PGR student, email DoctoralAcademy@ljmu.ac.uk to get an access PIN.
Figures quoted are for 2025 entry.
Robert Seaborne, PhD student Sport and Exercise Sciences
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT
DISABLED STUDENTS
Disabled Students’ Allowances or DSAs help meet any extra course costs faced by students as a direct result of a disability, on-going health condition, mental health condition or special learning difficulty.
DSAs are available to full and part-time students, they don’t have to be repaid and the support you receive will be determined by your needs not your household income.
Applications should be made via your funding body e.g. your Research Council, Student Finance England or the NHS.
For further advice on how to apply for your DSA and ongoing support during your studies, please contact our Disability Team on 0151 231 3168 or email: disability@ljmu.ac.uk
STUDENT SUPPORT FUND
The Student Support Fund is available to assist LJMU students with one-off financial emergencies or higher than expected costs.
Please contact the Money Advice Team for more information: call 0151 231 3153/3154 or email: moneyadvice@ljmu.ac.uk
COUNCIL TAX EXEMPTION
All full-time postgraduates on courses lasting a year or more are eligible for a council tax exemption certificate. For further details see: ljmu.ac.uk/discover/fees-andfunding/useful-funding-info/ council-tax
STUDENTS AND BENEFITS
The majority of full-time students are not eligible for benefits while they are studying. There are some exceptions to this, namely:
n lone parents with a dependent child/ children. The age of your children can affect which benefits you are eligible for
n students with disabilities or health conditions
n students who are pensioners
n student couples with at least one dependent child
If you need advice about which benefits to claim or what counts as income for benefit purposes then please contact us.
PART-TIME WORK
Most postgraduate students will need to find additional sources of income to fund their studies, therefore many postgraduate students work whilst they study. The hours you can work will vary across disciplines and departments. You should refer to your budget when deciding how many hours you need to work.
In some instances, you may find it necessary to study part-time while you work. Again, this will depend on your individual situation and financial commitments.
The Money Advice team are really helpful and have given me a lot of support during my studies.
Claire Murphy MA Cities
General enquiries: 0151 231 5090
Email: courses@ljmu.ac.uk
International enquiries: international@ljmu.ac.uk
@LJMUOfficial @LMU
USEFUL CONTACTS
DISABILITY TEAM: 0151 231 3168 disability@ljmu.ac.uk
GET INTO TEACHING WEBSITE: https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/
MONEY ADVICE TEAM: 0151 231 3153/3154 moneyadvice@ljmu.ac.uk
POSTGRADUATE LOANS:
England and the EU: www.gov.uk/studentfinance Northern Ireland: www.studentfinanceni.co.uk
Scotland: www.saas.gov.uk
Wales: www.studentfinancewales.co.uk
The information in this publication is correct at the time of going to press (January 2026). Some changes will inevitably occur in the interval between publication and the academic year to which the publication relates and the university reserves the right to withdraw or make alterations to the course, modules and facilities if necessary. Applicants should therefore not rely solely on this publication and should use it in conjunction with information provided on our website: www.ljmu.ac.uk.
The university offers the information contained in this publication as a general guide. It does not constitute or form part of any contract and it is not binding on prospective students, students or the university. For further information on the LJMU admissions policy please visit: ljmu.ac.uk/admissions
This brochure is available in different formats, please contact us for more information.