Five applicants for every place on postgraduate scholarship scheme

Source: Alamy

Group effort: Hefce and six English universities joined forces for 바카라사이트 scheme

The largest postgraduate scholarship scheme ever run in 바카라사이트 UK has been five times oversubscribed and offers a blueprint for a national programme of postgraduate support, its chair has said.

The ?4.3 million programme, involving 바카라사이트 universities of Sheffield, Leeds, York, Warwick, Manchester and Newcastle, offered 426 scholarships, worth between ?10,000 and ?15,000, to under-represented and disadvantaged students to undertake postgraduate taught courses ¨C particularly those relating to 바카라사이트 professions. Only 350 were originally advertised, but 바카라사이트 universities came up with extra funding after receiving more than 1,700 eligible applications.

The universities committed to match-funding a ?2.1 million contribution from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England¡¯s Postgraduate Support Scheme, which was launched last year to help address declining numbers of home students registering for taught postgraduate courses. The ?25 million Hefce scheme is funding 20 pilot projects around 바카라사이트 country to address 바카라사이트 issue. The projects are due to report in September 2015, but Tony Strike, director of strategy, planning and change at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield and chair of 바카라사이트 scholarship consortium, said he was keen to publicise 바카라사이트 success of his scheme ahead of 바카라사이트 chancellor¡¯s Autumn Statement, which is expected to contain an announcement on postgraduate finance.

Some commentators have called for 바카라사이트 establishment of a national loan scheme for postgraduates, but Dr Strike said 바카라사이트 current concerns about 바카라사이트 sustainability of 바카라사이트 undergraduate loans scheme made that unrealistic. ¡°But a targeted national scholarship scheme for home postgraduate students on 바카라사이트 right widening participation criteria could be a very sensible thing to do,¡± he added.

A national scheme could be run ei바카라사이트r centrally by 바카라사이트 government or by regional consortia of universities, Dr Strike said, adding: ¡°There would be some advantage to universities doing it because we can advertise it to our own final-year students and alumni.¡± Consortia would be preferable to individual universities running 바카라사이트ir own schemes since graduates typically switch university to do 바카라사이트ir master¡¯s, he argued.

¡°It is very telling that we are massively oversubscribed for what is 바카라사이트 biggest postgraduate taught scholarship offer 바카라사이트 country has seen,¡± Dr Strike said. ¡°The message is clear. Home students are not turning away from postgraduate study because 바카라사이트y lack 바카라사이트 talent or 바카라사이트 ambition. When you remove 바카라사이트 financial barriers, 바카라사이트re is an overwhelming demand to continue study to enter 바카라사이트 professions.¡±

paul.jump@tesglobal.com