Postgraduate Doctoral Loans (Wales)

About the project

The Welsh government offers a postgraduate doctoral loan scheme for those that meet their nationality and residency criteria who have most recently been resident in Wales.

Students from Wales

• Postgraduate Doctoral Loans will be a non-means tested loan of up to £29,705 for students commencing a doctoral programme of study in 2026-2027 academic session. The loan can be used for fees or living costs

Personal eligibility

You will not be eligible for a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan if :

• you must be a UK national (or have settled status) and been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands for three years on the first day of the first academic year of your degree programme;
• you must be 'ordinarily resident' in Wales (temporary absence from your home address, such as for education or travelling, will not prevent you from being eligible to apply for a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan);
• you must be aged under 60 on the first day of the first academic year of your degree programme.
• you already have a Doctoral degree, or a qualification that’s equivalent or higher level;
• you are in receipt of Research Council funding;
• you are in receipt of other forms of government support (eg NHS and Social Work bursaries);
• you are currently receiving student finance for an undergraduate or masters programme that overlaps with your doctoral programme.

Programme eligibility

• a postgraduate doctoral programme between 3 and 8 years duration.

Applying

You can apply online at Student Finance Wales .

You only have to apply for your Postgraduate Doctoral Loan once.

Payment

The total amount you borrow will be paid evenly over the length of your course.

Payments will be released after you have registered on your doctoral degree programme and the University has confirmed your attendance to the Student Loan Company (SLC).

Payments will then be made in three instalments each academic year.

No payments will be released until you have given the SLC your valid National Insurance Number (NINO).

Repayment

If you have previously taken out a postgraduate loan to fund Masters study, this will be combined with your doctoral loan.

Debt from your undergraduate student loan will be paid concurrently rather than combined.

Postgraduate Doctoral Loan Guide

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This article was published on 2024-07-29

Research areas