Master’s courses usually take one year full-time and allow you to specialise in a particular scientific area. There are many to choose from. For example, you might like to specialize in

  • Molecular biology
  • Bioinformatics
  • Statistics
  • Biophysics

Clinical Master’s courses are undertaken whilst working in a hospital and are advertised by the NHS.

Unlike your undergraduate degree, there is no central admissions system for postgraduate courses, although UCASs sister organisation, UKPASS does allow you to apply to courses at some universities.

Apply directly to individual universities for as many courses as you like. It is usual to apply anytime after the start of your final year, but you can apply later. If you can self-fund and obtain a good degree, you have a good chance of being accepted onto many courses.

Funding

There are a limited number of funded studentships available for Master’s courses but, in the majority of cases, students need to fund their tuition fees and also their living costs .

The tuition fees vary but are usually more expensive for international students and for research Master’s courses. Some students pay from their own savings and part-time work, or with support from parents, however there are other options available.

Many banks offer loans to recent graduates which have relatively low interest rates. Additionally, some universities offer bursaries to outstanding students or students on a low income. It may also be worth investigating whether there are any suitable scholarships or knowledge transfer partnerships available.

Links and further information