If you have landed on this page then you are actively looking for scholarship opportunities that will pay for your studies abroad or you are simply browsing to see what opportunities are available.
You are in the right place.
In this post, I am going to narrow down on scholarships that are available in the UK because that is where I studied in 2018/2019, thanks to the Chevening Scholarship, that I will explain more about below.
One thing you need to note is that in the UK, a taught masters’ degree is only ONE YEAR!
Which I think is perfect!
It is suitable for many who only want to take a year off from their jobs, daily routine etc. and leave your home country to go and gain a higher qualification that will help you advance in your career or simply give you an experience of living abroad (that was me).
When you are accepted to study at a university in the UK, you are categorized as an international student, which means you will pay more for your tuition.
This is usually a barrier for many young people who want to study abroad, and scholarships are the only guaranteed way to have your tuition fees and the cost of living covered during that one year abroad.
For me, winning the Chevening Scholarship in 2018/2019, was a lifesaver, as it helped me not to worry about finances and concentrate on my studies, as the one year moves really fast!
The good news is you can also win yourself scholarships as there are many to choose from! Believe me, the list is inexhaustive! You just need to know where to look. This is why this website exists: to connect youth to opportunities.
TYPES OF SCHOLARSHIPS IN THE UK
When looking for a scholarship you need to know which ones they are, what they cover (fully funded, part-funded) and any other additional requirements that they may have tied to you accepting the scholarships.
Here are my picks for the types of postgraduate scholarships for international students looking to study in the UK.
Scholarships for international students in the UK are divided into two major categories –
Government scholarships and UK University Scholarships
Governmental Scholarships
1. Commonwealth Scholarships
As the name suggests, offers scholarships to those in Commonwealth countries – both developing and developed.
If you’re from a developing Commonwealth country you can apply for funding for:
- a masters
- a PhD
- a split-site PhD
If you’re from a developed Commonwealth country you can only apply for funding for a PhD or a split-site PhD.
Check the eligibility for the different Commonwealth Scholarship schemes.
2. Commonwealth Shared Scholarships
It is unded jointly by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and UK Universities.
This scholarship is for candidates from least developed and lower middle – income Commonwealth countries (the list is usually narrower).
It does not cover PhD study and only covers masters in selected themes, which may differ annually, thus always check the full list of eligible courses.
3. Chevening Scholarships
This is a global scholarship offered to outstanding emerging leaders to pursue a one-year master’s degrees in the UK (this is the scholarship I won in 2018/2019).
Before applying, however, check if you are from a country that is eligible or if your country of citizenship is eligible.
The Chevening Scholarship does not cover PhD but provides two types of fully funded grants:
1.Scholarships (masters degrees)
2.Fellowships
4.Marshall Scholarship
If you’re from the USA, you can win this scholarship to study in the UK.
You can apply for a Marshall Scholarship to do a masters or a PhD if all the following apply:
- you graduated from a 4-year undergraduate course in the USA in the last 3 years
- you got a GPA of 3.7 or more in your degree
- you haven’t studied for a UK degree before
Important To Note :
- You must be a citizen of the United States of America (at the time you apply for a scholarship);
Read more about the eligibility criteria and check when you can apply for this scholarship.
2. UK University Scholarships
Almost all UK universities offer some form of a scholarship to international students.
All you have to do is narrow down the universities you are interested in, head over to their website and look for the scholarships page.
If you don’t see any, do not give up, shoot the admission/recruitment team an email inquiring about any scholarships available.
How this is a list of some of the popular ones:
- Cambridge International Scholarship Scheme
- Rhodes House Scholarships
- Developing Solutions Scholarships at University of Nottingham
- Edinburgh Global Research Scholarships
- Denys Holland Scholarship
- Edinburgh Global Online Distance Learning Scholarships
- Oxford’s Clarendon Scholarships
- Oxford’s Louis Dreyfus-Weidenfeld Scholarship Programme
- Sheffield Hallam University Transform Together Scholarships
- University of Bradford Global Development Scholarships
- University of Sussex Chancellor’s International Scholarships
- UWL (West London) International Ambassador Scholarships
- UWE Millennium Development Scholarships
- Warwick Chancellor’s International Scholarships
- Westminster Full Fee Scholarships
- Westminster Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarships
BONUS: Studentships
Besides going through the universities to seek PhD funding, another way of getting a PhD funded is by applying for studentships.
These are postgraduate positions that have funding attached for fees, living expenses or both. They’re mainly funded by Research Councils UK.
I hope this post has been useful.
You can also check out the post “9 best websites to find scholarships” to help you get scholarships from all over the world and not UK only.
Comment below and let me know the popular scholarships you have heard of and any other ones I may have missed.
Share the post with your friends who may find this helpful.
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