Uk University Scholarships: International Student Opportunities

Scholarships are a great way to fund your education, and if you're looking to study in the UK, there's good news! Many scholarships are available for international students, offered by both the British government and individual universities. These scholarships can be competitive, but they provide an excellent opportunity to pursue your academic interests at some of the world's top universities. From full tuition coverage to stipends for living expenses, these scholarships can make your dream of studying in the UK a reality. So, whether you're an undergraduate or postgraduate student, read on to learn more about the scholarships on offer and how they can support your studies in the UK.

Scholarships for international undergraduate students

While undergraduate scholarships for international students in the UK are less common than those for postgraduate studies, they do exist. Funding for international undergraduate students in the UK can be split into two categories: those offered by UK universities themselves and those offered by third parties, usually governments or organisations in the student's home country.

Scholarships Offered by UK Universities

• University of Bristol Think Big Scholarship: The University of Bristol offers scholarships for international students to pursue undergraduate or master's studies. The scholarship provides up to £20,000, which can be used as fee waivers towards tuition fees.
• University of Exeter Undergraduate Scholarships: The University of Exeter offers full, £10,000, and £5,000 tuition fee scholarships for international undergraduate students.
• Westminster Vice-Chancellor's Scholarships: Westminster University in London offers full funding for a student from a developing country to study for a full-time undergraduate degree.
• GEMS International Undergraduate Scholarship: The University of Stirling offers the GEMS scholarship, which is a fully funded scholarship that covers a £2,000 fee reduction each year for four years.
• Goldsmiths International Response Scholarship: Goldsmiths, University of London, offers this scholarship for undergraduate and master's studies. It covers an accommodation fee waiver, £8,825 for each year of study, and a tuition fee waiver.
• University of Bristol International Scholarships: The University of Bristol offers scholarships for international students to study at the university on any undergraduate or postgraduate programme.
• Cardiff University Elite International Scholarships: Cardiff University in Wales offers bachelor's and master's degree scholarships for international students.
• Queen's University Belfast International Scholarships: Queen's University Belfast in Northern Ireland offers a range of undergraduate and graduate scholarship options.
• University of Nottingham International Scholarships: The University of Nottingham offers various scholarships available at all study levels.
• Swansea University Undergraduate Scholarships: Swansea University offers a selection of undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships available to students from various regions, including the EU, Asia, and the Middle East.
• University of West London International Ambassador Scholarships: The University of West London offers up to 50 scholarships for international students to study in the UK and be ambassadors of their home country. This scholarship is open to both undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Scholarships Offered by Third Parties

• British Council Scholarships for Women in STEM: The British Council, in collaboration with the University of Stirling, offers scholarships for women from Southeast Asia pursuing master's degrees in STEM courses.
• Yale University Scholarship: Yale offers a need-based grant for undergraduates, known as the Yale Scholarship. On average, this scholarship provides up to $50,000.
• Monash University Scholarship: Monash University provides the Monash Humanitarian Scholarship for international students intending to enrol in undergraduate programs. The scholarship covers the entire tuition fee, and recipients also receive an annual allowance of $6,000.
• Fulbright Foreign Student Program: This program offers full funding for master's or PhD degrees across all courses offered by the university. It covers tuition fees, airfare, a living stipend, health insurance, and additional benefits. It is open to applicants from all countries, except citizens of the USA.

Scholarships for international master's students

Scholarships for International Masters Students

The UK government and universities offer a large number of fully funded scholarships or tuition fee scholarships for international students. These scholarships are highly competitive, but there are many opportunities available as UK universities seek to attract talented international students.

Government-Funded UK Scholarships

The UK government runs a variety of scholarship programmes to financially support international students. Here are some of the main government-funded scholarships:

• Chevening Scholarships: The UK government's global scholarship programme offers full funding for outstanding scholars from Chevening-eligible countries. Chevening Scholarships typically cover tuition fees, living allowance, return airfare to the UK, and additional grants.
• Commonwealth Scholarships: These scholarships are awarded to talented individuals from developing Commonwealth countries with the potential to make a positive impact globally.
• Marshall Scholarships: Postgraduate scholarships for US students demonstrating academic merit, leadership potential, and ambassadorial potential to study in the UK.

University-Specific UK Scholarships

Many UK universities offer their own scholarship programmes. Here are some examples:

• University of Bristol: The University of Bristol offers Think Big Scholarships for international students. These scholarships are available for undergraduate and master's studies and provide up to £20,000, which can be used as fee waivers towards tuition fees.
• University of Cambridge: Gates Cambridge Scholarships are awarded to outstanding applicants from outside the UK for full-time postgraduate degrees in any subject. These scholarships cover the full cost of studying at Cambridge and provide additional funding.
• University of Oxford: The Clarendon Scholarship Fund offers scholarships to eligible graduate applicants, including international students, based on academic excellence and potential. The scholarships cover tuition and college fees in full and provide a generous grant for living expenses.
• University of Sussex: The University of Sussex Chancellor's International Scholarships are awarded based on academic performance and potential to non-EU international students for eligible full-time postgraduate degrees. The scholarship offers a 50% fee reduction for one year.
• University College London (UCL): UCL Global Masters Scholarships aim to support international students from lower-income backgrounds pursuing full-time master's degree studies at UCL. The scholarship is worth £15,000 and is tenable for one year.
• University of West London: The University of West London International Ambassador Scholarships offer up to 50 scholarships for international students to act as ambassadors for their home country while studying in the UK. These scholarships are open to both undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Other Scholarships

In addition to government and university-specific scholarships, there are also other scholarships offered by external organisations. For example, the British Council offers scholarships for women pursuing master's degrees in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) at select UK universities.

Scholarships for international PhD students

UK universities offer a variety of scholarships for international PhD students. These scholarships can be offered by the UK government or individual universities and can range from partial funding to full funding. Here are some examples of scholarships available for international PhD students:

UK Government Scholarships:

• Chevening Scholarships: This is the UK government's global scholarship programme, awarding outstanding scholars from Chevening-eligible countries with a fully funded one-year master's degree. Chevening Scholarships typically cover tuition fees, living allowance, economy class return airfare to the UK, and additional grants.
• Commonwealth Scholarships: These scholarships are offered to talented individuals from Commonwealth countries who demonstrate the potential to make a positive impact globally.
• Marshall Scholarship: This scholarship is for US citizens who graduated from a 4-year undergraduate course in the last 3 years with a GPA of 3.7 or higher and have not previously studied for a UK degree.

University-Specific Scholarships:

• University of Cambridge: The Gates Cambridge Scholarship is available for outstanding applicants from outside the UK pursuing postgraduate degrees and provides full funding, including a stipend, health insurance, and additional funding.
• University of Oxford: The Clarendon Scholarship is a prestigious graduate scholarship that offers full funding for tuition and college fees, as well as a generous grant for living expenses to eligible graduate applicants, including international students.
• Imperial College London: The Imperial College London PhD Scholarship is a fully funded opportunity for international students, covering tuition fees and an annual tax-free contribution to maintenance costs.
• University of Warwick: The Warwick Chancellor’s International Scholarships are awarded to exceptional PhD applicants worldwide, covering overseas tuition fees and providing a maintenance stipend.
• University of Sheffield: All international students are eligible to apply for University of Sheffield Research Scholarships. Chinese applicants can specifically apply for the Joint China Scholarship Council-University of Sheffield Award.
• University of Edinburgh: The University of Edinburgh offers a number of fully funded scholarships for any area of study within its doctoral programme.
• Swansea University: Swansea University offers the International Postgraduate Research Excellence Scholarship (SUIPRES), a competitively awarded scholarship open to overseas PhD applicants eligible for international tuition fees.
• University of St Andrews: St Leonard's College offers full scholarships to support exceptional doctoral researchers contributing to the university's world-leading themes.

These are just a few examples of the many scholarships available for international PhD students in the UK. It is recommended to explore university websites and specialist scholarship websites for detailed information on eligibility criteria and application processes.

Scholarships for international students from developing countries

The UK government and universities offer a wide range of scholarships for international students from developing countries. These scholarships can be used to pursue undergraduate, master's, or PhD degrees at UK institutions. Here are some of the notable scholarships available:

Chevening Scholarships:

Chevening Scholarships are the UK government's largest scholarship programme for international students. They are typically awarded for one-year master's degrees at any UK university. Chevening Scholarships cover tuition fees, living allowance, airfare, and additional grants. Applications for Chevening Scholarships usually open in August or September and close in November each year.

Commonwealth Scholarships:

The Commonwealth Scholarships are offered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) to students from developing Commonwealth countries. These scholarships are funded by the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and are intended for master's or PhD studies. The CSC attracts outstanding talent from across eligible Commonwealth countries, providing scholarships for studies in development-related subjects. The scholarships cover airfare, tuition and examination fees, personal maintenance allowance, and other benefits.

GREAT Scholarships:

The GREAT Scholarships programme offers £10,000 towards tuition fees for a range of one-year postgraduate courses. These scholarships are available to students from various developing countries, including Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Ghana, India, and Nigeria, among others.

Global Wales Postgraduate Scholarships:

The Global Wales Postgraduate Scholarship programme offers scholarships worth up to £10,000 to international students from developing countries such as Vietnam, India, and countries in the European Union. These scholarships can be used to pursue full-time master's programmes in Wales.

University-Specific Scholarships:

Many UK universities offer their own scholarships for international students, including those from developing countries. For example, the University of Bristol offers Think Big Scholarships for undergraduate and master's studies, providing up to £20,000 towards tuition fees. The University of Cambridge offers the Gates Cambridge Scholarship for master's and PhD studies, covering tuition and providing additional funding. The University of Oxford has the Clarendon Scholarship, which is a fully-funded scholarship for master's and PhD students, covering tuition and living expenses.

These are just a few examples of the scholarships available for international students from developing countries. Each scholarship has its own eligibility criteria and application process, so it is important to visit the official websites for detailed information. Additionally, students can also explore funding opportunities offered by their home country's government or organisations.

Scholarships for international students with disabilities

The UK government and universities provide a large number of fully funded scholarships or tuition fee scholarships for international students. There are also scholarships available for students with disabilities. Here is a list of scholarships for international students with disabilities:

Google Europe Scholarship for Students with Disabilities

The Google Europe Scholarship provides a €7,000 award for disabled students to help them pursue studies in computer science. This scholarship is open to students enrolled or intending to enrol in a European university as a full-time bachelor's, master's, or PhD student.

Goldsmiths Disabled Students' Scholarships

Goldsmiths, University of London, offers scholarships for UK nationals to study an undergraduate degree.

Oxford-Wadham Graduate Scholarship for Disabled Students

The Oxford-Wadham Graduate Scholarship is open to home, EU, and overseas students. It provides 100% of the home/EU tuition fee rate and a grant for living costs to study a master's degree (full-time or part-time) at Wadham College, University of Oxford. Applicants must demonstrate excellent academic ability, and there is no separate application process.

Snowden Trust Grants

The UK charity Snowden Trust awards grants for students with physical or sensory disabilities, of any nationality, to study at a UK college or university. The grant amount available is up to £5,000.

University of Westminster Access Scholarship

The University of Westminster offers a scholarship for a disabled student from the UK/EU who is enrolled in a full-time undergraduate degree at the university.

UCL Fund for International Disabled Students

UCL (University College London) offers financial support through the UCL Fund for International Disabled Students to students from outside the UK who have a disability.

British Council Scholarships

The British Council runs several UK scholarships and financial support schemes for international students with disabilities and special educational needs. These are run by UK or international governments, charities or businesses, or by UK universities, colleges, and schools.

Disability Rights UK Funding Higher Education for Disabled Students

Disability Rights UK provides financial support for all undergraduate levels of study, covering tuition fees, living costs, and disability-related costs.

Prospects Disabled Students’ Allowances

For 2018/19, postgraduates eligible for DSA funding in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland could apply for non-repayable, needs-assessed Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA). The DSA is designed to help students with special needs reach their full academic potential.

University-specific Scholarships

Many UK universities offer their own scholarships or grants for incoming international students with disabilities. It is always worth checking with the universities what support they can offer.

Frequently asked questions