Top UK Scholarships Available To International Students

Studying in the United Kingdom is a fantastic way to gain access to some of the world’s best higher education. However, such high quality rarely comes cheap, and many international students require financial assistance to cover all or part of their studies and living expenses in the United Kingdom. When it comes to applying for good, generous UK scholarships, the competition is fierce, and some of the best providers consider a variety of factors, including your previous academic history.

So, if you can demonstrate that you’re a top student with outstanding academic achievements, don’t hesitate to apply for an international scholarship in the United Kingdom. Below are some of the scholarships available to qualifying international students looking to study in the United Kingdom that we think you should consider:

Chevening Scholarships

This scholarship is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office and partner organisations. Anybody with a solid academic background and demonstrated leadership potential is eligible for a Chevening Scholarship. This offers complete financial support for any eligible master’s degree at any UK university, as well as access to a variety of unique academic, professional, and cultural opportunities.

How does it work?

To be considered for this scholarship:

Applicants will have to go through a rigorous selection procedure.
Those who qualify are hand-picked by British embassies and high commissioners all around the world.
Successful applicants will receive tuition or programme fees, living expenses, and return flights to the UK as part of this fully-funded scholarship.
Successful candidates will also have access to exclusive networking events, workshops, presentations, internships, and volunteer opportunities around the world, which will help them advance their careers in any environment around the world.

Who is it for?

If you’re ambitious, have leadership potential, a strong academic background, and a proven track record of ascending to important positions in your country in a variety of professions.

How to apply

You can apply via their website at www.chevening.org/apply. After submitting your application, it will be assessed against Chevening’s eligibility criteria. If you are successful, you will be invited to submit references and attend an interview with the British embassy or high commission in the country to which you applied.

These face-to-face interviews are conducted in English by a panel, who will ask you questions about your personal and professional goals and how a Chevening Scholarship would help you achieve them. Your choice of courses will also be taken into consideration. The panel will then score your interview against the global Chevening criteria.

Eligibility for the Saltire Scholarships

Have a conditional or unconditional offer at any of the Scottish universities, delivered physically, online, or via a combination of both.
The scheme offers up to 50 awards, each worth £8000, towards tuition fees to citizens of Canada, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Pakistan, and the USA for any one year of full-time study on a postgraduate Master’s programme at any of Scotland’s higher education institutions.
Demonstrated ability to meet the cost of living in Scotland, and the remaining tuition fees.
Have not previously studied in Scotland or received the Saltire scholarship.
Must be able to meet the language requirement of the course.

Eligible courses

Science
Creative studies
Technology
Healthcare and medical sciences
Renewable and clean energy
For more information on how to apply, Visit for more information.

Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships

The Commonwealth Scholarship Scheme is for students from all over the Commonwealth who would not be able to afford to study in the UK if they did not receive a scholarship. Its goal is to recruit top talent to UK institutions while simultaneously promoting sustainable development in other parts of the world.

Who can apply?

In order to apply for this scholarship:

You must be a citizen or permanent resident of a Commonwealth country.
You can also apply if you are a refugee or a British-protected person.
You must also have at least an upper-second-class undergraduate honours degree (2:1).
Without the scholarship, you will be unable to afford to study in the United Kingdom.

There are no restrictions on what you can study with this scholarship, although the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission prefers applicants whose studies are most related to their development criteria. The deadline for the application is usually the first week in November, but you can check their website to see if there are any changes to the opening and deadlines.

Gates Cambridge Scholarships

Gates Cambridge Scholarships are given to outstanding applicants from any country outside the United Kingdom who wish to study for a full-time postgraduate degree at the University of Cambridge in any discipline. The complete cost of studying at Cambridge is covered by a Gates Cambridge Scholarship. Additionally, it offers discretionary funds.

Who can apply?

You can apply for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship if you are:

A citizen of any country outside the United Kingdom.
Applying to pursue one of the following full-time residential courses of study at the University of Cambridge: Ph.D., MPhil/Mlitt.
One-year postgraduate course.

Courses that are not eligible for Gates Cambridge Scholarships:

Any undergraduate degree, such as a BA (undergraduate) or BA affiliated (a second BA)
Business Doctorate (BusD)
Master of Business (MBA)
Master of Finance (MFin)
PGCE (UK Teacher Training Course)
MBBChir Clinical Studies
MD, Doctor of Medicine degree (6 years, part-time)
Graduate Course in Medicine (A101)
Part-time degrees
Non-degree courses

Criteria

To be considered for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship, you must show evidence of academic excellence (through your transcripts, references, experience, and the potential to succeed in the chosen course). Academic departments at the University of Cambridge nominate only the most academically outstanding applicants for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship, which ensures that those selected will thrive at Cambridge.

How to Apply

Applications are made via the university’s Graduate Application Portal.

Clarendon Scholarships at University of Oxford (UK)

Every year, the Clarendon Fund awards around 140 full scholarships to academically outstanding graduate students from all over the world. Clarendon Scholarships are awarded at the graduate level at the University of Oxford based on academic excellence and potential in all degree-bearing subjects.

All graduate applicants who apply for study at the university by the January deadline in their respective year of entry will be automatically considered for this prestigious scholarship funding, which covers tuition and college fees as well as a generous grant for living expenses.

Quick facts about Clarendon

Clarendon scholarships are highly competitive.
Clarendon scholars are selected for their outstanding academic merit and potential.
If you apply by the December or January deadline, whichever applies to your degree, you will be automatically considered for Clarendon. You do not need to fill out another application.
Clarendon offers fully-funded scholarships covering course fees as well as a grant for living expenses for the period of fee liability.
There are no restrictions on nationality, ordinary residence, or field of study. All full-time and part-time DPhil and Master’s courses are eligible.

What are the requirements for Clarendon Fund Scholarships?

Applicants who wish to begin a new graduate programme at Oxford are eligible. Students who are currently pursuing a Master’s degree at Oxford but will be reapplying for a DPhil are included in this category.
Scholarships are available in all subject areas and are available to students who are beginning a new course.

Selection Criteria:

Selection criteria vary by subject area and whether applicants are applying for a taught or research degree:

A strong academic record.
An outstanding academic record at the Master’s level or a GPA of at least 3.7 if the mark is out of 4, noting that most successful candidates achieve a score higher than 3.7.
Other indicators could include individual grades on student transcripts; proof of previous university prizes or awards; and so on.
Academic aptitude for the proposed course of study: This can be determined by looking over academic references, the research proposal, demonstrated research aptitude, and the likelihood that the scholar will make a significant contribution to their field of study.
Student motivation is measured by the applicant’s commitment to the proposed course, as evidenced by their personal statement and referees’ reports.

How to Apply for Clarendon Fund Scholarships

You will automatically be considered for a Clarendon Scholarship if you apply for a full-time or part-time master’s or DPhil course at Oxford by the January deadline for your course. There are no additional documents required for the Clarendon Scholarships, and no separate scholarship application form is required.

For more information, go to the scholarship webpage.

University of Sussex Chancellor’s International Scholarships

International applicants are only eligible for a small number of scholarships. Only applicants with exceptional academic achievement and potential will be considered for these positions. If you have received an offer to study for an eligible Bachelor or Master at the University of Sussex and have received excellent grades to date, you can apply for a scholarship.

What you get: £5,000
Type of award: Fee waiver
Funding type: Sussex funded

To be eligible for this scholarship, you must:

Be classified as ‘overseas’ for fee purposes.
Be undertaking a full-time Master’s degree.
Be financing the course by yourself.
Have a strong academic record.

You are not eligible for this scholarship if you:

If you meet the following criteria, you will not be considered for this scholarship:

You are applying for a Master’s degree at a university other than Sussex.
You are in the final year of an integrated Master’s degree at Sussex.
You are enrolled in an online course.
You have another University of Sussex scholarship (e.g., the Chancellor’s Masters Scholarship).
You are enrolled in one of the excluded courses listed below.

Excluded courses

You are not eligible for this scholarship if you are going to study any of the following:

Certificates and diplomas (including PGCE).
Courses at Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS).
Development Studies MA.
Early Years Education (with Early Years Teacher Status).
Globalisation, Business, and Development MA.
Governance, Development, and Public Policy MA.
Power, Participation, and Social Change MA.
Poverty and Development MA.
Degrees in Social Work (if receiving an NHS bursary).
Online courses.
Schools direct teaching courses.
Masters funded by the research councils (e.g., ESRC 1+3 funding).

How to apply

To be considered for this scholarship, you need to have received and accepted an offer of a place on an eligible course at Sussex. After you have received an offer to study at the university, you will need to complete a separate scholarship application form online.

Bear in mind that you will need to have made plans or raised sufficient funds to cover the remaining tuition fee and cost of living for the duration of your course. To apply for this scholarship, visit the website.

Bristol University Think Big Scholarships

The scholarships are only available for the payment of tuition fees for qualifying courses.
It can only be used for the payment of tuition fees and nothing else.
The value of this scholarship for international undergraduate students is between £5,000 and £10,000 per year.
It will be given out for all years of the undergraduate qualifying course of study at the University of Bristol.

Eligibility

You can apply if you:

Must be an overseas student for fee purposes.
You have applied to start any full-time undergraduate course, excluding medicine, dentistry, and veterinary science, at the University of Bristol.
The course you are undertaking starts in September of that year.

How to apply

Apply using the international scholarship online application form. For more information on how to apply, visit the university page detailing the application process.

University of West London International Ambassador Scholarships

The International Ambassador Scholarship honours outstanding candidates who aspire to pursue a full-time undergraduate or postgraduate degree at the University of West London and provides financial assistance. The scholars will act as international ambassadors for the University of West London. There are 50 scholarships worth up to £5,000 available for international students.

Eligibility:

Applicants must have been offered a place to study on a full-time undergraduate or postgraduate course at the University of West London or an undergraduate or postgraduate course at UWL to commence study in February, June, or September. This means that you must have already applied for a course of study at this university, and you must have already received an official offer.
You must be a self-funded, overseas full fee-paying student.
The scholarship is awarded on a competitive basis to candidates who demonstrate enthusiasm and the ability to be excellent international student ambassadors.

How to apply

For detailed information on how to apply, visit the official scholarship website.

University of West England Chancellor’s Scholarships

Every year, the University of the West of England in Bristol awards more than £100,000 in scholarships to international students. The Chancellor’s Scholarship, for example, requires the candidate to complete an internship with the International Development Office and other departments. The scholarship covers one academic year.

Eligibility:

To be eligible for the scholarship:

Be classified as overseas for fee purposes.
Provide official transcripts at the time of the application.
You must have achieved the equivalent of a British 1st class in an undergraduate degree.
Hold an unconditional offer or a conditional offer where IELTS or equivalent English language is the only condition.
Be a new student at UWE Bristol with no previous UK study.
Not be a sponsored student or in receipt of another scholarship or award.

Application instructions:

If you meet the eligibility criteria listed above, you will be invited to apply as part of the application process. If invited, you will receive a link to an online application form that must be completed before a specified date.

It is important to visit the official website for detailed information on how to apply for this scholarship.

Sheffield Hallam University Transform Together Scholarships

Transform Together Scholarships are exclusively for international students starting a full-time taught course. A half-fee waiver (50% discount) is available for undergraduate and postgraduate taught courses for the first year of study.

Scholarships are awarded to students who can demonstrate excellent academic achievement. Applicants also need to describe how they will stand out from the crowd as an ambassador for Sheffield Hallam University during and after their studies.

Who can apply?

To be eligible to apply for one of these scholarships, you must:

Be an international fee-paying student.
As a postgraduate student, you must have achieved a minimum of 2.1 or equivalent in your undergraduate honours degree.
You must meet the English and academic entry requirements for your course.
For postgraduate students, you must not have been awarded a postgraduate qualification either in the UK or overseas in the past.
For undergraduate students, you must meet the English and academic entry requirements for the course.
You have applied for a full-time taught undergraduate or postgraduate course at Sheffield Hallam University and received your student identification number.
You must be fully self-funding your studies.
You must be able to pay any additional fees your course may require, for example, field trips and tuition fees for subsequent years of study.

Who is not eligible

If you have already started the course for which you are applying for a scholarship.
Have previously received a Transform Together scholarship for a course at the same level of study.
For postgraduate students, you must have been awarded a postgraduate qualification, either in the UK or overseas, in the past.
If you are receiving full or partial funding for your studies from a sponsor or other scholarship provider.
If you are applying to study a Sheffield Hallam course at a partner institution outside the UK.
If you have an offer for one of our international foundation programmes, you can apply for a scholarship for the course that you will progress onto following successful completion of the foundation programme.
If you do not hold an offer of a place on a course at Sheffield Hallam University.

How to apply

To apply for a Transform Together Scholarship, you will first apply to the university for a course. When you have applied for a course and received a student identification number from the university, apply for a scholarship online using this scholarship application form, and then forward your academic transcripts to globalscholarshiptranscripts@shu.ac.uk. You will be notified if you have been successful within one month of the deadline.

Warwick Chancellor’s International Scholarships

Up to 42 Chancellor’s International Scholarships are awarded annually by the Warwick Graduate School to the most outstanding Ph.D. applicants. The scholarships are available to international and EU students studying in any of Warwick’s disciplines. The scholarships cover the full cost of international tuition as well as a stipend for living expenses.

Award Details

The full payment of tuition fees.
A maintenance stipend in line with UKRI rates (provisional £15,609 for full-time award holders in 2022/23, expected to be confirmed in February 2022).
A Research, Training, and Supporting Grant (RTSG) of £5,000.
Length of funding: 3.5 years; unless you are already in your first year of study when you apply, then the length of funding will be reduced accordingly.

How to Apply

Read and visit the official website before commencing the application.

Developing Solutions Scholarships at University of Nottingham

The Developing Solutions Scholarships are for overseas students from Africa, India, or one of the Commonwealth’s developing countries who desire to study for a Master’s degree at the University of Nottingham and contribute to their home country’s development.

Eligibility

You must be a citizen of Africa, India, or one of these Commonwealth nations (Africa (all nations), Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kiribati, Malaysia, Maldives, Montserrat, Nauru, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, St Helena, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tristan da Cunha, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu).
You must be classified as an overseas student for fee purposes.
You must hold an offer to start a full-time master’s (including MRes) at the University of Nottingham, UK, in September or October.
You must be studying in any of these faculties: the Faculty of Engineering, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, the Faculty of Science, or the Faculty of Social Sciences.

How to apply

You can apply directly through the online system.
Ensure that you upload copies of your certificates, transcripts, and other supporting documents that will help your application.
On submission, you will receive an automatic confirmation once you submit your application, and you can track its progress.
Depending on the course, you may need to provide references, and at least one of the references must be in a position to comment on your academic ability.
There is an application fee of £50 for postgraduate taught courses beginning in August or £40 for courses starting before August 1.

Application criteria

In your application, you will be asked about your achievements, study plans, and reasons for choosing to study at the university.
You should also provide evidence of how studying at the University of Nottingham will help you contribute to the development of your home country.
Make sure you have enough time to prepare strong answers to help with your application.

Scholarship Requirements

You do not need to have accepted an offer before applying for this scholarship; however, awards will only be made to students who accept their offer to study with the university.
You may be offered a scholarship of either 50% or 100% of the tuition fees, which will be deducted from the tuition fees charged.
The university will contact you in early July to confirm the outcome of your application.
You may be able to receive an additional subject scholarship from your academic school or an external scholarship from your country, where the combined total does not exceed 100% of tuition fees. This could include, for example, an award from Nottingham University Business School and/or the government or another funding body in your country.
This award cannot be combined with another University of Nottingham regional scholarship or an International Sporting Excellence Award.

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