How can I get full scholarships to study in the UK?

Full scholarships are a great opportunity to study in the UK that everyone is looking for. There are many bursaries in the UK that may not be as popular as the Chevening one. However, they are important and worth applying for, according to the UK Ministry of Education.

Indeed, scholarships cover most tuition fees and may be provided by the British government, non-governmental bodies or some British universities. Provided that, we will present the most popular scholarships to study in the UK and how to obtain them.

UK scholarships for international students

There are a few scholarships for which international students who wish to study in the UK can apply for. These scholarships are available every year, so make sure to check out each scholarship’s website, along with your eligibility and the application deadlines.

British Chevening Scholarships for international students to study in the UK

The UK government provides around 1,500 scholarships globally for international students with impressive academic results to study in the country. The grant is funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) along with other organizations.

It’s also awarded for students at the master’s level and aims to outstanding candidates, to give them a chance to develop academically, experience the UK culture, develop a professional network and more. The scholarship includes 1-year funding that covers tuition fees, travel costs to and from the UK, an arrival and homeward departure allowance, and a monthly living stipend.

Learn more about the Chevening scholarship program.

Euraxess UK: postgraduate scholarships for international students

The British Council has this online portal that helps researchers to take advantage of mobility opportunities. Euraxess UK then finance international researchers who want to move to the UK and UK national researchers who want to go outside the UK. This grant is provided for researchers at postgraduate level, early career postdoctoral researchers as well as experienced researchers. In addition to the scholarships, you can also use the Euraxess UK portal to find jobs and other information about living and working in the UK.

Learn about the scholarship program.

Aga Khan Foundation Program

This is a bursary program aiming African students and some Arab countries.

Link to apply for the Aga Khan Scholarship

Castle Smart Scholarships

These are bursaries offered by the Estate Organization for a bachelor’s study in December each year and are worth £6,000. In contrast with other bursaries, all nationalities are eligible to apply and the deadline for application is December 15th.

You can also check here how to study in the UK for free with full-cost scholarships that cover tuition fees as well as living expenses in the UK.

Which universities in the UK give full scholarships for international students?

If you decide to study abroad in the UK, you got an excellent opportunity to get some of the top-notch higher education in the world. And to get this quality education does come expensive, requiring international students to look for some sort of financial support to cover their study and living cost in the country.

But the good news is that, many universities in the UK also grant scholarships for international students. Here are a few institutions who provide scholarships you can apply for to study in the UK.

Make sure to visit each university’s website and go to the “Funding” or “Scholarships” section. If you don’t find such a section, don’t hesitate to contact the university to ask for any funding they may offer.

Check here our list of the best universities in the UK with their official websites.

University of Cambridge

Cambridge University through the Gates Cambridge Trust offers international students around 80 scholarships every year at master’s and PhD levels. The funding is for students from any country in the world outside the UK who wish to earn a master’s or a PhD at the university. The scholarship also covers the student’s tuition fees, travel costs, visa, etc. Moreover, students also get a maintenance allowance of £18,384 for 12 months.

Learn more on about the scholarship here.

University of Oxford

Reach Oxford Scholarships for students from developing country to study in the UK

This scholarship is offered at the undergraduate level to 2 or 3 students per year, to study any program in the UK except medicine. The scholarship covers tuition and college fees for a duration of 3 to 4 years, depending on the program length. Moreover, the student also receives a stipend for living expense and a return air fare per year to their home country.

Clarendon Fund scholarships for master’s and PhD studies in the UK

For students looking for a financial support to fund their graduate and postgraduate studies, the University of Oxford grants around 140 scholarships every year. The scholarships are granted on the basis of academic excellence and cover tuition fees and college fees in full. Students enrolled in a full-time program also receive at least £15,609 per year to support their living costs.

Learn more about these scholarships and other grants on the website of the University of Oxford.

University College of London (UCL) global scholarships

Whether you’re looking for funding for your undergraduate studies or postgraduate ones, UCL has scholarships that target students from low income backgrounds to study in the UK.

UCL Global Undergraduate Scholarship

For international students who wish to pursue full-time bachelor’s studies at UCL, the university offers up to 30 scholarships every year. 10 of them cover full tuition + maintenance fees, while the remaining 20 aim to cover full tuition fees. Moreover, the scholarship is awarded for the duration of the student’s program.

UCL Global Masters Scholarships

For students who wish to pursue full-time Master’s degree studies at UCL, the institution offers up to 70 scholarships. Moreover, the program provides £15,000 for one year, for students at master’s level from any country outside the UK. The main criterion is for the student to come from a low-income household, so read how UCL defines this condition on their website.

Learn more about these scholarships here.

Bristol University

The institution offers up to 5 scholarships to international students. Each scholarship is worth £500 per month and is available for students from all over the world at all levels, whether bachelor or post-graduate (Master or PhDs).

Use the following link to apply for Bristol University scholarship

Birmingham University

The Birmingham University provide multiple scholarships to study in UK at master’s level for students from all over the world.

Learn more about the Birmingham University scholarship

Cardiff University

This program offers scholarships at all levels: bachelor, master and doctorate. Also, the total value of the scholarship amounts to £5 million at Cardiff University in Wales.

Check the Cardiff Scholarship page to learn more

Edinburgh University

International scholarships to study at Edinburgh University for master’s study and various research programs.

Find here the link to discover all the available scholarships at the University of Edinburgh

Swansea University

Scholarships for bachelor’s study offered to students from Europe,Asia and the Middle East.

Link to apply for Swansea University Scholarship

West of England University

These are scholarships for master’s students at West of England University. In fact, the university provides over £100,000 each year. However, this scholarship covers the tuition fees for only one academic year. In addition, these scholarships are open to all international students.

Link to apply for West of England University Scholarships

West London University

These are scholarships for students who wish to study at West London University, that reach up to £5,000.

Furthermore, check this details about West London University Scholarships

Glasgow University

Glasgow Caledonian University offers a scholarship to master students, with the specialization of design and marketing, at the university. Besides that, awarded students benefit from comprehensive funding for all tuition fees.

Learn how to apply for Glasgow University Scholarships

Warwick University

These are scholarships at Warwick University for PhD students from all disciplines. Moreover, the number of these scholarships is twenty-five fully funded scholarships.

Link to apply for Warwick University Scholarship

It’s worth saying that the conditions for obtaining one of these scholarships vary from one university to another. Each university determines the requirements to benefit from the funding of their university studies. But in general, all universities agree that the students selected to benefit from the scholarships are outstanding students, both at the high-school level and during their bachelor’s or master’s studies.

Requirements to get scholarships to study in the UK

The student must demonstrate his financial ability and ensure he can afford the cost of study and living in the UK. This may include university, textbooks, accommodation, living as well as insurance fees. It’s indeed one of the conditions to obtain a scholarship in the UK.

Meanwhile, the entity responsible for issuing this guarantee may vary depending on whether the scholarship applicant intends to complete his/her study through the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques program, or at his own expense.

In the latter case, he must follow these steps:

The student must go to the bank where he/she has a personal account and request a special letter addressed to the British University.
The letter must include information about the student’s name, passport number, account number and the amount available in his / her account.
The student must distinguish between the so-called account statement and the letter of financial security.
The student may need two original copies, one to address to the university and the other one to the embassy for the purpose of obtaining a study visa.
A copy of the national identity card for the male students and a copy of the national identity card or the family register for the female students.
Valid passport copy.
A copy of the graduation certificate that precedes the course/degree the student wishes to proceed in his study.
Language acceptance letter.
A copy of the acceptance letter from a university recommended in its degree as well as specialization.
A copy of the study visa. Students cannot use a tourist visa.