UK Scholarships for International Students

UK is a top study abroad destination for students all over the world. Home to prestigious universities, the UK boasts academic excellence and top-tier job opportunities. However, the rising challenge of education funding poses a barrier to many people. 

With a scholarship, international students can focus on their studies and put aside financial concerns. Let’s explore which are the top scholarships for international students in the UK. 

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Which UK Scholarships Can Indian Students Apply for?

Indian students can apply for several UK scholarships, including government-funded, university-specific, and subject-based awards. Popular options include Chevening Scholarships, Commonwealth Scholarships, GREAT Scholarships, and scholarships offered directly by UK universities. Funding may cover part or all of the tuition fees and, in some cases, living and travel expenses. Eligibility varies based on academic performance, course, work experience, financial need, and other scholarship-specific criteria

Top 8 Scholarships for International Students in the UK

Indian and international students can explore scholarships in the UK funded by the UK and Indian governments, UK universities for international students, and private organizations. They cover up to full expenses, including academic and living costs. 

Overview Table for Study in the UK Scholarships

Explore the table for an overview of the top scholarships in the UK for Indian and international students:  

Detailed Breakdown of the Top UK Scholarships

You can apply for multiple scholarship options to study in the UK. You must know the scholarship details, application deadline, and eligibility requirements. 

You can apply for multiple scholarship options to study in the UK. Below are the details for the awards most relevant to Indian and international Master’s applicants, including the corrections and clarifications noted above.

Chevening Scholarship

Chevening is a fully funded scholarship that supports postgraduate study for one year at a UK university and is sponsored by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office. It is not just a contribution to tuition costs but covers tuition fees plus expenses related to travel, visa, application, and living allowance as per the terms of Chevening.

Eligibility:

• Secure admission to (or apply to) one of three eligible university courses as part of your application
• Have at least two years of eligible work experience, acquired after completing your undergraduate degree (this doesn’t have to be specifically in your intended field of study)
• Have plans to return to your home country after your studies

Deadline: Applications for the 2027-28 cohort opened 4 August 2026 and close 6 October 2026 at 11:00 UTC.

Amount/Benefits: Fully funded: tuition fees plus eligible travel, visa/application-related costs, and a monthly living allowance, subject to Chevening’s terms.

GREAT Scholarships

GREAT Scholarships are jointly funded by the UK government’s GREAT Britain Campaign, the British Council, and participating UK universities. Globally, programme covers 140+ scholarships across 60+ UK universities and 18 eligible countries, including India. For India specifically, 12 postgraduate scholarships are available across a defined set of participating universities.

GREAT scholarships are for master’s in the UK. They offer up to GBP 10,000 a year, contributing significantly to your tuition fee. Its not a full-funding one: each scholarship provides £10,000 toward tuition fees for eligible one-year taught postgraduate courses.

Eligibility:

• Hold an undergraduate degree in a relevant field of study
• Meet the specific participating university’s own admissions and English proficiency requirements

Deadline: Set individually by each participating university rather than one universal date. Check the specific university’s GREAT Scholarships page for its own deadline.

Amount/Benefits: £10,000 toward tuition fees for eligible one-year taught postgraduate courses.

Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships

Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships provide financial support for full-time master’s level studies at universities in the United Kingdom to students from eligible low- and middle-income Commonwealth countries, such as India. This scholarship is run by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) and normally requires an additional nomination by the nominating agency in your country.

Two important corrections here: the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission does not currently publish a blanket age limit for this scheme (older “under 40” claims aren’t supported by current CSC guidance), and this scheme is distinct from Commonwealth Shared Scholarships (covered separately below).

Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships cover a broad range of approved Master’s courses through your nominating agency, while Shared Scholarships are narrower and tied to specific joint courses at specific UK universities, applied for directly through the university.

Eligibility:

• Be a citizen of, or hold refugee status or British Protected Person status in, an eligible Commonwealth country
• Hold, by the relevant intake date, at least an upper second-class (2:1) honours degree or equivalent (a lower second-class degree plus a relevant postgraduate qualification may also be considered)
• Not currently be registered for a PhD or an MPhil leading to a PhD
• Your intended study must relate to one of the CSC’s development themes

Deadlines: The CSC deadline for the 2026-27 round is October 2026. Please be aware that the deadline set by your individual nominating agency may come earlier. No formal announcement for the next round has been made yet, but please consult the CSC website as soon as it becomes available.

Funding: Includes full tuition fees, a monthly stipend (announced recently at approximately £1,378, or £1,690 for London universities), economy-class airfare to and from the UK, and further allowances as appropriate (such as study trips and family allowances).

Commonwealth Shared Scholarships

Commonwealth Shared Scholarships is another scheme administered by the CSC but is quite different from the Master’s Scholarships described earlier.

India continues to be among the countries eligible for the scheme. As opposed to the Master’s Scholarships discussed above, the Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are linked to pre-defined joint courses offered at particular UK institutions, and you apply directly to the institution itself.

Deadline: Course and university specific; check the participating university’s own Commonwealth Shared Scholarships page.

British Council Scholarships for Women in STEM

This programme offers fully funded postgraduate study to women from India and other eligible South Asian countries, addressing the gender gap in STEM fields. For the 2026-27 academic year, 25 scholarships were available to South Asian candidates (including India) in partnership with five UK universities: the University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow, University of Manchester, Queen Mary University of London, and Brunel University London. Each scholarship was valued at a minimum of £40,000, covering full tuition, living expenses, travel, visa costs, and health coverage.

The latest deadline for the India-specific application was in April 2026 at the partner universities and has since expired. For verification regarding the opening of the next cycle, visit the official Women in STEM webpage of the British Council.

Eligibility:

• Be a woman from India (or another eligible South Asian country) who has completed an undergraduate degree
• Demonstrate financial need
• Meet the specific participating university’s programme requirements

Scotland Saltire Scholarships

Saltire Scholarships are a Scottish Government initiative offered in partnership with Scottish universities, aimed at students pursuing a one-year postgraduate Master’s in priority sectors (including science, technology, creative industries, healthcare, and renewable energy). India is on the current list of eligible countries, alongside Canada, China (including Hong Kong), Japan, Pakistan, and the USA.

Eligibility:

• Hold a conditional or unconditional offer for an eligible Master’s course at a participating Scottish university
• Be able to demonstrate you can cover living costs and remaining tuition fees
• Not have previously studied in Scotland or received a Saltire Scholarship before

Deadline: Deadlines have typically fallen between May and June each year. The next cycle hasn’t been officially announced; check the official Saltire Scholarships page before assuming a specific date.

Amount/Benefits: Up to £8,000 toward one year of postgraduate tuition.

Rhodes Scholarship

The Rhodes Scholarship funds postgraduate study at the University of Oxford. It’s important to be precise about the application sequence here: Rhodes funds eligible postgraduate study at Oxford, but you don’t need to already be admitted to Oxford before applying for Rhodes. You apply through the Rhodes process itself, and separately need to meet Oxford’s own course admission requirements; securing that Oxford admission is a prerequisite to actually receiving the scholarship, not a prerequisite to applying for it.

Eligibility (India constituency):

• Hold a valid Indian passport or equivalent proof of Indian citizenship (OCI and PIO cards aren’t accepted as proof)
• Apply for an eligible postgraduate programme at Oxford
• Meet the standard age and academic requirements published for the India constituency each cycle

Deadline: The most recent India cycle (for October 2027 entry) closed on 23 July 2026. The next cycle, for October 2028 entry, hasn’t been officially announced yet; the Rhodes Trust’s India page typically opens applications around June.

Amount/Benefits: Tuition fees, an annual living stipend (recently published at around £20,400 per year), a settling-in allowance, and visa/travel costs.

Clarendon Scholarship

The Clarendon Scholarship is a fully funded award from the University of Oxford, funded by the Clarendon Fund. It’s important to note this isn’t limited to Master’s study: Clarendon funds both eligible Master’s and DPhil courses at Oxford, so the table above has been corrected to reflect both levels rather than Master’s alone.

Eligibility:

• Secure admission to an eligible graduate course at the University of Oxford
• Demonstrate an outstanding academic record

Deadline: Tied to Oxford’s own course-specific application deadline (commonly in January for the following academic year); check the Clarendon Fund’s official page for the current date.

Amount/Benefits: Full tuition fees plus an annual living grant.

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Conclusion

Applying for a scholarship to study in the UK is genuinely worth the effort, but a few things are worth keeping in mind:

• Competition for the well-known, fully funded awards (Chevening, Commonwealth, Rhodes) is high, and many require you to already have, or be actively pursuing, a UK university offer.
• Many scholarships ask for proof of funding for the portion of costs they don’t cover, so read the “amount/benefits” details carefully rather than assuming a scholarship covers everything.
• A scholarship covering only part of your costs isn’t a red flag. It’s the norm for most UK university scholarships. A well-prepared application backed by a clear funding plan, including how you’ll cover any remaining gap, tends to stand out more than chasing only the biggest headline number.

If your scholarship doesn’t cover the full cost, explore education loan for UK studies alongside your UK study abroad scholarships search with Nomad Credit. Start your funding conversation with us at zero cost.

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