Bath Spa University - Postgraduate Funding

Postgraduate Funding at Bath Spa University

This overview sets out the various funding options available for a Master’s degree, a PGCE course or a research degree (PhD or MPhil) at Bath Spa University in the United Kingdom. This is not a single scholarship, but a range of funding options: government loans, university scholarships, a hardship fund, and fully funded PhD places provided by a research council. Of particular note is a fully funded PhD place through the ESRC South West Doctoral Training Partnership (SWDTP), a programme run jointly by nine universities. It covers your tuition fees and living costs and also includes training, work placements and events.

Who can apply

• Level: You are starting or planning to start a Master’s degree, a PGCE (teacher training) course or a research degree at Bath Spa University.
• Loans for UK students: Students from the UK can receive a postgraduate loan from the government to fund a Master’s degree or a doctoral loan to fund a PhD. These are not means-tested. Part-time study is eligible for funding, provided it does not last longer than twice the duration of the full-time programme, up to a maximum of four years.
• ESRC SWDTP funding: To be eligible for a fully-funded PhD scholarship, your field of study must fall within one of Bath Spa University’s eligible social science disciplines: Education, Management and Business Studies, or Socio-Technical Futures Studies and Digital Methods.
• Field of study: Loans and most scholarships are available to students studying any subject. Only SWDTP funding is restricted to the fields mentioned above.
• Nationality: Open to students of all nationalities. International students have access to specific funding options, including US federal loans and private loans (school code G35333), as well as loans from their home government.
• Financial need: The ‘University Access Fund’ provides limited emergency financial assistance if you find yourself in financial difficulty, for example due to unexpected costs or a change in your circumstances.

How to apply

The process depends on the funding. You can apply for government loans via ‘Student Finance’ on gov.uk. For a fully funded SWDTP PhD, you should first find a supervisor, then apply via the Bath Spa University admissions portal and submit a separate ESRC funding application. The deadline for the ESRC funding application is Friday, 9 January 2026, at 12:00 GMT. The application deadline for the PhD programme at Bath Spa University is Monday, 19 January 2026.

How realistic are your chances?

Your prospects depend on the path you choose. Government loans are granted almost automatically if you meet the standard UK criteria. The fully-funded SWDTP PhD places are far more competitive. They are limited to a few social science disciplines and are allocated across nine universities. It is therefore crucial to have a compelling research proposal, to make early contact with a supervisor, and to meet both deadlines in January.