Postgraduate

Scholarships and Funding

Introduction

Scholarships, bursaries, awards

> School of Informatics scholarships
> City University scholarships
> AHRC Professional Preparation Master's Scheme Awards
> The Alex McVitty Award
> The Stationers' and Newspaper Makers' Company Bursary
> Access to Learning Funds
> Schools Competition Act Settlement Trust
> Postgraduate Solutions UK Bursaries

Financial assistance to support your learning

> Financial assistance
> Bank loans

Working while studying

> Employer sponsorship
> Part time study
> Part time and temporary work

Benefits

> Claiming benefits

Extra information for EU and international students

> Notes for EU and international students

Prizes for excellence in study

> The Catherine D Hamilton prize
> The Penny Yates-Mercer prize
> The R T Bottle prize
> The Jubilee prize
> The Dept of Computing Best Student Prize
> The Dept of Computing Outstanding Project Prize
> Dr Foster Intelligence Health Informatics Graduate Award

Introduction

This page is designed to provide you with comprehensive information about the range of ways in which you can fund your postgraduate study. Please read the eligibility requirements for all awards carefully as some may have restrictions about who can apply, for example with regards to age or residency. Note that School of Informatics scholarships are open to all well-qualified full time postgraduate applicants, without restrictions.

Scholarships, bursaries, awards

School of Informatics Scholarships for 2012 entry

The School of Informatics offers a number of scholarships for both UK/EU and International (non EU) well-qualified postgraduate students and funding opportunities for City University Alumni

UK/EU

UK and European Union graduates with a first or upper second class honours degree (or equivalent qualifications/relevant professional experience) can apply for a non means-tested scholarship worth up to £1,500. The scholarship applies to most of our full-time and part-time taught Masters courses* within the School of Informatics, City University London, starting in the autumn of 2012. Please note that scholarships are limited and will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis. The deadline for course applications is 30th August 2012 and applicants will automatically be considered for a scholarship as part of the application process.

Scholarship application criteria

To qualify for a scholarship, an applicant (UK or EU) will need to fulfil all of the following criteria.

Successful applicants must:

Ensure that their application reaches the University by the advertised deadline. Applicants and not the University (or its staff) are entirely responsible for meeting this element of the criteria.

Be in possession of a first or upper second class honours degree (or equivalent qualifications/relevant professional experience).  Note - applications from students with qualifications gained from outside the UK will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Be offered a place on an eligible taught Masters course, accept this offer and enrol on the course within the appropriate timeframe.

Terms and conditions:

*Eligible courses:

Tel: 020 7040 0248 Email: pgenquire@soi.city.ac.uk

International (Non EU)

Scholarships will be offered to International (non EU) well-qualified applicants wishing to take up a place on any of the above courses in September 2012. The scholarships, each valued at £2,000, are intended to assist students to pay the fees for their chosen course of study. They will be awarded on a competitive basis to the most promising applicants.

  • MSc Software Engineering
  • Msc e-Business Systems
  • MSc Human-centred Systems
  • MSc Information Systems & Technology
  • MSc Business Systems Analysis & Design
  • MSc Information Science
  • MSc Information Management
  • MSc/MA Library Science
  • MSc/MA Information Management in the Cultural Sector
  • MSc/MA Electronic Publishing
  • MSc Health Informatics

How to apply

Complete an application form for your chosen course, attaching a letter stating that you also wish to be considered for an Informatics Scholarship. Exceptionally well qualified applicants will be offered a scholarship at the time we make an offer of a place on the course.

Deadlines for application

We will consider applications at three points in the year. If you wish to be considered for a scholarship, please make sure we receive your COMPLETE application form (i.e. complete references, transcripts etc) and letter by one of these dates.

Terms and conditions

1. Scholarships are awarded at the discretion of the Scholarship's Panel. The panel may require applicants to submit an assignment or an essay, for example, as part of the selection process

2. Scholarships are only available to students paying the full fee on one of the participating courses

3. The scholarship is intended to assist the student meet the cost of the fee payable in respect of the course and will be deducted from the fees charged to the student or the student's sponsor

4. The scholarship will not be recorded on the degree certificate from the University. However, references for students who have successfully completed the course may refer to the scholarship

5. Applicants may only apply for a scholarship once, but if a deadline is missed it will automatically be considered for the next round.

Note that anyone who applied for the scholarships under previous rules will automatically be considered under the new rules.

Tel: 020 7040 0248 Email: pgenquire@soi.city.ac.uk

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Bursaries for City graduates - It pays to continue your studies at City.

City University London graduates enrolling onto a Masters course, starting Autumn 2012 in the School of Informatics are automatically entitled to a bursary. The "Loyalty Bursary" scheme provides eligible applicants with the opportunity to continue their postgraduate studies at City on selected courses* at a reduced fee of only £7,000 (full time)/ £3,500 per year (part time) for Home/EU students and £11,000 (full time)/ £5,500 per year (part time) for International (non-EU) students. The deadline for applications is 30th August 2012 and successful applicants will automatically be entered into the scheme.

"Loyalty Discount" application criteria

To qualify for this scheme, applicants must:

Terms and conditions

Eligible courses

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AHRC Professional Preparation Master's Scheme Awards

Well-qualified applicants on the following programmes of study may be eligible for a full maintenance and fees award or a fees-only award, depending on which criteria of residency etc they meet.

For a full award, applicants must have been resident in the UK for three years or more prior to start of the award. For EU nationals this can include time spent in the UK for education, but for non-EU nationals residency must have been for purposes other than education. Fees-only awards are available for EU nationals who have been resident in the EU for more than three years prior to the start of the award. Non-EU nationals cannot apply for fees-only awards. Applicants holding 'time-limited visas' are not eligible. Deadline: 28 February 2012.

Tel: 0117 987 6543 Web: www.ahrc.ac.uk

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The Alex McVitty Memorial Award

The Memorial Award provides financial assistance of £1,500 towards living expenses. One award each year is offered to a full time home or overseas applicant on the following programmes of study who wishes to develop a career in law librarianship and can demonstrate financial need. All prospective students for the two programmes of study below are interviewed by Admissions Tutors, and applications for the award can be discussed at that point.

History of the award: Alex McVitty studied for an MSc in Information Science at City University London in 1997-98. Tragically Alex died in a road accident whilst cycling to her work as a law librarian. As Alex had to fund herself through the course, combining study with part-time library jobs, her family and friends chose to establish a memorial fund to provide an annual award to help a student wishing to pursue a career in law librarianship. The memorial award fund is administered by The British and Irish Association of Law Librarians.

Tel: 020 7040 0248 Email: pgenquire@soi.city.ac.uk

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The Stationers' and Newspaper Makers' Company Bursary

The Educational Charity of the above company provide an annual bursary worth £6,000 to support an applicant on the following programme of study at City University London. The award is open to persons under 25 years of age on 1st May. Residency requirements apply.

Patrick Shorten, Chairman of the Trustees of the Educational Charity said "The world wide web is a world apart from the manuscript books produced by the booksellers and limners of the original Guild in 1403. But The Stationers' Company seeks to remain as relevant and representative to its members as it ever has. E-publishing is clearly here to stay and at City we know that the education and skills our bursary holder will gain will be the best to equip them in their new media career."

The School of Informatics will select candidates for the award from applicants who are made an offer of a place on the programme before the summer. Candidates for the award will be invited to an interview with staff from the School of Informatics and the Educational Charity of the Stationers' and Newspaper Makers' Company.

Web: www.stationers.org/ Note that The School of Informatics administers this award. The above web address is for information only.

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Access to Learning Fund

The government gives the University money, known as the Access to Learning Fund, to distribute to students who are experiencing financial hardship. These funds are administered by the Student Funds Service, part of the Accommodation and Welfare Service at City University London.

Tel: 020 7040 8033 Email: fundsservice@city.ac.uk Web: www.city.ac.uk/studentcentre/support/alf.html

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Schools Competition Act Settlement Trust

New opportunities for student funding for postgraduate degrees.
Web: www.scast.org.uk

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Postgraduate Solutions UK

Looking for additional funding? Postgrad Solutions now offer 13 bursaries across a number of subject areas. Click here to apply - www.postgrad.com/editorial/bursaries/


Financial assistance to support your learning

Financial assistance

For information on financial assistance to support your learning, please visit www.direct.gov.uk/adultlearning or contact 0800 585505.

Freefone: 0800 585505 Web: www.direct.gov.uk/adultlearning

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Bank loans

Your own bank may offer loans. Banks sometimes prefer to finance vocational courses and you may be required to demonstrate that the programme of study will improve your long-term career prospects (and ability to pay back the loan).

Working whilst studying

Employer sponsorship

Some employers may offer financial support for part time study, but usually only where employees have proved their value and for study that relates to their work. It is not usual for companies to sponsor students who are not their current employees.

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Part time study

Some of our programmes are available on a part time study basis enabling students to combine work and study.

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Part time and temporary work

The City University London Student Employment Service, part of the Centre for Career and Skills Development, can help with information on part time and temporary work.


Tel: 020 7040 8093
Email: careers@city.ac.uk
Web: www.city.ac.uk/careers/

Benefits

Claiming benefits

Part-time students may be eligible for housing, council tax and other benefits. As the rules are complex, we advise checking with your local benefit agency. Full time students do not normally receive benefits, but may be eligible for exemption from Council Tax.

Web: http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/cms.asp?Page=/Home/AboutUs/OurOffices

Extra information for EU and international students

Notes for EU and international students

You may be eligible for some of the funding sources listed, eg for School of Informatics scholarships, but may find you do not meet the residency requirements of others.

Generally, you will need to explore sources of funding in your own country and the scholarships and bursaries available from the British government (via other governments). These sources of funding are usually applied for through your own government, not from within the UK and will have closing dates for application. For information, contact:

Web: http://www.britishcouncil.org.uk/learning-funding-your-studies.htm?mtklink=funding-your-studies-corporate-hompage-link

International students: note that it important that aim to submit your application to us by the end of July in order for you to obtain your visa before the start of the programme.

Prizes for excellence in study

The Catherine D Hamilton Prize

This prize, for the most outstanding Master's dissertation in the broad area of information retrieval or electronic text management, is awarded annually in memory of Catherine D. Hamilton, a distinguished former student of the Department of Information Science at City University London and a senior figure within the information science community. Students on the following degrees are eligible:

The prize is awarded each year by the Board of Examiners in Information Science who will be looking for work which by virtue of its originality and academic distinction makes a substantial contribution to knowledge in this area. The Board reserves the right not to award the prize in a particular year if these criteria are not met.

The prize is worth £250 and is administered on City's behalf by CILIP, the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals.

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The Penny Yates-Mercer Prize

Awarded each year to the best part-time student on one of the following programmes:

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The R T Bottle Prize

Awarded each year for a student on one of the following programmes for the best dissertation contributing to professional practice:

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The Jubilee Prize

Awarded each year to the best student on the following programme:

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Dept of Computing Best Student Prize

Awarded each year to the best student on one of the following programmes:

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Dept of Computing Outstanding Project Prize

Awarded each year to the student with the best project on one of the following programmes:

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Centre for Health Informatics - Dr Foster Intelligence Health Informatics Graduate Award

MSc in Health Informatics Award: "Driving innovation: the Dr Foster Intelligence Health Informatics Graduate Award".

A prize of £1000 will be awarded to the MSc in Health Informatics student with the best dissertation in each year, with the option of a three month internship at Dr Foster Intelligence.

The prize is sponsored by Dr Foster Intelligence and will be known as "Driving innovation: the Dr Foster Intelligence Health Informatics Graduate Award". The aims of the award are to encourage excellence in postgraduate level research in health informatics and to stimulate public interest in the use and analysis of health information and data.

Dr Foster Intelligence is a joint venture between the Health and Social Care Information Centre (an NHS Special Health Authority) and the private sector, a combination that is designed to improve the delivery of quality information to Health and Social Care organisations and the public. It is a commercial organisation that provides management information to health and social care organisations as well as the voluntary and private sectors.