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Posted Sept. 9, 2025

Should I study a panic masters?

Should I study a panic masters?

The term ‘panic masters’ is applied to a masters degree course that is studied directly after the bachelors degree by a student who isn’t sure what they want to do next and is not quite ready to leave university. But is studying a panic masters merely a way for students to avoid the inevitable joining of the rat race, or is there merit in doing a panic masters?

Reasons to study a panic masters

There are many valid reasons for studying your postgraduate degree straight after your undergraduate one.

1. Many universities offer an alumni discount for students who go straight onto study their masters degree program from their bachelors degree. For example, the University of East London offers students the possibility of a 15% masters degree tuition fee discount if they go straight onto studying their postgraduate qualification with no gap year.

2. It gives you time to work out what you really want to do with your life. Writing in her 2023 article for The Tab, former ‘panic masters’ student, Emily Smith says, “This year has allowed me to properly take time to think and evaluate where I want to go next. When I finished my undergrad, I definitely did not have the confidence to decide this. But now I’m going out into the big scary adult-world with a genuine plan and I feel so much better because of it. I feel so much more ready to be an adult because of my masters.”

3. Enhance your career prospects and earning capacity – according to the Department for Education’s Graduate Labour Market Statistics 2024, postgraduates earn £5,000 more per year than non-postgrads. So, whenever you decide to study your masters degree, it’s got to be a good investment in your future

4. Delving deeper into a specific area of interest is a very rewarding way to spend a year, plus it could help to position you as an expert in your field once you have earned your qualification.

5. In the current competitive job market, having a masters qualification on your CV will help you stand out from the rest. Not to mention that some jobs will actually require a masters degree for students to enter their particular industry.

6. As a postgraduate student you will get the chance to build new connections and network with specialists in your field – this is a great way to advance your future career.

Reasons not to do a panic masters

However, there are some reasons why it might be better to wait for a year or more before moving onto masters study.

1. You might not be ready – don’t underestimate the stress of undergraduate study. If you have spent the last three years studying hard for that elusive first or 2.1 grade, there is a possibility that you need an academic breather before launching yourself head-first into a postgraduate program.

2. Adding to your student debt does need to be properly thought through. It’s important to really want to study a masters degree before committing to it as the associated costs of one year of masters study are quite high. Make sure it’s something you really want to do, to ensure you achieve the success you deserve.

3. Alumni discounts will still be available later on in life as many universities offer former students alumni discounts to study their masters degrees whenever the students chose to study. Examples include Cardiff University, which has a 20% tuition fee reduction for home, international and European students that have previously studied at the university, while Northumbria University also offers a 20% Alumni Discount to returning students. Our Scholarship Zone has plenty of excellent funding opportunities for students interested in postgraduate study at any stage in their life.

To study, or not to study: that is the question

It’s important to study your masters degree it at the right time in your life, so you can give it the time and attention it deserves. And whenever you choose to study your postgraduate course, studying a masters degree is a decision that you’re not going to regret – it will fulfil you academically, enhance your future career prospects, enable you to meet like-minded people, and much more.

Looking for that perfect masters degree course? Use our course search to find your perfect postgrad program.

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