UWE Bristol OfS Scholarships 2023 For MSc Data Science

UWE Bristol is pleased to announce the availability of scholarships for the MSc Data Science program for the year 2023. This opportunity, supported by the Office for Students (OfS), aims to empower talented individuals in pursuing advanced studies in the field of data science at one of the United Kingdom’s leading universities. The scholarships will provide financial assistance to deserving students, enabling them to excel in this rapidly growing and highly sought-after discipline.

Benefits Of The UWE Bristol OfS Scholarships

1. Course starting on or after 1 August 2023:
   • You can receive up to £12,167 as part of the Postgraduate Master’s Loan.
2. Course starting between 1 August 2022 and 31 July 2023:
   • If your course started during this period, you can receive up to £11,836 through the Postgraduate Master’s Loan.
3. Course starting between 1 August 2021 and 31 July 2022:
   • If your course started between these dates, you are eligible for up to £11,570 as part of the Postgraduate Master’s Loan.

Course Eligibility For The UWE Bristol OfS Scholarships

1. Course Type:
   • Make sure the course is a full, standalone master’s course and not a top-up course.
2. Credit Worth:
   • The course should be worth at least 180 credits. You can check the course provider’s website for this information if you’re unsure.
3. Course Start Date:
   • Ensure that the course started on or after 1 August 2016.
4. Eligible Institutions:
   • The course must be provided by an eligible university or college in the UK, including the Open University. It’s important to confirm with the institution that your chosen course is registered.
5. Course Format:
   • Your course can be either taught or research-based, depending on your preferences and career goals.
6. Duration Options:
   • Full-time: The course can last for 1 or 2 academic years if you prefer an intensive learning experience.
   • Part-time: If you require more flexibility, you can opt for a part-time course lasting 2 to 4 academic years. However, the duration should not exceed twice the length of the equivalent full-time course.
   • Part-time (where no equivalent full-time course exists): In some cases, if there is no equivalent full-time course available, you may be allowed to pursue a part-time course for up to 3 years.
7. Examples of Master’s Qualifications:
   • The qualifications awarded upon completion of your master’s course can vary. Some common examples include MSc (master of science), MA (master of arts), MPhil (master of philosophy), MRes (master of research), LLM (master of law), MLitt (master of letters), MFA (master of fine art), MEd (master of education), and MBA (master of business administration).

Requirements For Distance Learning

In order to be eligible for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan for distance learning, the following residency requirements must be met:

1. Living in England:
   • You need to be residing in England on the first day of the first academic year of your course.
2. EU National:
   • If you are an EU national, you must live in England for the entire duration of your course to qualify.
3. Non-EU National:
   • If you are not an EU national, you must reside in the UK for the entire duration of your course to be eligible.

However, there are some exceptions to these residency requirements. They are as follows:

• Serving in the armed forces:
  • If you are currently serving in the armed forces, the residency requirements may not apply to you.
• Spouse or civil partner of a serving member of the armed forces:
  • If you are the spouse or civil partner of a serving member of the armed forces, you may be exempt from the residency requirements.
• Dependent parent living with a serving member of the armed forces:
  • If you are a dependent parent and live with a serving member of the armed forces, the residency requirements may not apply to you.

Requirements For Integrated Courses

If your course is integrated with either an undergraduate degree or a doctoral degree, you will not be eligible for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan. Instead, you should explore alternative funding options based on the nature of your course:

1. Integrated with an Undergraduate Degree:
   • If your course is integrated with an undergraduate degree, you should consider applying for undergraduate funding instead. This means you would follow the funding options available for undergraduate students.
2. Integrated with a Doctoral Degree:
   • If your course is integrated with a doctoral degree, you should apply for a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan instead. This type of loan is specifically designed for doctoral-level studies.

Requirements For Intercalated Year

If you are taking a year out from an undergraduate course to pursue a master’s degree, you might still be eligible for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan. However, it’s important to note the following considerations:

1. Higher Level Qualification:
   • By studying for a master’s degree, you will typically hold a higher level qualification. As a result, you may no longer be entitled to undergraduate funding.
2. Exceptions for Specific Qualifications:
   • There are specific undergraduate qualifications that still allow you to be eligible for undergraduate funding, even if you pursue a master’s degree. These qualifications include architecture, dentistry, medicine, social work, undergraduate Initial Teacher Training, and veterinary science.

Master of Architecture

If you are planning to pursue a full-time Master of Architecture (MArch Part 2) qualification, it is recommended to apply for undergraduate funding support. However, there are certain exceptions and scenarios where you may be eligible for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan instead. Here are the conditions under which you could apply for the loan:

1. Part-time Course:
   • If you are undertaking a part-time MArch course, you can apply for the Postgraduate Master’s Loan.
2. Ineligibility for Undergraduate Funding Support:
   • If you are not eligible for undergraduate funding support, you may be eligible for the Postgraduate Master’s Loan to support your MArch course.
3. Non-Accredited Qualification:
   • If your MArch course does not lead to an accredited qualification as an architect, you may be able to apply for the Postgraduate Master’s Loan.

Healthcare and Social Work

There are specific situations in which you will not be eligible for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan if you fall under the following categories related to healthcare and social work:

1. NHS Bursary Eligibility:
   • If you are eligible for an NHS bursary, you will not qualify for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan. NHS bursaries provide financial support for certain healthcare courses.
2. Social Work Bursary:
   • If you receive a Social Work Bursary, you are generally not eligible for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan, unless you only receive a Placement Travel Allowance as part of the bursary.
3. Applicability to Other Regions:
   • The same restrictions apply to health and social work bursaries in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Age Eligibility For The UWE Bristol OfS Scholarships

To be eligible for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan, you must be under 60 years old on the first day of the first academic year of your course. The academic year is determined by the following start dates:

1. If your course starts between 1 August and 31 December, the academic year begins on 1 September.
2. If your course starts between 1 January and 31 March, the academic year starts on 1 January.
3. If your course starts between 1 April and 30 June, the academic year begins on 1 April.
4. If your course starts between 1 July and 31 July, the academic year starts on 1 July.

Your Nationality or Residency Status

In order to be eligible for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan, you must meet the following requirements regarding your nationality or residency status:

1. UK Nationality or Irish Citizenship:
   • You must be a UK national or an Irish citizen to apply for the loan.
2. Settled Status or Indefinite Leave to Remain:
   • If you don’t hold UK nationality or Irish citizenship, you must have settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme or indefinite leave to remain. This means there should be no restrictions on how long you can stay in the UK.
3. Residence in England:
   • You should normally live in England to qualify for the Postgraduate Master’s Loan.
4. Continuous Residence:
   • You must have been living in the UK, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man for a period of three consecutive years before the first day of the first academic year of your course. Temporary absences, such as holidays, are generally excluded from this residency requirement.
5. Living in Ireland or a British Overseas Territory:
   • If you have been living in Ireland or a British overseas territory, you do not need to normally live in England to be eligible. You can apply for the loan if you attend your course in England or pursue distance learning in England.
6. UK National Living in the UK, EU, Gibraltar, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein:
   • If you are a UK national or a family member of a UK national, you might be eligible for the loan if you have been living in the UK, the EU, Gibraltar, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein for the past three years. To qualify, you must meet one of the following conditions:
     • You returned to the UK on or after 1 January 2018 and by 31 December 2020 after living in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein.
     • You were living in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein on 31 December 2020.

Requirements For Different Residency Status

If your residency status falls under the following categories, you may still be eligible for the Postgraduate Master’s Loan:

1. Refugee (including family members)
2. Humanitarian protection (including family members)
3. Child of a Turkish worker with permission to stay in the UK (both you and your Turkish worker parent must have been living in the UK by 31 December 2020)
4. Stateless person (including family members)
5. Unaccompanied child granted ‘Section 67 leave’ under the Dubs Amendment
6. Child under the protection of someone granted ‘Section 67 leave’, with permission to stay in the UK for the same period as their responsible person (known as ‘leave in line’)
7. Granted ‘Calais leave’ to remain
8. Child of someone granted ‘Calais leave’ to remain, with permission to stay in the UK for the same period as their parent (known as ‘leave in line’)
9. Given settled status but not under the EU Settlement Scheme
10. Granted indefinite leave to remain due to being a victim of domestic violence
11. Granted indefinite leave to remain as a bereaved partner
12. Granted leave under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) or the Afghan Citizen’s Resettlement Scheme (ACRS)
13. Granted leave to enter or remain in the UK under the Ukraine Family Scheme, the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme, or the Ukraine Extension Scheme.

Application Deadline

The application deadline for the Postgraduate Master’s Loan for the year 2023 is July 28, 2023.

How To Apply

To apply for the Postgraduate Master’s Loan, you can do so online through Student Finance England. Here’s how to proceed:

1. Existing Loan Holders:

• If you have previously taken out a loan with Student Finance England, you can use your existing account to apply for the Postgraduate Master’s Loan. Log in to your account and navigate to the appropriate section for loan applications.

2. New Account Setup:

• If you don’t have an existing account with Student Finance England, you will need to set up a new account. Visit the Student Finance England website at https://logon.slc.co.uk/welcome/secured/login?_locale=en_GB and look for the option to create an account. Follow the instructions provided to create your account.

Frequently Asked Questions

References

• https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=CBLvBzxBXkuc3WTvMFdU8BRZWzhUdJxKp0coQXnJlbhUNE42N1Q3TlVSUUpCVlgxNFg0SlRITVo3Qy4u
• https://www.uwe.ac.uk/courses/funding/scholarships-and-bursaries/ofs-scholarships-for-msc-data-science

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