Find out about further study

Advice on deciding whether it’s right for you, choosing a course, and studying in the UK and other countries.

Which type of further study do you have in mind? 

Types of further study 

  • Masters degrees: these can be taught, or research based. Taught courses usually include a short research project as well as taught content, and are twelve months long in the UK. Research-based courses have a longer research project and are one or two years in length. (The undergraduate MA from this university is equivalent to a BA, and is not a postgraduate qualification.) 
  • Postgraduate diplomas and certificates: these are usually vocational, such as teaching, law and librarianship. They last one year.  
  • Second undergraduate degrees: these may be appropriate if you want to start learning about a completely new subject (for example medicine).  
  • PhDs (also known as DPhils): these are self-directed research projects which include a thesis and make a unique contribution to the subject. They take at least three years (five to seven years part-time). A Masters is usually required; some universities offer Integrated PhDs which consist of a one-year Masters leading into a 3-year PhD. 

Good reasons for taking a postgraduate degree are: 

  • you love your subject and enjoy studying 
  • the career you want requires a postgraduate qualification, such as law 
  • the career you want isn’t related to your degree, for example IT, human resources and librarianship (although there may be routes into these areas without further study) 
  • you are interested in an academic career - you'll need a PhD for this 

If you’re considering further study because you want to “cancel out” a lower undergraduate degree result, or because you want to give yourself more time to decide about your future, you should think very carefully. Employers, especially those major graduate recruiters who are looking for a 2.1 minimum, will not feel that a Masters compensates for a lower  undergraduate degree. Postgraduate courses are intensive and leave little time for reflection or job-hunting, so you may come to the end of your Masters without having a clearer idea of what you want to do next. 

If you’d like to discuss whether further study is right for you, book an appointment. 

Book an appointment    

Read the following article to find whether a Master's is right for you (UoE log in required):

Is a Master's degree right for you?


  • Course content - courses at postgraduate level can be very specific, so read the detail and choose carefully. Check the course is accredited by the relevant organisation if the profession you’re interested in requires this.  
  • Course reputation – ask academics on your current course, or look at rankings (these will rate institutions rather than individual courses, and you should base your decision on other factors too rather than relying on these lists).  

Rankings for postgraduate study (FindaMasters)    

  • Location - if you’re going to be based at the institution, would you prefer to be in a big city or small town? At a campus-based or multi-site university? Will travel be difficult, or very expensive? 
  • Size - how many people will be on your course? How big is the department? What are the pros and cons of this? 

Should I stay at the University of Edinburgh? 

  • Staying within the same department as your undergraduate study can be an attractive prospect. You know the staff and they know you; you will probably be aware of their research interests (which may or may not match your own).  
  • There is often additional funding or reduced fees for graduates who stay within the same institution.  
  • Changing university will broaden your network of academic contacts, and this could be useful when looking for a job later.  
  • Being open to a change of institution also allows you to give top priority to selecting the best supervisor for your area of interest when choosing your research topic. 

You’ll find listings of courses here: 

Search postgraduate courses (Prospects)   

FindaMasters  

  • Masters programmes: check the webpages for specific programmes for deadlines. Many will review applications as they are received, so you should apply early. Apply directly to the course provider. 
  • PGDEs [Abb: Professional Postgraduate Diploma in Education]  and PGCEs [Abb: Postgraduate Certificate in Education] (teacher training courses in Scotland and England/Wales respectively) - apply through UCAS Undergraduate for PGCE and UCAS Teacher Training for PGDE. Popular courses fill up quickly. 

       Teaching  

  • Medicine as a second degree: apply through UCAS, deadline 15th October 

       Medicine as a second degree 

  • Dentistry, Veterinary medicine, and all courses at universities of Oxford and Cambridge: apply through UCAS, deadline 15th October 
  • Other undergraduate degrees: apply through UCAS; deadline 15th January. 

You will apply through UCAS as an individual and won’t need to use a buzzword.  

Applications and CVs for further study 


Government loans for Masters study are an option for UK students. This guide gives an overview of this, and other funding options: 

Masters funding guide (FindaMasters)

The University’s Scholarships and Student Funding department has details of many awards for postgraduate study, some of which aren’t specific to this University. 

Postgraduate funding 

Always check the pages for individual courses as funding options will be mentioned there.  


Start planning early if you’re considering further study abroad. Extra things to take into consideration are: 

  • Language – if you’re thinking about studying in a non-English speaking country and don’t already speak the language, are you willing to learn? Although your course may be taught in English, you’ll need to deal with other matters in your day-to-day life such as shopping and opening a bank account. 
  • Pre-entry tests - for example, many US institutions expect candidates to take the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) or GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) before applying, and to include their scores in their application. Check the requirements of the institution you’re interested in.     
  • Get an overview of further study in a range of destinations (Australia, Asia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, USA and Europe), with advice on how to apply and information on student visas and language requirements: 

Postgraduate study abroad (Prospects) 

  • Postgraduate study in the USA: the US-UK Fulbright Commission (part of the US Department of State’s EducationUSA network and the official UK source of information on applying to US institutions) gives advice on choosing a US university, the admissions process and tests:  

Fulbright Commission  

  • Postgraduate study in Europe: the Ploteus portal links to opportunities to study in EU countries and information on moving to a European country for study such as the cost of living, specific language courses and tips on finding accommodation: 

Ploteus (EU) 


Our advice about moving on to a PhD sits in the section of our website aimed at Masters students.  You can find it by following this link:

Moving on to a PhD 


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