Step 5: Add costs together and compare with income and funding

We recommend that you compare your estimated total cost of postgraduate study with your expected income and funding, to make sure you will have enough money.

Calculate an estimate for the total cost of your degree

To calculate your estimated total cost of study, you will need the numbers you calculated for:

To arrive at an estimated total cost, add all these costs together to reach one number. 

Example estimated total cost of study (Scotland or Rest of UK fee status)

This example is for a student with Scotland or Rest of UK fee status studying a full-time 3-year PhD in Engineering, starting in 2026.

  • Tuition fees: £16,513
  • Additional study costs: £3,600
  • Living costs: £60,073
  • Laptop: £500

£16,513 + £3,600 + £60,073 + £500

Total cost for 3 years: £80,686 (£26,895 per year) 

Compare your estimated costs with your income and funding

Now that you've calculated an estimated total cost of study, compare this to the amount you have to fund your studies.

You may be funding your studies through:  

  • government loans or bursaries  
  • scholarships  
  • your own money or money from family  
  • a combination of these  

If your estimated total costs are more than your expected income and funding, we recommend looking for additional sources of funding.  

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