Funding your master's degree
We encourage you to read the following information on funding options available to you. You should apply for a postgraduate maintenance loan in the region where you are normally resident – not where you plan on moving to study. Unfortunately, international students are not eligible for these loans.
If you are a UK student, there are various options available in order to fund your study in the UK. Two major sources are the masters loan and the scholarships we have on offer. UK regions offer a different package to support the funding for postgraduate studies. Students should apply in the region where they normally reside, not where they will be studying.
- In 2023/24, Masters Loan England will offer a maintenance loan of up to £12,167 to help with tuition fees and living costs. Please click here for detailed information
- In 2023/24, Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) will offer a loan of up to £7,000 to help with tuition fees, and a loan of up to £4,500 to help with living costs.
- In 2023/24, Student Finance Northern Ireland will offer a loan of up to £5,500 to help with tuition fees.
- In 2023/24, Student Finance Wales offered a combination of a loan and grant up to £18,770 (the maximum grant amount was £6,885) to help with tuition fees and living costs.
Click here to find out more about Student Finance UK.
For detailed information on the loan process, eligibility, repayments and deadlines please click on the links above for SFE England, SFNI, SFW and SAAS.
If you are an EU national and have settled status in the UK, you may qualify for the UK Student Finance options above, please visit the relevant government websites above for more information on eligibility criteria.
EU students can also look at the other funding options available in their own country here: Local funding sources for EU students to study in the UK.pdf (britishcouncil.org) or you can look at the national banks/private lenders in the UK.
International students, looking to fund their studies could look into their national banks or private lenders in their home country.
Self funding your degree
Tuition fees can be paid in instalments, such as one payment every semester - six payments approximately every four months for part-time students or three payments approximately every four months for full-time students.
Global Institute of Sport has teamed up with Western Union Business Solutions GlobalPay for Students to give a simple, reliable way to pay for your tuition fees. You can pay in your home currency, with no hidden bank charges. The funds are paid directly to GIS.
To access Western Union, click here.
There are several other ways of paying your tuition fees, including credit/debit cards, PayPal or by wired transfer.
For more information, please email fees@ucfb.com.
Personal loans
You may also wish to look into personal loans to cover the tuition fees depending on your circumstances and the options available in your region.
Australian students can compare personal education loan options via websites such as Mozo, Rate City, and Canstar. Major banks such as NAB. and Bendigo also offer personal education loans.
Fee status
Your fee status determines whether you pay home or international tuition fees. You must meet certain requirements to be eligible for home fee status. If you don't meet the home fee status criteria, you'll pay international fees.
It’s important for you to complete the fee assessment form after you have submitted your application to determine your right fee status. The fee assessment form will be sent to you by our admissions team via email once you have submitted the application for the course.
Students are classified as either having a “Home” or an “International” fee status and the tuition fee you will be charged will depend on:
- Your Nationality
- Your immigration Status in the UK
- Where you have been resident for the three years prior to the start of your chosen programme and what you have been doing during that time
The Admissions Team at UCFB will make an assessment of your status in line with UK regulations and guidance issued by the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA). You can find the regulations and guidance here.
GIS Scholarships
We are proud to offer a suite of scholarships to support you as you embark on your postgraduate study. From scholarships to aid our elite athletes, to attracting aspiring sports leaders, and scholarships which support inclusivity and diversity within the sporting industry, our scholarships are there to support students who want to make a meaningful difference to the future of the sporting world.
The deadline to apply for a scholarship for September 2024 entry is 1st July 2024 and to be eligible you must have firmly accepted an offer on one of our Master’s degree programmes first.
For any further information please contact the Scholarships team at scholarships@ucfb.com
Other funding options
If you are in work, your employer may sponsor you to do a university degree. Under this arrangement, your employer agrees to pay, or contribute towards your tuition fees for a course that's directly relevant and beneficial to them. Please do inform us prior to the enrolment if you will be paying the fees through this route and we can guide you further.
Lendwise is a specialist loan provider dedicated to education finance for UK/EU residents who are looking to fund their Master's studies and executive education at leading UK educational institutions. International based students might be considered in exceptional circumstances.
Students who are approved for a Lendwise loan will have access to a grace period that allows for repayment to start after graduation. The interest rate offered will depend on the overall applicant profile and the application process is entirely online.
Lendwise loans are open to students on any GIS Master's degree, executive education course or professional qualification. These can be used to cover tuition fees and/or living costs.
Please contact Lendwise directly to apply and to check eligibility criteria.
Tuition fee discounts
GIS are committed to maximizing the employability of its graduates within the exciting football and sports industry. These discounts are open to any UCFB, Buckinghamshire New University and University of East London graduate who has received and accepted an offer to study at postgraduate level with UCFB’s Global Institute of Sport.
Award value:
- 15% fee tuition discount on all Master's programmes
- 15% fee tuition discount on MSc Sports Directorship and CEO of a Sports Organisation
Should you qualify for this discount please contact: mastersenquiries@ucfb.com
Tuition fee Discounts are available to FirstPoint USA alumni. Once a FirstPoint USA scholar has completed their programme in the USA, they are entitled to the following:
- 20% fee tuition discount on all Master's programmes
- 15% fee tuition discount on MSc Sports Directorship and CEO of a Sports Organisation
Should you qualify for this discount please contact: mastersenquiries@ucfb.com
We are pleased to offer a 15% tuition fee discount to UCFB and GIS Partners on all undergraduate and master's courses.
Cost of living
Your tuition fees are a big part of the expense of going to university, but you also need to plan for rent, food, travel, and everything that student life at GIS has to offer.
Budgeting is an important part of student life and a useful skill to develop. Our student Support Team can also help with support and advice on budgeting plans. For more information please email studentsupport@ucfb.ac.uk.
UK students can apply for Disabled Students Allowances (DSAs) which are awarded separately and in addition to Student Finance. DSAs are designed to support you with disability, mental health or long term illness needs. Awards may include access to non-medical help, travel, photocopying and printing, and equipment costs.
If you are normally resident in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, please see the following websites for information about Disabled Students' Allowances:
The application and assessment processes for DSAs can take a few weeks, so please contact learningsupport@ucfb.com as soon as possible if you have any disability or learning support needs so that we can discuss reasonable adjustments and the process for applying for DSA.
