Postgraduate loans

I ordinarily live in Wales

If you ordinarily live in Wales and intend to start a Masters course in September 2025 then you can apply to Student Finance Wales for postgraduate funding.

What funding is available?

All eligible students who are ordinarily resident in Wales before starting their course, and who will be studying an eligible course, could receive a non-means tested loan up to a maximum of £19,255 over the length of their course to help meet the cost of tuition fees and general living costs.

This funding is paid directly to students, normally in three instalments; one at the start of each term. The first instalment is normally released to you within 3-5 working days after you have completed enrolment and collected your ID card. Therefore it is important to arrive at the university with funding for at least two weeks available to you.

Unlike undergraduate funding, there is no specific tuition fee loan available and payment of tuition fees need to be made directly to the University.

*If you will be studying on an eligible part-time course then funding will be split across the academic years of your course. The maximum available for a part-time course started in September 2025 would still be £19,255.

Eligibility

Whether you can receive postgraduate funding from Student Finance Wales will depend on:

your nationality and residency
your course
your university or college
your age
your previous study
if you are receiving other funding, such as an NHS bursary or Social Work bursary

More details about the eligibility criteria can be found at Student Finance Wales.

Additional funding from Student Finance Wales

Depending on your personal circumstances there may be additional funding available to you via the Disabled Students Allowance if you have a disability or long-term health condition. Please visit Student Finance Wales for more information.

How to apply for funding

The application process for students who are ordinarily resident in Wales and who intend to start a course in September 2025 is not yet open. Please check Student Finance Wales to keep up to date with when applications for 2025 entry open.

Additional funding from Cardiff University

Cost of living in Cardiff

Cardiff is considered to be one of the most affordable UK cities to live in while you study. See our living cost calculator for the average cost of living in Cardiff as a full-time, postgraduate student.

Repaying a postgraduate loan

Those who take a postgraduate loan via Student Finance Wales in academic year 25/26 will repay this under the Postgraduate Loan Plan.

If you are repaying any undergraduate loans (tuition fee loan and/or maintenance loan), the postgraduate loan repayments will be taken in addition to undergraduate loan repayments. This means you could be repaying both your Undergraduate and Postgraduate loans simultaneously if you earn above the repayment threshold.

You can find out more information about how postgraduate loans are repaid here.

I ordinarily live in England

If you ordinarily live in England and intend to start a Master's course in September 2025 then you can apply to Student Finance England for postgraduate funding.

What funding is available?

All eligible students who are ordinarily resident in England before starting their course and who will be studying an eligible course could receive a non-means tested loan up to a maximum of £12,858, over the length of their course to help meet the cost of tuition fees and general living costs.

This funding is paid directly to students, normally in three instalments; one at the start of each term. The first instalment is normally released to you within 3-5 working days after you have completed enrolment and collected your ID card. Therefore it is important to arrive at the university with funding for at least two weeks available to you.

Unlike undergraduate funding, there is no specific tuition fee loan available and payment of tuition fees need to be made directly to the University.

If you will be studying on an eligible part-time course then funding will be split across the academic years of your course. The maximum available for the part-time course started in September 2025 would still be £12,858.

Eligibility

Whether you can receive postgraduate funding from Student Finance England will depend on:

your nationality and residency
your course
your university or college
your age
your previous study, including any time registered on an integrated masters course
if you are receiving other funding, such as an NHS bursary or Social Work bursary

More details about the eligibility criteria can be found via Student Finance England.

Additional funding from Student Finance England

Depending on your personal circumstances there may be additional funding available to you via the Disabled Students Allowance if you have a disability or long-term health condition. Please visit Student Finance England for more information.