dBs Insider

Understanding the fees and funding behind your postgraduate degree

Written by Chris Mackin | May 15, 2024 3:03:32 PM

Is the financial side of postgraduate education giving you a headache? We break down where your money goes and the funding options available to support you on your Master’s degree. 

Just like at undergraduate level, postgraduate degrees come with tuition fees, though these are typically lower than undergraduate due to the length of study; usually between one or two years.

At dBs Institute, the tuition fees for each of our postgraduate degrees are £8,500. For our Master’s courses that are part-time only or have the option to be studied part-time, the course fees are £4,250 each year.

You can get a better understanding of how this breaks down across our courses in the table below. 

Course

Study Option

Course Fees

MA Music Production & Sound Engineering

Full-Time

£8,500

MA Electronic Music Production

Full-Time

£8,500

MA Game Sound

Full-Time

£8,500

MA Innovation in Sound

Part-Time

£8,500

Online MA Music Production & Sound Engineering

Full-Time or Part-Time

£8,500 (FT)

£4,250 (PT)

Online MA Electronic Music Production

Full-Time or Part-Time

£8,500 (FT)

£4,250 (PT)


How can I fund a Master’s degree?

There are two options for funding your Master’s degree. 

The first is self-funding if you have the means to pay for the course yourself. 

The second, and this is the more common option, is to apply for a Master’s Loan through the government, much like you would with an undergraduate degree. 

If you’re applying for a Master’s Loan from the UK government, you can get up to £12,167. This loan can be used to cover both your tuition fees and your living costs, as a maintenance loan is not available at postgraduate level. 

The amount you receive from your Master’s Loan is not based on your household income. 

Your Master’s Loan will be paid in three instalments at the start of each study block across the academic year. If you’re studying part-time, this still applies, but you will receive six instalments across the two years. 

Non-UK applicants for our dBs Online courses must self-fund and are expected to pay for the MA in three separate instalments; one at the start of each study block.

Due to the different legislation in place for every country, we cannot provide full information on whether funding options exist in your home country to study our online Master’s degrees. However, we highly recommend that you investigate what funding options are available. 

How do I pay my Master’s degree tuition fees?

Whether you’re self-funding your postgraduate studies or using a loan, you will need to pay your tuition fees directly to our validating partner, Falmouth University. 

This must be done in three equal instalments across the academic year (six if you’re studying part-time) and will align with when you receive your loan. 

Managing your finances while at university

While the Master’s Loan can also provide some additional funds to help cover your living costs, it will not be enough to cover them all. It’s important to bear that in mind and to plan accordingly so that you don’t find yourself in financial hardship during your studies.

Our feature on how to manage your finances while studying at dBs Institute has a lot of useful information and tips on budgeting, utilising savings, part-time work and much more. 

If you’re still unsure about the financial side of postgraduate studies or your eligibility to study a Master’s degree at dBs Institute, please get in touch with our admissions team or give us a call on 0117 325 9290.

FIND OUT MORE
https://www.dbsinstitute.ac.uk/joining-dbs/fees-and-funding 
https://www.gov.uk/masters-loan 
How to manage your finances while studying at dBs Institute