Before applying for a research degree at Royal Holloway, it’s worth considering how you’ll fund your studies.
We charge an annual tuition fee for all postgraduate research (PGR) degrees. The actual fee depends on the department in which you are studying. Part-time fees are approximately half the full-time fee.
Tuition fees can be paid in full at any time up until you enrol. Find out how to pay your fees.
Alumni discounts
For PGR students who are entitled to a 15% alumni discount, this will be applied in the following way:
- The alumni discount is made on the fee amount payable following any other reductions e.g. studentships.
- The alumni discount is available on the tuition fees for the first year of study only, whether full or part-time.
- The alumni discount cannot be used in conjunction with full fee award studentships (including those with an additional cash award).
- The alumni discount cannot be applied to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses.
Instalment plans
If you’re paying tuition fees yourself and are not applying for support and loans for fees via Student Finance England or Student Finance Services, you can opt to pay your fees in two equal instalments.
You need to pay at least 50% of the fee by enrolment in the first term. The second payment is then required during the first week of the second term, in January.
Please note that tuition fee instalments are not available to sponsors.
Programme fees
Programme |
Home (UK)** fees 2022/23 |
Home (UK)** fees 2023/24 |
MRes Cultural Geography and MRes Geopolitics, Development, Security and Justice |
£8,300 |
£8,600 |
MRes Classical Reception and MRes Rhetoric (Master of Research) |
£8,300 |
£8,600 |
MSc Biological Sciences by Research |
£7,596 (includes the £3,000 bench fee)* |
£7,712 (includes the £3,000 bench fee)* |
All other research degrees (including Masters by Research) |
£4,596* (see UKRI for details) |
£4,712* (see UKRI for details) |
*Each year, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) usually increase their fee levels in line with inflation, based on the Treasury GDP deflator. Minimum fees recommended by the Research Councils are adopted as the Home tuition fee for all postgraduate research at Royal Holloway, University of London. Fees displayed here are therefore subject to change and are usually confirmed in the spring of the year of entry.
Department/programme |
Standard international student (including EU**) fee 2022/23 |
Standard international student (including EU**) fee 2023/24 |
Biological Sciences |
£24,200 |
£25,000 |
MSc Biological Sciences by Research |
£27,200 (includes the £3,000 bench fee) |
£28,000 (includes the £3,000 bench fee) |
Classics |
£21,500 |
£22,300 |
MRes (Master of Research, Classics) |
£17,600 |
£18,200 |
Computer Science |
£21,500 |
£22,300 |
Drama, Theatre and Dance |
£18,200 |
£18,800 |
Earth Sciences |
£24,200 |
£25,000 |
Economics |
£18,200 |
£18,800 |
Electronic Engineering |
£21,500 |
£22,300 |
English |
£21,500 |
£22,300 |
Geography |
£18,200 |
£22,300 |
History |
£21,500 |
£22,300 |
Information Security |
£18,200 |
£18,800 |
Law |
£16,700 |
£17,300 |
Management |
£18,200 |
£22,300 |
Mathematics |
£18,200 |
£18,800 |
Media Arts |
£16,700 |
£17,300 |
Modern Languages |
£21,500 |
£22,300 |
Music |
£21,500 |
£22,300 |
Philosophy |
£18,200 |
£18,800 |
Physics |
£21,500 |
£22,300 |
Politics and International Relations |
£18,200 |
£18,800 |
Psychology |
£21,500 |
£22,300 |
Social Work |
£16,700 |
£17,300 |
**The UK Government has confirmed that EU students will not be eligible to pay the same fees as UK students. This means you will be classified as an international student.
At Royal Holloway, we wish to support those students affected by this change in status through this transition.
For eligible EU students starting their course with us in September 2023, we will award a fee reduction scholarship equivalent to 30% of the difference between the UK and international fee for your course. This will apply for the duration of your course. Find out if you are eligible, and more information.
To receive the fee reduction scholarship, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Be classified as overseas for fees purposes
- Be an EU national on 1 September before the start of the course
- Recipients of the EU fee reduction scholarship are eligible to hold a second Royal Holloway scholarship.
Royal Holloway reserves the right to increase tuition fees annually for overseas fee-paying students. Please be aware that tuition fees can rise during your research degree. The upper limit of any such rise will be made clear on the relevant coursefinder listing for your year of entry, at the earliest opportunity.
NB: A 'Writing Up' fee will come into effect in year four (full-time study) or year seven (part-time study).
A decision on the level of fee for EU students starting their course with us in September 2024 has not yet been made.