SALC school awards

Applying for funding is done via the application for the course and confirmed via an email you should send to us once you receive receipt of your submitted application. You must submit an application for a place on the course via the Online Application Form complete with:

• A 500 word case for funding support (this can be your personal statement in the online application form / uploaded at the end of the form / attached to the cover email).
• Transcripts of most recent study (interim if studies are incomplete).
• Two references submitted on your behalf via the reference upload link or uploaded to the online application form (please do not duplicate).
• Confirmation email with ID number and full name to MASALCfunding@manchester.ac.uk.

In the online application form, there is a personal statement section. You can use this to submit the maximum 500 word statement.

If you are requesting references, you should ask for these well in advance of the deadline to allow your referees plenty of time to write them.

Once you have submitted your application, you will be assigned a University ID number. Please email MASALCfunding@manchester.ac.uk with your ID number and we will confirm receipt of your application for funding.

Do I submit the Personal Statement in the application form or a separate Case for Funding Support?
We simply require a 500 word statement to use in assessing a case for funding support. This can be either the personal statement in the application form or a separate document (or a portfolio if your course requires one).

We have provided guidance below on what we believe constitutes a strong case for funding support.

A personal statement may be sufficient for us to offer you a place on the course, but it might not meet the requirements of a funding application. However, if you are happy with the personal statement in the online application form and do not submit anything either at the end of the online application form or with your cover email, we will use the personal statement in the form as your funding case for support.

University of Manchester Fast-track students

Please attach a 500 word funding case for support (guidance below) in a Word document to the email addressed to MASALCfunding@manchester.ac.uk with your University ID number by 30 March. We will supply your transcripts, but you must contact your referees with the link to the online referee report form.

Case for Funding Support - Guidance

Within your statement, your primary aim is to provide convincing reasons why you want to do the course and how you are an excellent candidate. Precise details will depend upon which Master’s you choose to apply for, the expectations you have of the programme, and how you think it will shape your future career.

Some Master’s programmes include specific requirements for admission relevant to the programme of study – please check the admissions criteria for your programme and ensure you refer to them in your case for support.

Your interests and expectations

Explain why the Master’s programme appeals to you and the areas within the subject that you find interesting, including specific modules or other course opportunities. Provide evidence to demonstrate your suitability and interest for the course. What are the intellectual problems, or practical opportunities, that enthuse you?

If you know exactly why you wish to pursue this Master’s - to go onto PhD study or to follow a career path for instance - or a particular area you wish to pursue for your dissertation/final project, then address this as well. In general, what do you expect to get out of your Master’s and how will it contribute to your career aims?

Your academic credentials

We will pay particular attention to:

• your first degree
• your final classification and average grade
• your intellectual development, and achievements, as an undergraduate
• where relevant to the chosen programme, professional experience, especially if your first degree is in a different subject area

Many applicants will have similar academic backgrounds to you. Why are you the ideal person for this particular Master’s programme? What have you achieved that makes you stand out (e.g. a particularly high mark, an award for academic achievement, or a prize for project work).
Drawing from specific examples in your career to date, explain how your intellectual interests have grown and developed. Discuss authors or texts that have inspired you, theories or problems that drive you, academic talks that you have attended, study groups that you have been part of or academic societies you have joined.
Include work experience where relevant, particularly if you are interested in a vocational Master’s, if your first degree is in a different subject area from the programme that you are applying to, or if your first degree was obtained some time ago.

Your strengths

Look closely at the course programme key skills and required knowledge. Using specific examples from your previous studies, work experience, or extra-curricular activities, discuss how you meet the course aims and requirements.
Explain your skills in detail -- the admissions tutor will not be able to appreciate your capabilities/achievements simply by reading the title of your final year dissertation/project, for instance.

Writing tips

• Start positively - grab the reader's attention
• Keep your comments brief and focused
• Highlight your skills and achievements; don’t underplay your best attributes
• Use your statement to show that you can structure your thoughts and write coherently; each topic should lead logically onto the next
• Get your facts right; stating that you want to work with an academic who no longer works at the University will not impress admission tutors
• Your statement should be evidence-based wherever possible
• Stick to the word limit

Deadline
Please submit an application for the course with transcripts using the Online Application Form by 30 March and email MASALCfunding@manchester.ac.uk with your University ID number, confirming you have submitted your complete application with transcripts and that you have sent the reference upload link to your referees.

#Transcripts
We will use the interim or final transcripts submitted with your admissions application form. Interim transcripts for UoM fast-track applicants will be provided automatically by the School.

References

All applicants should contact their referees with the link to the online referee report form. Their references will then come to us directly and will be attached to your application.

Deadline

Please submit an application for the course with transcripts using the Online Application Form by 30 March and email MASALCfunding@manchester.ac.uk with your University ID number, confirming you have submitted your complete application with transcripts and that you have sent the reference upload link to your referees.

Notification of outcome

We aim to make final decisions by the end of May and will email all candidates. The award will be allocated based on academic merit.

Some subject areas may have their own additional funding (see the relevant section below). Unsuccessful funding applicants for eligible subjects will be automatically considered for subject area funding, where applicable.