Scholarships to Study in the UK for International Students

Commonwealth Scholarships

Almost 28,000 Commonwealth Scholarships have been awarded since 1960 to the students who show promise and the ability to make a positive impact at the international level.

Students who wish to study in the UK but cannot afford to do so get benefit from this scholarship programme as it supports postgraduate studies in a variety of study formats, aiding innovators and leaders.

Types of Commonwealth scholarships

• Commonwealth professional fellowships
• Commonwealth master's scholarships
• Commonwealth Split-site scholarships (for low & middle-income countries)
• Commonwealth shared scholarships
• Commonwealth Ph.D. scholarships (for least developed countries & fragile states)
• Commonwealth distance learning scholarships
• Commonwealth Ph.D. scholarships for (for high-income countries)
• Commonwealth medical fellowships

Commonwealth Scholarships Eligibility Criteria

• Individuals who are permanent residents or have citizenship of a commonwealth country are eligible for commonwealth scholarships.
• People that are Refugees or British protected are also eligible and can apply for commonwealth scholarships.
• You must have an undergraduate honours degree of at least second class (2:1) to be eligible for this scholarship.
• A student must possess a postgraduate degree to be eligible for it and study for Ph.D.

Most of the commonwealth scholarships that are provided to the students are fully funded.

University-specific scholarships in the UK for students

The scholarships listed below are for international students studying in the UK and are specific to the universities.

Gates Cambridge scholarship

The University of Cambridge provides 80 full-cost Gates Cambridge Scholarships each year to the students with outstanding academic backgrounds from countries outside the UK seeking postgraduate study. Students who are applying for a postgraduate degree in any discipline offered by the institution or those who are seeking PhDs are eligible for these scholarships.

You must be one of the following to apply for this scholarship:

• You must be a citizen of any country other than the UK.
• You must be applying to the MSc, Ph.D., M.litt or any postgraduate program (one-year) and its full-time residential courses that are available at the University of Cambridge.

Rhodes Scholarships

A Rhodes Scholarship is provided to students for studying postgraduate programmes at the University of Oxford.

The Rhodes Scholarship is designed to help young people applying for postgraduate study at the University of Oxford, and it is available in more than 22 designated Rhodes constituencies.

Five scholarships are available specifically for India. In 1947, the first Indian Rhodes Scholars arrived in Oxford, and since then, around 200 Indians have been awarded that scholarship.

You must meet the following criteria for applying (only Indians can apply; the eligibility criteria for every country will be different):

• You need to have an undergraduate degree with first-class or equivalent in order to apply.
• In addition, you must have studied at an Indian educational institution for at least four of the past ten years.
• You must be at least eighteen years old and have not yet turned 24.
• An Indian passport or equivalent proof of citizenship is required.

A Global Research Scholarship: University of Edinburgh

The Global Research Scholarship is available through the University of Edinburgh to 30 outstanding overseas students seeking a Ph.D. programme. It covers the difference between overseas and domestic Ph.D. fees, which are covered in full over the course of three years. Only new applicants are considered eligible. Based on the scholarship application and two references submitted with their Ph.D. application, candidates are ranked at the School level and selected at the College level.

MBA scholarships provided by the Skoll Foundation

The above-mentioned Business School at the University of Oxford offers these scholarships to finance Master's degree students. You must not be a UK citizen with relevant experience managing a business for no less than 12 years in order to be eligible for this scholarship. This scholarship covers all expenses, including living expenses and tuition fees.

Denys Holland Scholarship

University College London provides bursaries for foreign undergraduate students who are unable to finance their studies abroad. Students may spend the grant in any way they choose, which is worth £9,000 per academic year.

The British Council: UK scholarship

Students seeking to pursue an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree in the UK can also seek an IELTS award, a scholarship provided by the British Council to students from any country.