Funding for coursework postgraduates
Scholarships, grants & bursaries
Unfortunately, funding opportunities for coursework postgraduates are still quite limited. Check out the Melbourne Scholarships Office for details of scholarships, grants and bursaries that might apply to you. As well as the (admittedly short) list of available scholarships, the site has a number of links to other ways to search for funding, including a link to JASON, the Postgraduate Scholarship Database for Australia. You can also search Edna - the Education Network of Australia - for scholarships.
If you are experiencing real financial difficulties at any stage of your degree, you can apply to UMPA for a bursary of up to $500.
Financial Aid
Financial Aid provides loans, bursaries and rent assistance to students in serious financial need. It also provides advice and information about government assistance programs, budgeting and money management, and other matters related to student finances.
Tutoring and demonstrating
Have you thought about teaching at the Uni during your degree? Although obtaining a tutoring position can be quite competitive, it is a great experience as well as an additional source of income, and particularly useful if you are intending on pursuing an academic career. Talk to your supervisor (if you have one) or another member of the academic staff who is teaching a class you think you'd like to tutor and are qualified to teach. For some helpful resources for postgrads involved in academic teaching, check out Tutoring and Demonstrating, published by the CSHE - Centre for the Study of Higher Education.
Finding a job
The reality for many postgraduates is that we have to work as well as study. If you aren't sure what to do or where to find a part time job, check out Careers online , where you'll find an extensive listing of jobs available. The University is constantly advertising for work in admin, services and hospitality, so keep your eye out and you'll find something. Of course, there is also Seek, MyCareer and CareerOne for job searches.
Balancing work and study
It can be very demanding to work while you're studying (or to study while you're working). Many postgrads also have children, and life can get pretty hectic trying to manage all these roles and responsibilities. If you have to work while you're studying, here are a few tips to help you and your family remain sane(ish):
- Don't overload yourself. If you need to go part time in either your work or study to be able to manage all your commitments, do so. You can learn to take your lunch and cut various corners where necessary, or you can work more and do the degree more slowly instead.
- Be realistic about your availability with colleagues and family, or you'll be setting them and you up for disappointment.
- Schedule study time into your week as a regular habit - don't just do bits and pieces around the rest of your crazy life. Reading time is essential for any degree - so don't feel guilty when you're 'just reading'.
- Try to remember that you're here because you want to be and enjoy it for all it's worth, in spite of what can occasionally seem like impossible demands on your time and emotions. You've earned the right to do this degree, now make sure you take time to find pleasure in solving problems and thinking critically.
- If you're really not coping, talk to somebody about it. You might like to start by talking with your partner, a friend, or your supervisor. If you're feeling constantly stressed, anxious or unhappy, talk to somebody in Counselling.
