Guide to studying abroad : Funding

How much is postgrad study abroad likely to cost?

Tuition fees vary widely from country to country and even between institutions in one country. Public education is heavily subsidised in much of Europe and as an EU citizen you should pay no more than students from that country. Applying for courses in some parts of the world, however, can be very expensive. In the US, for example, just submitting an application can cost 50-100 dollars and that does not include the cost of any entry tests you may be required to take. You must also take into consideration the cost of making a visa application, see country profiles for visa and embassy details.  Remember that outside the EU you will be classed as an international student, which often means higher tuition fees.

In addition you must take into account living expenses, accommodation, books and resources, travel including airfares back home, personal expenses and health insurance (which some universities require you to purchase). It is important to consider all these possible expenses in advance. Expense estimates can be found on some university websites.

Sources of funding

There are numerous ways of gaining finance for study or research abroad. There is a multiplicity of awards and scholarship schemes, many specific to a particular institution or country, while funding from external bodies is possible in a range of countries. The following may be useful:

• Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU): offers scholarships, awards and fellowships.
• Fulbright Commission: offers awards for the first year of postgraduate or doctoral study in any subject at accredited US institutions.
• University assistantships: in the US these involve 20 hrs per week of teaching or research in exchange for payment of fees, a monthly living grant and health insurance, see The Fulbright Commission for further information.
• Postgraduate Studentships: for a list of postgraduate study funding providers.
• The International Federation of University Women: offers international fellowships and grants for postgraduate study and research.
• The MBA Loan scheme: can be used for selected programmes abroad, see Association of MBAs.

If costs to undertake a PhD seem prohibitive it may be worth considering spending short periods abroad as part of a PhD. Wellcome Trust offers a collaborative PhD with a National Institute of Health in the US.

The search for funding can be both time consuming and frustrating and you may not be able to get support to cover all your costs. For many, however, early applications and persistence will pay off.

AGCAS

Written by Wendy Reed, AGCAS

Date: 

March 2010

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