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nEED To KnoW exCellenCe

Fees & funding

Further details about all of the issues in this section can be found on our website at www.kcl.ac.uk/gradfunding

FeeS
Fees vary from programme to programme and are subject to revision each year. Fees for 2009 entry ranged from around 4,000-10,000 for home/EU full-time masters per year or 12,000 to 30,000 for overseas full-time masters. Fees for research programmes also vary depending on the nature of the subject studied. Full-time home/EU students paid from 3,450-5,900 per year in 2009. Overseas full-time researchers paid between 11,700-27,650. Fees for all taught and research programmes can be found listed alongside individual programmes on the online prospectus (www.kcl.ac.uk/gsp).

instalments and deposits

You can pay tuition fees in instalments, but if you pay in full by the stipulated date you will receive a two per cent discount. For certain programmes, a fee deposit scheme is in operation. When you are offered a place to study on one of our programmes, you will be advised whether you are required to pay a deposit (likely to be around 10 per cent of the fee).

pages with studentships and other funding opportunities that become available centrally and through our Schools and departments. Some of this funding may be oneoff studentships at either masters or research level, and may be tied to a project or programme funded by a Research Council or other major funding body, or may be aimed at students from specific countries. For details of all funding opportunities available across the College please search our funding web pages at www.kcl.ac.uk/gradfunding

FundinG
When applying for graduate study it is important to consider availability of finances for both tuition fees and living costs. Sources of finance are wideranging and vary for individual students. The majority of students on taught or research programmes pay their tuition fees through private sources, whether by industrial sponsorship, borrowed money, or scholarships from agencies and charities. However, Kings administers and provides an extensive range of funding opportunities throughout the year.

OTHeR SOuRCeS OF FinAnCiAl SuPPORT

Research Councils
The principal sources of funding (UK/EU students only) are: Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC, www.ahrc.ac.uk) Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC, www.bbsrc.ac.uk) Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC, www.esrcsocietytoday.ac.uk) Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC, www.epsrc.ac.uk) Medical Research Council (MRC, www.mrc.ac.uk) Natural Environment Research Council (NERC, www.nerc.ac.uk) Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC, www.scitech.ac.uk)

i was awarded a PhD studentship at the College, funded by the BBSRC, which has enabled me to work at the forefront of scientific research in a stimulating and supportive environment. in addition, i have attended an international conference, funded by the College, where i was able to present my current data.
Katie marchbank (student), phD in medical and molecular genetics Department

equivalent or lower level qualifications

The UK government has changed arrangements for home/EU students who are seeking to obtain an equivalent or lower level qualification (known as ELQ) than they already hold. This means that if a student has already studied for a qualification of an equal or higher level the College does not receive any public funding (there are some exemptions, notably teacher training qualifications). Students who think they fall into this category are advised to contact the admissions office for their programme for advice on how this might affect their tuition fees.

Funding through Kings

There are many excellent opportunities to help fund your graduate studies at Kings. The Kings Graduate School offers a package of 100-plus graduate studentships and bursaries. This is the largest scheme ever offered by the College and includes 20 new awards for 2009 for international students (Kings Overseas Research Studentships). The College website is regularly updated via the funding web

www.kcl.ac.uk

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Awards are available for both taught programmes and research. Applications are made through the College. Programmes with funding are listed on our funding website database and on our online prospectus.

Other sources of funding for overseas fee status students

If you are a student who requires a student visa to study in the UK you must have sufficient funds to cover both fees and maintenance (for both yourself and any dependants in the UK) for your study. This is a condition of your student visa (more information can be found by contacting the Colleges Student Advice and International Student Support Service, www.kcl.ac.uk/welfare). Sources of finance for overseas students may include: funding by your government or sponsorship by your employer; private sources a students own savings or funds borrowed from family; scholarships and bursaries offered by private agencies and charities. Contact your nearest British Council Office or education department. Additionally, some students obtain funding through scholarships and funding provided by the British Government.

part-time work; the support of their employer; scholarships and bursaries offered by private agencies and charities; and loans. Student loans are not available for graduate students, but preferential rates may be obtained through some professional organisations, eg the Law Society. Career Development Loans are available for vocational programmes. Please see www.kcl.ac.uk/gradfunding. Availability of such loans for EU students depends on an individuals circumstances.

joining their course of study. Contact the Student Funding Office for further details (funding@kcl.ac.uk, www.kcl.ac.uk/funding).

amount as a minimum. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have sufficient funds to cover all your expenses once you arrive.

Choral and organ scholarships

The College offers about nine choral scholarships and one organ scholarship each year to students from all departments, each currently worth 250 (auditions are held between January and March). Please contact David Trendell, College Organist, for more details at david.trendell@kcl.ac.uk

Paid work
Many students take up paid work during vacation periods and/ or work part-time during the academic year. Kings Careers Service advertises vacancies via their online jobs database JobOnline, and provides support throughout the job hunting process from CV writing to interview technique. A wide range of work is available in the students union. Other departments of the College also offer work opportunities. The British government has introduced legislation to make it easier for international students to gain parttime employment. Unless your visa specifically prohibits you from working, you will be permitted to work up to 20 hours per week in term-time and full-time during your official College vacations. In the case of programmes that include a work placement, this will normally be extended. The majority of international students who have successfully completed and obtained an undergraduate or graduate degree or a PhD in the UK are now allowed to work for up to two years after completion of their studies. More information can be found by contacting the Colleges Student Advice and International Student Support Service www.kcl.ac.uk/welfare

Hardship funds
The following funds are for students who have unexpected financial difficulties after joining the College. These funds are limited and therefore it is not possible to guarantee that all cases of hardship can be addressed.
access to Learning Fund

FinAnCe
living expenses
Your living expenses will depend on your commitments (eg if you have children) and the lifestyle that you have. Kings provides more detailed guidance about costs and planning your money during the application process but for further guidance you can visit the following websites: www.studentcalculator.org.uk or especially for international students go to the Living in the UK section at www.educationuk.org

This fund is available for distribution to those students who can demonstrate their financial hardship with documentary evidence. Full-time and some parttime graduate home registered students can apply. Please note that the Access to Learning Fund cannot be used to assist students to pay their tuition fees.
international hardship Fund

international students
All students requiring a visa to study in the UK are required by the UK Border Agency to demonstrate that they have access to at least 800 per calendar month to cover living costs. We therefore advise all EU/ overseas students to budget this

Other sources of funding for home fee status students

Some of the possible sources of funding for students of home fee status are: private sources;

The College has established a hardship fund to which international and EU fee status students can apply. Applications are accepted from those students who encounter unexpected financial hardship after