Carnegie Masters Grants

Carnegie Masters Grants

You get a tuition-fee grant of up to about EUR 11,500 (£10,000) for a one-year full-time master's degree. For a two-year full-time or a part-time course, you get up to about EUR 5,800 (£5,000) per year. Some applicants also receive a study-cost stipend (a cash top-up) of up to about EUR 5,800 (£5,000) for a full-time year, or about EUR 2,900 (£2,500) per year part-time. It helps with travel, childcare or equipment and is paid in three instalments. This stipend is not guaranteed: the fund awards it based on your financial need. The grant comes from the Carnegie Education Fund, an independent Scottish charity. It is meant to close the gap between your SAAS postgraduate loan and the actual tuition fees.

Who can apply

• Where you study: You have a confirmed place on a taught or research master's at any of the 19 Scottish universities, such as Edinburgh, Glasgow, St Andrews or Dundee.
• Connection to Scotland: Scotland is your permanent home, not just where you study. You spent at least two full years at a Scottish secondary school or college, or can show another strong link through residence, upbringing, family or work.
• Financial need: Your household income is low. The limit is about EUR 34,500 (£30,000) for a single person and about EUR 40,300 (£35,000) for a couple. Each limit rises by about EUR 5,800 (£5,000) per child.
• Previous degrees: You have not already finished a master's, MPhil or PhD. A postgraduate certificate or diploma does not rule you out.
• SAAS loan: You have applied for the SAAS postgraduate tuition-fee loan (up to about EUR 8,100 / £7,000). The grant covers the fees left after that.
• Field of study: Any subject is fine, but you must show how your course serves a career path and benefits Scottish society or its economy. MBAs, PhDs, MPhils and certificate-only courses are not funded.

How to apply

You apply online through the fund's website. You start with an eligibility check, which then unlocks the application form. You also write three short essays of about 500 words on your goals and your planned contribution to Scotland. Applications open on 1 May and close on 31 July each year. All applications are assessed after the deadline, with decisions announced in August.

How realistic are your chances?

This grant is cut narrowly by residence and income: you must be permanently based in Scotland, have a low household income and hold a place at a Scottish university. That keeps the eligible pool small. After scoring, the top quarter of applicants are funded automatically and the bottom quarter rejected. The middle half go into a random draw until the budget runs out. If you clearly meet the criteria and write a strong case for your Scottish contribution, your prospects are solid, though some outcomes come down to that lottery.