Higher Education: An Expense or an Investment?

How scholarships, part-time work and payment plans can help you pay for your postgraduate degree.

Let’s face it: higher education isn’t cheap, but it doesn’t have to be financially impossible. Below are some opportunities to consider when thinking of financing your degree.

Scholarships, grants and awards may be easier to get than you think. Some universities have a budget to grant scholarships that require little effort to obtain. You may have to write an essay, fill out an application form and even go through an interview process, but this is a small price to pay considering that would deduct a good part of your tuition fee. At Middlesex University students can easily apply for grants of up to £5000.

Additionally, government funding agencies such as Chevening or Fulbright sponsor postgraduate degrees that cover tuition fee, accommodation, living expenses, visas and airfare.

Another possibility is part-time work. In the UK, students with a Tier 4 visa can work up to 20 hours a week during term time. This can be either on or off-campus work, and it makes it easier to fund daily expenses such as food and transportation. At Middlesex, our employment hub matches students with paid Middlesex jobs that accommodate their time and abilities.

Finally, higher education is an investment. A sound advice is to save enough money to not only afford the tuition costs but also enjoy the experience of living abroad as a whole. Meeting new people, travelling to new places and attending various events will improve the time spent abroad and increase your learning channels.

Not sure how to start? E-mail our regional team at americas@mdx.ac.uk and ask about our scholarships, payment plans and job opportunities. Higher education certainly isn’t cheap, but it’s worth it!