Before you apply

Postgraduate study can be rewarding in its own right, and it can also be an investment in your future which will pay great dividends later on.

Chosen carefully, a postgraduate degree can enhance your career prospects, but is it important to consider if costs, together with all the hard work involved, will really give you added value, and therefore prove to be a good investment.

It is vital that you seriously review your reasons for studying, and that you research the opportunities open to you before applying to a university or college.

The range of postgraduate study options available shows that further study is central to a range of careers.postgraduate students applying for courses

Why study? Because you will:

  • increase your knowledge
  • gain a qualification
  • improve your career by deepening your knowledge
  • change your career by gaining skills in a new area
  • increase earning potential.

When not to study:

  • Don't commit yourself to a postgraduate programme just because you're not sure what else to do. Any big investment requires solid thought and understanding, especially in the current economic and employment climate.

You need to research the subject area you are interested in as well as the options such study will open up for you when you have finished. You should be able to find information and guidance from the staff at the university where you took your first degree and from professional bodies allied to your proposed career, and from careers services local to you who should be able to put you in touch with any specialist advice you are seeking. Next you should look at your study options in our Course Search, before starting your application to become a postgraduate student.

In a new window, you can also look at www.direct.gov.uk/graduates for more information.