Top scholarship opportunities to study in the UK (2024)

Studying in the UK is a life-changing experience, but you might need to empty your pockets to be able to afford it. Scholarships make studying in the UK much more affordable for international students. Fortunately, there are several options available. 

The majority of UK scholarships available to overseas students are for postgraduate work, particularly for one- or two-year Master’s degrees. These are the ones that often get fully financed prizes as well. Undergraduate student grants are much less prevalent, and often take the form of a partial fee waiver.

You should be aware that scholarships offered to international students in the UK may either entirely finance your living expenses and tuition (referred to as fully funded scholarships) or just partly fund your living expenses and tuition (referred to as partially funded scholarships). They are all very competitive. Your application will be assessed on merit (academic accomplishment), your financial or social profile (socio-economic status), and sometimes your place of origin, depending on the type. 

Generally, UK Scholarships are divided into those given by the government, UK universities or Non-Government Organizations. Let’s now review some of the best UK scholarships available to overseas students. 

Government Scholarships

1. Chevening Scholarships

They are given to those who have outstanding academic records and show a strong potential for leadership.

These are fully-funded scholarships that cover living costs and return airfare to the UK for overseas students enrolled in Master’s programs in the UK.  Every academic year, more than 1,500 Chevening Scholarships are given out worldwide.

2. Great Scholarships

A $10,000 grant for your tuition for a one-year Master’s degree in the UK is known as a GREAT scholarship. The British Government and partnering colleges have partnered to provide this award. Before applying, be sure your nation is one of the 14 that qualifies for this grant.

Next, go to the financing website of your university to see whether the prize is offered there. If they do, then you can apply for this scholarship. 

3. Commonwealth Scholarships

Students from the Commonwealth who would not be able to continue their preferred Master’s or PhD degree in the UK without outside financing are eligible to apply for the Commonwealth scholarships for overseas students in the UK.

The recipients of the prize are gifted students with a strong academic record who have a great deal of potential to improve the world, particularly their nation. 

UK University Scholarships

Based on their academic standing or need for financial assistance, prestigious British institutions often provide large scholarships to overseas students studying in the UK. A few of the most well-known and alluring scholarships are as follows:

1. Bristol University Think Big Scholarships

Under the Think Big scholarships, three different scholarship options, each covering tuition costs alone and worth £6,500, £13,000, or £26,000 per year are offered for a master’s degree. Other bursaries are offered by the institution to help with living costs.  

2. Gates Cambridge Scholarship 

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship is completely sponsored for doctoral and master’s degrees. In addition to health insurance, a personal development budget of £2,000, and a family allowance, it is worth £18,744 annually.

3. London Scholarship at Imperial College 

PhD fellowship in Chemical Engineering fully financed. The annual cost of maintenance and tuition is covered by the scholarship. 

4. Pershing Square Scholarship at Oxford 

The Oxford-Pershing Square Scholarship is a very competitive fully-funded fellowship that covers living costs and tuition for an MBA or Master’s degree.

5. GEMS International Undergraduate Scholarship 

A fee reduction of £2000 is available per year from the University of Stirling, making the total amount you will receive toward tuition expenses £8,000 over 4 years. 

6. Global Excellence Scholarships

Scholarships for £5,000, £10,000, or the whole cost of tuition for the first year of study are given out by the University of Dundee.

7. Clarendon Scholarships at the University of Oxford

This is a fully funded merit-based scholarship that is offered to graduate students at the University of Oxford. Around 140 scholarships are awarded to eligible candidates each year. This scholarship covers tuition fees and allowance for living expenses. 

8. Warwick Chancellors International Scholarships

This is a fully-funded scholarship covering tuition fees and a maintenance allowance to up to 42 most outstanding PhD applicants every year.

International and EU students are eligible for this scholarship to study any degree program offered by Warwick. 

9. UCL Global Masters Scholarships

Recipients of this scholarship receive a one-time grant of £15,000 to study for a master’s degree at UCL. This scholarship is geared towards international students from lower-income backgrounds to enable and encourage them to study for a full-time master’s degree. 

By visiting the official websites of each institution, you may search for financial assistance opportunities or UK scholarships for overseas students. If you are having trouble finding the information, try searching under the headings “Fees and funding,” “Funding,” or “Scholarships.” If that doesn’t help, contact a university representative and they should be able to address any of your concerns.

NGO Scholarships

1. CastleSmart Scholarship

The £6,000 yearly CastleSmart Scholarship is available to any undergraduate student in the UK, regardless of nationality. It is offered by estate agency CastleSmart. 

2. Surfshark Privacy and Security Scholarship

This $2,000 award is accessible to high school, undergraduate, or graduate students who are now enrolled in the UK or another study location. All nationalities are eligible to apply for the scholarship, which requires the submission of an essay. 

Conclusion

These days, education in the UK is expensive, therefore scholarships and other financial possibilities are frequently sought after. This implies that financing for scholarships is very competitive, but it also means that more scholarships are being awarded as UK colleges try to draw in the best overseas applicants.

There are several scholarships in the UK that you could apply for. To increase your chances, ensure that you do adequate research before applying and meet the eligibility requirements for the scholarship that you are applying for.