Fees, funding and discounts
This article explains:
Fees
Fees are always displayed at the top of our degree and short course pages.
You’ll also find dedicated fees sections on degree pages. These show you:
- your payment options
- the actual cost per term for the degree, using an example payment schedule
- any possible fee increases.
Payment options for online degrees
Pay as you go
You do not have to pay your full online degree fee upfront. You can pay for it one term at a time, spreading the cost.
Each term, you decide how many credits you would like to take, and pay only for those credits. This gives you control over your costs each term, as well as your workload.
Pay per year
You can choose to pay for an entire year of study at the start of your degree if you like.
Paying for online short courses
Short course fees need to be paid in full before you can start learning.
Some of our short courses, including Access courses, are split into two parts: learning-only and learning-and-assessment. You can spread the cost of these courses by starting with the learning-only part, and paying for the assessment section later.
Payment methods
For degrees and short courses, you’ll pay via our online payment system. We accept payment via:
- Visa Debit
- Visa Credit
- Mastercard.
Scottish Government funding for online short courses
If you live in Scotland, you may be able to study one of our online short courses for free.
We have a limited number of free places available, fully funded by the Scottish Government.
Student loans for postgraduate online study
Student loans Scotland
The Scottish Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) provides loan funding for postgraduate online students who are:
- ordinarily resident in Scotland
- taking a taught Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) or Masters degree, and
- studying full-time, or
- studying part-time on a programme that:
- is no longer than twice the length of its full-time equivalent at the same college or university, or
- takes no more then three years to complete if there is no full-time equivalent at the same college or university.
Student loans England
Student Finance England provides loan funding for online Masters students who are:
- under the age of 60 and living in England
- taking a taught or research-based Masters degree, and
- studying full-time, or
- studying part-time on a programme that:
- is no longer than twice the length of its full-time equivalent at the same college or university, or
- takes no more then three years to complete if there is no full-time equivalent at the same college or university.
Find out about Student Finance England funding.
Student loans Northern Ireland
Student Finance NI provides loan funding for postgraduate online students who are:
- normally living in Northern Ireland
- taking a PgCert, PgDip, taught or research-based Masters degree, and
- studying full-time or part-time on a programme that lasts up to three academic years.
Find out about Student Finance NI funding.
Student loans Wales
Student Finance Wales provides loan and grant funding for online Masters students who are:
- under the age of 60 and living in Wales
- taking a taught or research-based Masters degree, and
- studying full-time or part-time on a programme that lasts between one and four years.
Other financial support for online distance learning
Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)
If you have a disability or learning difference and normally live in the UK, you may be eligible for DSA.
DSA cannot be used towards study fees. But it can cover some of the extra costs you might have as a result of studying online, for example, assistive technology, or proof-reading support.
There are some restrictions on which courses are eligible for DSA support and what you may use DSA for, and this varies depending on where you live in the UK.
For more information on eligibility where you live, see the UCAS guide to DSA.
Employer sponsorship
We are happy to accept payments from sponsors, for all or part of your fee.
Employers are often very supportive of staff undertaking further education. Their support can be invaluable when you’re learning online.
If you receive financial support from your employer, we’ll invoice them for the agreed amount before your studies start. Fees for our short courses need to be paid in full before the course starts, whether you’re being partly or fully sponsored.
Scholarships
To see what bursaries and scholarships are currently available, search our Funding Database.
Discounts available for online learning
Alumni discount – 20%
University of Aberdeen graduates receive 20% off fees for our postgraduate taught short courses, certificates, diplomas and degrees. Read full Alumni discount details.
NHS discount – 10%
NHS staff receive 10% off fees for our online:
- postgraduate taught short courses, certificates, diplomas and degrees offered by our School of Medicine, Medical Science and Nutrition, and our School of Psychology
- ILM leadership short courses.
Read full NHS discount details.
University of Aberdeen staff discount – 10%
You’re entitled to 10% off the full cost of an online short course if you’re a University of Aberdeen staff member.
Read full staff discount details.
Student discounts
All our students are entitled to a University of Aberdeen student card. This gives you a range of student discounts around the city and online.
You can also access student discounts through NUS Extra and student discounts through UNiDAYS.
