Overview
The University of Sunderland actively supports students to manage the impact of the cost-of-living challenges. Our North-East Postgraduate Discount scheme is one of several bursaries and scholarships, many of which support our students from specific disciplines who may be facing financial hardship or need additional support.
The North-East Postgraduate Discount aims to support the north-east region in its response to the current cost-of-living challenges, through the provision of affordable opportunities for individuals to upskill and boost their career opportunities.
Considering the pressures some of our students may experience due to cost-of-living challenges, the University of Sunderland provides a fee waiver of 20% discount on the full cost of course fees for specified postgraduate courses. This will be available to anyone who is experiencing cost-of-living challenges. This will also include anyone who has graduated with an undergraduate degree from any university within the north-east region in academic years 2021/22, 2022/23, or 2023/24.
This discount will apply to full or part-time postgraduate courses on either of our Sunderland campuses and Dance City.
Who's eligible?
Eligible students
1. The discount is available to students who have experienced financial hardship due to the cost-of-living challenges, and therefore should meet one of the following criteria:
- You have a shortfall between your income and expenditure.
- You have exhausted all other available sources of funding support.
- You are relying on using credit cards or an overdraft to meet essential living costs.
- You are experiencing difficulties covering the cost of rent, mortgage, utility bills, travel, food, or other essential expenses.
2. Students must also have a local connection to the north-east region and meet one of the following:
- The main residential address where the student spends most of their time is within the north-east region;
- Their current or most recent place of work is within the north-east region; or,
- They graduated from an undergraduate course in academic year 2021/22, 2022/23, or 2023/24 from any university within the north-east region.
3. For the purposes of eligibility criteria clause two, we have defined the north-east region as the local authority areas of County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside, Sunderland, Darlington, Hartlepool, Redcar and Cleveland and Stockton.
4. Students are required to meet the specific entry criteria for each course. These can be found on the course pages on our website: www.sunderland.ac.uk
5. The Government classes all students as ‘Home’, or ‘International’. This status determines which tuition fees you pay and which scholarships you are eligible for. You must be a ‘Home’ student to be eligible for this discount.
Eligible courses
- Any full postgraduate taught master's programme of study (bearing 180 credits) resulting in the following awards: Master of Art (MA), Master of Science (MSc), Master of Law (LLM), Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Education (MEd) or Master of Medical Education (MMedEd)
- Any postgraduate taught programme of study resulting in the awarding of a Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits).
- Any postgraduate taught programme of study resulting in the awarding of a Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits).
- Any Postgraduate Top-Up Masters programme (60 credits).
- Independent Learners programmes (60 credits, 120 credits or 180 credits).
- Any MA Social Work student who is not awarded, or in receipt of, the Social Work Bursary at any point during their MA course.
Eligible courses must have a course start date between 1 August 2024 and 31 July 2025.
Excluded courses
- Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE).
- Any postgraduate research programme of study resulting in the following awards: Master of Philosophy (MPhil), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Professional Doctorate (DProf), Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), Doctor of Education (EdD), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) by Existing Published or Creative Works.
- Apprenticeship courses.
- Sunderland Online
- Corporate and Professional Education Team (CaPE) programmes.
- Postgraduate programmes supported by the NHS Learning Support Fund, for example MNurse.
- MSc Clinical Pharmacy.
Terms of discount
The discount is applicable for the standard period of the course. Where a student enters into an abeyance or intercalates (ie a period of absence or withdrawal), necessitating a delay to the course end date, the Director of Student Journey will review ongoing eligibility on a case-by-case basis.
Please note, alumni are required to meet any specific entry criteria for each course. These can be found on the relevant course pages on the University website.
If a scholarship or bursary payment is made to you in error, the University reserves the right to recover any awards or overpayments from you, the student. This may result in you being asked to repay an award if it was paid to you in error. It is also the responsibility of you, the student, to ensure that all awards and payments received are accurate. Any payment discrepancies will be rectified by the University or the student.
How do I apply?
You can apply for the discount from March 2024. The deadline for applications is 14 days after your official date of enrolment.
To apply for this discount, please follow our step-by-step guide which asks you to log into your e:Vision account and complete the short application form.
Deadline
The deadline for applications is 14 days after your official date of enrolment.
Alumni of the University of Sunderland
The North-East Postgraduate Discount is not available in conjunction with any other University of Sunderland fee waiver offer or discount. Alumni of the University of Sunderland who meet the eligibility criteria of the Postgraduate Alumni Loyalty Discount will not also be eligible for the North-East Postgraduate Discount.
Courses with a start date beyond 31 July 2025
This scheme will be reviewed in December 2024 when we will assess the needs of the region including its response to any current cost-of-living challenges.
Terms of discount
The discount is applicable for the standard period of the course. Where a student enters into an abeyance or intercalates (i.e. a period of absence or withdrawal), necessitating a delay to the course end date, their eligibility for the discount will be reviewed by the Director of Student Journey. The University’s decision is final. The eligibility criteria outlined in clause one is for the purposes of the North-East Postgraduate Discount only.
How will this offer be applied?
Eligible students will have the 20% discount applied automatically to their account. Fees due for payment will be adjusted to reflect this discount.
Contact information
For further information please contact the Scholarships team on 0191 515 2865 or email: scholarships@sunderland.ac.uk.
Disclaimer
If you indicate on your application form that you are experiencing financial hardship, evidence may be required if your application is successful. If you are not experiencing financial hardship, but receive this discount based on your self-declaration above, please note that this discount may be withdrawn, and you will be eligible to pay full tuition fees.
All applications will be individually assessed, and any evidence submitted as part of your application to help us understand your circumstances will be treated with strict confidentiality.
Published: 7 February 2024