Fees and funding

Funding, scholarships and discounts

Loyalty discount

We're pleased to offer a 20% discount off the net fee for all University of Salford graduates who are self-funding their studies. You are eligible for this discount if:

• You have graduated from an undergraduate bachelor's programme (BA (Hons), BSc (Hons), LLB, MChem, MPhys, Graduate Diploma) at the University of Salford or one of our global partners and are applying to a postgraduate taught master's or postgraduate research master's.
• You have graduated from a postgraduate taught master's programme at the University of Salford or one of our global partners and are applying to a postgraduate research programme.

Doctoral loans

Government loans are available to help UK students with course fees and living costs while they are studying for a postgraduate doctoral course, such as a PhD. Find out more on the Government's website. 

Masters (MPhil) UK fee scholarship

This scholarship is for University of Salford graduates and was introduced for the 2023/24 academic year. The scholarship will cover tuition fees for the year (UK tuition fees). There is no bursary.

All research areas are eligible, you can study anything, but please note some research areas, such as laboratory work, come with additional costs that will need to be funded separately.

To apply, you need to be a UK applicant (i.e. eligible for UK fees) and a University of Salford graduate who is applying to undertake a research degree for the first time. You must first apply for an get an offer for the MPhil (or MSc by Research) programme, before you will be considered for the scholarship. In addition, these scholarships are targeted at increasing participation from groups currently underrepresented within research and priority will be given to students that meet one or more of the criteria below.

• Your home postcode (i.e. the postcode you used to apply to university through UCAS) is listed as a ‘1’ or ‘2’ in the POLAR4 column on the POLAR checking tool.
• You are from an ethnic group that is underrepresented in research careers (Black, Asian, or Minority Ethnic).
• You identify as having a disability. The term ‘disability’ is quite broad, and further definitions of what might be considered a ‘disability’ can be found under the Equality Act 2010.
• You are a first-generation student (you are the first person in your family to go to university).
• You are a mature student (you were aged 21 or over when you started your first undergraduate course).
• You are care-experienced or an estranged student.

The application details and timeline for this scholarship are below.

PhD widening participation scholarships

We are delighted to be offering 10 PhD widening participation scholarships each year for UK candidates.

For entry in September/October 2024, the scholarship will cover tuition fees (UK tuition fees), a stipend for 3.5 years of £19,367, and an annual research budget of £1,000 (years 1-3). Please note: these costs are based on the 2024/25 academic year and may change in future years.

All research areas are eligible, you can study anything, but please note some research areas, such as laboratory work, come with additional costs that will need to be funded separately.

Any UK candidates (or eligible for UK fees) are able to apply, however these scholarships are targeted at increasing participation from groups currently underrepresented within research and priority will be given to students that meet one or more of the below criteria. Priority will also be given to University of Salford graduates.

• Your home postcode (i.e. the postcode you used to apply to university through UCAS) is listed as a ‘1’ or ‘2’ in the POLAR4 column on the POLAR checking tool.
• You are from an ethnic group that is underrepresented in research careers (Black, Asian, or Minority Ethnic).
• You identify as having a disability. The term ‘disability’ is quite broad, and further definitions of what might be considered a ‘disability’ can be found under the Equality Act 2010.
• You are a first-generation student (you are the first person in your family to go to university).
• You are a mature student (you were aged 21 or over when you started your first undergraduate course).
• You are care-experienced or an estranged student.

How do I apply? 

All candidates who wish to apply for the MPhil or PhD widening participation scholarship will first need to apply for and be accepted onto a research degree programme.

As long as you have submitted your completed application for September/October 2024 intake by 28 February 2024 and you qualify for UK fees, you will be sent a very short scholarship application. This form must be returned by 28 March 2024.  

Your completed scholarship application form will be considered in conjunction with your research programme application (including your proposal, personal statement, CV, references, and interview outcome). The first stage will be a school level shortlisting process which will take place at the end of April/Start of May. Those candidates shortlisted by each school will be invited to meet the central selection panel, between 20 and 23 May 2024, for a short discussion (~20 minutes) about the candidate’s motivation for applying and their aspirations for the programme. The panel will meet to make final decision the following week.  

Commonwealth scholarships

Commonwealth scholarships for master’s and PhD study are offered to citizens of developing Commonwealth countries who plan to study in the UK. These scholarships are funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), with the aim of contributing to the UK’s international development aims and wider overseas interests, supporting excellence in UK higher education and sustaining the principles of the Commonwealth. For more information, please visit the Commonwealth Scholarships website.

Part-time work

If you want to earn some extra cash while you’re studying, you can access a range of suitable roles at our on-campus branch of Unitemps. When you’re a postgraduate research student, it’s important to find the right balance between work and study, so if you’re thinking of getting a part-time job, speak to your personal tutor to find out how much time you’ll need to dedicate to your studies.