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Postgraduate Student Funding in Europe
Find your PERFECT POSTGRAD PROGRAM
Choosing to study for a postgraduate course is not something to be taken lightly. Some masters programs in Europe cost over €16,000 so you need to make sure that this is something you;
a) Really want to do, and
b) Can afford to do.
However, there are ways to reduce these costs if you know where to look and you can apply for more than one funding source. So get it right and you could cut the cost of your postgraduate studies massively.
The main methods of student funding are bursaries, scholarships, grants, and private funding. Here we take a brief look at what these are and what’s available in the EU for the prospective postgraduate student. And remember many institutions offer their own scholarship programs so it is worth getting online and checking out the funding opportunities at your desired institution.
UK/EU Research Councils Grants
There are seven research councils in the UK that offer the majority of additional funding to postgraduate research students, now brought together under UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). These councils mainly fund PhD-level and some research-focused masters or integrated programmes, rather than most taught masters degrees. They fund specific study areas and look for promising students that wish to study in areas which come under a particular council’s remit. For instance, UKRI councils such as the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) offer awards called ‘studentships’ that can cover tuition fees and provide a tax-free living-cost stipend. Typical minimum doctoral stipends for 2025‑26 UKRI-funded studentships are now above £19,000 per year for full‑time study, although exact amounts and any additional top‑ups vary by institution and funding competition. Competition is great and a 2:1 degree is usually required. Some awards are also available for outstanding work or specific projects at masters or doctoral level, often administered directly by universities as scholarships or prizes.
Because funding rules and stipend levels change regularly, prospective students should always check the latest information on the UKRI website and on individual university funding pages, and speak to potential supervisors or graduate schools about available studentships in their subject area.
Erasmus+ Masters Loan Scheme
The Erasmus+ Masters Loan Scheme is good news for European students considering studying for a masters degree, but struggling to find funding. It’s a promising scheme to provide financial support for prospective masters students within the EU, but there’s a slight catch …
The Erasmus exchange program, which has for many years funded overseas work and study placements – and continues to do so in the Erasmus+ era – facilitates the movement of students between partner countries, usually providing financial support to students who take up the opportunity.
It’s all about providing an education experience that is about more than just study: their aim is to broaden horizons through travel, experience and interaction with other European nations and cultures, and to prepare students for the international academic and professional communities that they will eventually inhabit.
The Erasmus+ Masters Loan Scheme has the same ambitions, and aims to offer affordable loan support for students who want to study for a masters degree in a different country. The scheme provides EU‑backed support for bank loans of up to €12,000 for a one year masters degree or up to €18,000 for a two year program for eligible students who want to study their full masters in another Erasmus+ programme country. All good news, but look carefully at the eligibility criteria and you will realise that the loan applies only to students looking to study in a) a country that is not their country of residence; and b) a country in which they have not previously studied. So while this is great for a Spanish student hoping to study for their MA/MSc at, for example, a public university in France, Germany or another Erasmus+ programme country, it can’t be used by the same student looking to continue their study in a Spanish university.
The United Kingdom is rejoining Erasmus+ in 2027. Erasmus+ Masters Loans are currently available to residents of certain participating countries (including Spain, Italy, Turkey, Croatia, Romania, Luxembourg and Cyprus), and can be used to fund study in another Erasmus+ program country where a participating bank or institution offers the scheme.
But this shouldn’t necessarily be seen as a limitation. The loan scheme, after all, is intended to adhere to the principles of the original Erasmus program – to affect the mobility of students within the EU and wider European community – and with such limited options for postgraduate funding within the EU, the Erasmus+ Masters Loan Scheme represents a big step forward for postgraduate financial support if you fit the criteria.
It’s anticipated that the loans will be provided by various banks across the EU, and in practice they are offered through selected banks and sometimes universities in participating countries. Exact interest rates, repayment schedules and any grace periods are set by the individual lending institutions, so it is important to read the loan terms in detail before committing.
For more details about this scheme, visit the Erasmus+ website.
EU scholarships & grants
There are many grants available for countries in the EU. Here we have selected just a few good funding options to give you some idea of what is out there. Have a look and see if any of these are suitable for you – and if they’re not search online for something that suits your needs!
Germany has its own comprehensive database of scholarships which is well worth looking at.
Denmark and nearly all EU countries participate in the Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters scheme, which provides scholarships and grants to individuals on selected high-level joint masters degrees delivered by international consortia of universities.
If you study in Ireland, you can get ‘fee grants’ that cover the course cost and ‘maintenance grants’ to cover living expenses. Information about Irish student grants for postgraduate study is now provided through the Students Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) website: Click here for a list of available funding in Ireland.
For students in the Netherlands there are many ‘grants’ available but these must be repaid in monthly instalments. The Dutch government supports higher education students through a combination of basic and supplementary grants and loans; the exact mix and repayment obligations depend on your circumstances and the type of programme. The ‘Fondation Fernand Lazard’ offers up to €25,000 worth of funding to students in the EU. Students in the EU can also look into the Community Research and Development Information Service (CORDIS), which lists EU‑funded research projects and related opportunities across Europe.
Students in Scotland can apply for grants and loans through the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS).
The European Commission also maintains a general ‘find a scholarship’ search tool that links out to a wide range of EU‑level and national schemes for international and European students at postgraduate level. You can search by country, level of study and subject area to identify suitable options.
These are just a few examples of the sources of funding available to postgraduate students in Europe. There are many other funding bodies across Europe so find a course that you like or a country you would like to study in and investigate what’s out there.
Click here for links to useful postgraduate student funding websites in European countries.
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Other sources of PG student funding
Disability
Other sources of funding are available to certain students such as the disabled. Disabled Students Allowance helps with extra costs that may be incurred by the student such as extra travel or additional money for expensive accommodation that is nearer campus needed by a wheelchair user.
Each European country operates its own disability support system, so you should check with the relevant national student finance body or your chosen university’s disability support service to find out what disability‑related grants or allowances are available for postgraduate students.
Gender
Women from the UK can apply for grants to help with their living costs through the ‘Funds for Women Graduates’.
Charitable organisations
There are many charitable organisations such as ‘The Rotary Club’ that can offer one-off payments to support graduates who are hard up or have special circumstances where funds would really help.
Work opportunities in the EU for postgraduate students
If all else fails then part-time work is an option for students, but do remember why you are at university in the first place though. Don’t fail your postgraduate course because you are working to fund your living costs or expensive socialising! There are thousands of part-time jobs across Europe, many which you can apply for before you arrive. Check the Europa Website to begin searching, but do only work if you’re sure you can manage a job alongside your intensive postgraduate. Always check the work‑rights linked to your residence permit or student visa before taking a job, as there may be limits on the number of hours you are allowed to work during term time.
In conclusion...
There is literally a wealth of funding out there for you to apply for so get your head down and do some research. There are often some very obscure sources of funding that you will only find by picking up the phone and discussing your situation with a course director. If you want to study abroad contact different universities that offer your ideal course and request an email with links to relevant funding sites.
Funding opportunities change each year, so what’s up on the internet right now may not be up to date. One year your course may be out of favour with a research council, the next year it may be a priority, so keep asking questions, take you time and give yourself a lot of time to do your research. You should start looking at funding at least one year before your commence you studies and then keep searching right up until you start your course.
PLEASE NOTE: Since Brexit, postgraduate students from the European Union studying at a UK university are generally charged the same tuition fees as other international students, and are no longer eligible for UK home-fee or UK government student loan status unless they hold an alternative qualifying residency status such as settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme or another specific immigration category.
Meanwhile, UK students studying their postgraduate course at a university in an EU member state may face higher tuition fees than local/EU students and may not always be able to access the same national grant and loan systems as EU nationals, so it is important to check the eligibility rules in each country carefully.
It is advisable to check with individual universities in the UK and Europe for the latest tuition fee information for all postgraduate programs, and to confirm any eligibility for state-backed loan or grant schemes before you apply.
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