Lana Oconnell
The UK is a popular study destination for international students due to its world-renowned universities, exceptional teaching staff, and post-study work opportunities. However, the cost of studying and living in the UK can be significantly higher than in other countries, making it challenging for international students to pursue their dream courses. While there are no tuition-free universities in the UK, international students can explore various scholarships, grants, and bursaries to reduce their financial burden and study in the UK for free. These scholarships are offered by the UK government, universities, and private institutes, covering tuition fees, living expenses, and even travel costs.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Scholarships | Chevening, GREAT, Commonwealth, Marshall, Global Futures, Humanitarian, Subject-specific, Rhodes, Clarendon, Gates Cambridge, Westminster International |
| Who can apply? | International students, students from developing countries, women in STEM, students with disabilities, academic high-achievers |
| What does it cover? | Tuition fees, living expenses, travel costs, accommodation, allowances, application fees |
| Where to find them? | University websites, UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA), Postgraduate Studentships, Prospects |
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What You'll Learn
Scholarships, grants and bursaries
Scholarships, grants, and bursaries are a great way to fund your studies in the UK as an international student. While undergraduate scholarships and bursaries for international students are less common than those for postgraduate studies, they do exist. Scholarships are the most common form of funding for international students, with awards usually based on academic ability, talent in an extracurricular field, or merit. They can cover tuition fees in full, reduce them, or contribute to living costs.
There are a variety of scholarships offered by the UK government, universities themselves, and third parties such as private organisations, foundations, and companies. The three main UK government scholarships are:
- GREAT Scholarships: These are available for students from 18 countries and can be used for bachelor's or master's degrees across a variety of subjects at participating UK universities.
- Chevening Scholarships: These are prestigious, fully-funded scholarships for master's degrees in the UK, granted to over 1500 students from 140 countries. They cover tuition fees, monthly living expenses, economy class return airfare, and additional grants and allowances.
- Commonwealth Scholarships: These are awarded to talented individuals with the potential to make a positive impact on the global stage.
Other notable scholarships include:
- Gates Cambridge Scholarships: These are awarded to students with excellent academic backgrounds who are citizens of countries outside the UK. They cover the full cost of studying at Cambridge, travel costs, maintenance allowances, and family allowances.
- Clarendon Scholarships: While not as big as Chevening Scholarships, Clarendon still grants over 140 scholarships each year to students with strong academic backgrounds and potential. They cover tuition and college fees, as well as living costs.
- Westminster International Scholarships: These are available to students from developing countries who are accepted for a full-time master's program at Westminster University. They include tuition fees, accommodation, living allowances, and flight fares.
Bursaries are typically one-off payments that may be awarded based on personal circumstances, such as coming from a low-income household. For example, a university may offer a music scholarship that provides international students with music lessons and a bursary for related costs like sheet music.
To find out more about scholarships, grants, and bursaries, you can visit websites such as the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) and the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service in the UK (UCAS).
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Funding options and eligibility
While there are no tuition-free universities in the UK, international students can apply for scholarships, grants, and bursaries to reduce their financial burden. The UK government, universities, and colleges offer a wide range of scholarships to support international students. 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.
The UK government runs a variety of scholarship programmes to financially support international students, including:
- GREAT Scholarships: These are available for students from 18 countries and can be used for bachelor's or master's degrees in any subject area at participating UK universities.
- Chevening Scholarships: These are funded by the FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) and are granted to over 1500 students from 140 countries. They cover tuition fees, monthly living expenses, economy class return airfare to the UK, additional grants, and allowances.
- Commonwealth Scholarships: These are fully funded scholarships available for international students pursuing a master's degree in the UK.
Additionally, individual universities may offer their own scholarships. For example, the University of Manchester offers the Global Futures Scholarship, Humanitarian Scholarship, and Subject-specific awards to international students. The University of Westminster offers the Westminster International Scholarships to students from developing countries who are accepted into a full-time master's programme at the university. This scholarship covers tuition fees, accommodation, living allowances, and flight fares to and from London.
Other notable scholarships for international students include:
- Gates Cambridge Scholarships: Awarded to academically strong international students.
- Clarendon Scholarships: Granted to students from around the world with strong academic backgrounds and potential.
- Rhodes Scholarships: Offered to international students pursuing undergraduate admissions.
To find out more about the funding available and eligibility criteria, students can visit the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website or the official website of their preferred university.
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Postgraduate funding
Although there are no tuition-free universities in the UK, there are many scholarships available for international students pursuing postgraduate courses. These scholarships are offered by the government, universities, and private institutes.
GREAT Scholarships
The GREAT Scholarships are government-based and are granted to students pursuing bachelor's and postgraduate degrees. They cover tuition fees for a one-year master's degree program in any subject area at participating UK universities.
Chevening Scholarships
The British Chevening Scholarships are funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and are granted to more than 1500 students from 140 countries. They cover tuition fees, monthly living expenses, economy class return airfare to the UK, additional grants, and allowances.
Commonwealth Scholarships
The Commonwealth Scholarships are fully funded and are a perfect way for international students to pursue a free master's degree in the UK.
Marshall Scholarships
The Marshall Scholarships are fully funded and awarded for two academic years.
University-specific scholarships
Many universities offer their own scholarship programs based on academic merit, excellence, and performance. For example, the University of Manchester offers the Global Futures Scholarship, Humanitarian Scholarship, and Subject-specific awards to international students. The University of Warwick offers the Warwick Chancellor's scholarship for postgraduate research, which covers tuition fees and provides a maintenance stipend for students from outside the UK.
Other scholarships
Other scholarships available for international postgraduate students include the Gates Cambridge Scholarships, the Rhodes Scholarships, and the A.S. Hornby Trust Scholarship.
In addition to scholarships, international students can also consider part-time work while studying in the UK to help with finances.
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Undergraduate funding
Although there are no tuition-free universities in the UK, international students can study for free by securing scholarships, grants, and bursaries. Funding for international undergraduate students in the UK can be categorised into two types: those offered by UK universities themselves and those offered by third parties, such as governments or organisations in the student's home country.
Scholarships offered by UK universities
The University of Manchester, for example, offers scholarships for students who have secured an offer letter from the university. These include the Global Futures Scholarship, Humanitarian Scholarship, and Subject-specific awards. The University of Westminster also offers scholarships that cover tuition fees, accommodation, living expenses, and flight tickets for students pursuing a full-time master's degree.
Scholarships offered by third parties
The UK government runs several scholarship programmes to support international students financially, including:
- GREAT Scholarships: Scholarships to UK universities across a variety of subjects for students from 18 countries.
- Chevening Scholarships: Fully funded master's degrees in the UK.
- Commonwealth Scholarships: Scholarships given to talented individuals with the potential to make a positive impact globally.
Other scholarships offered by third parties include:
- Marshall Scholarships: These are fully funded and awarded for two academic years to high-achieving students from the US and developing countries.
- Gates Cambridge Scholarships: These are awarded to academically strong students who are not UK citizens. They cover the full cost of studying at Cambridge, including travel costs and allowances.
- Clarendon Scholarships: Over 140 scholarships are granted each year to students with strong academic backgrounds and potential. They cover tuition and college fees, as well as living costs.
Subject-specific scholarships
These are often offered by individual departments for students studying a particular course or subject.
Equal access or sanctuary scholarships
These scholarships are offered to refugees and asylum seekers who have fled persecution from their home countries. They can take the form of a tuition fee reduction or waiver or maintenance award.
Disability scholarships
These scholarships support international students with disabilities, long-term mental health conditions, learning difficulties, or other special needs.
Tips for finding scholarships
- Visit the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website to learn more about funding opportunities and eligibility.
- Check out specialist websites like Postgraduate Studentships and Prospects for curated information covering different institutions.
- Explore fully funded or partially funded scholarships offered by governments, universities, and international organisations.
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Work-based degrees
While there are no tuition-free universities in the UK, international students can still study in the UK for free by applying for scholarships, grants, and bursaries. The UK government runs a variety of scholarship programs to support international students financially. Additionally, work-based degrees are an option for those who want to pursue a degree alongside their current job, without attending university full-time.
The University of Portsmouth offers work-based degrees that allow students to get an undergraduate bachelor's or postgraduate master's degree while working. These courses are driven by self-study, and students can choose what they learn based on their professional and personal goals. The structure of the studies is individual, with a mix of mandatory and optional distance learning modules and work-based projects. Students in work-based degree programs need to be in a full-time, part-time, voluntary, or internship role. Submission deadlines are set around the academic year, but students can set some dates themselves, especially for work-based projects.
The University of Portsmouth invites prospective students to their on-campus Postgraduate Open Day to learn more about their studying-while-working courses, including degree apprenticeships and work-based degrees.
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Frequently asked questions
While there are no tuition-free universities in the UK, international students can study in the UK for free by applying for scholarships, grants, and bursaries. These are offered by the UK government, universities, and private institutes.
Some scholarships that international students can apply for include Chevening Scholarships, GREAT Scholarships, Commonwealth Scholarships, and Gates Cambridge Scholarships.
International students can visit the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website to find out more about funding and scholarships. They can also visit the websites of their preferred universities to learn more about eligibility and the value of scholarships.
