The Best Postgraduate Scholarships In The UK That You Should Apply For Today

Broadly speaking, postgraduate scholarships in the UK offer a partial or complete deduction on the total tuition fee. However, there are some scholarships that, in addition to tuition fees, also cover living expenses, airfare, visa fee and insurance based on the applicant’s academic excellence and background. You will notice that there are many universities, private organisations, NGOs and governments that offer postgraduate scholarships for UK students. If you’re looking for some financial support in pursuing your postgraduate course in the UK, then read on to find out some of the best postgraduate scholarships in the UK today.

The Best Postgraduate Scholarships In The UK That You Should Apply For Today

Scholarships for International Students

The following postgraduate scholarships in the UK are available to international students who wish to pursue their postgraduate studies in the UK, irrespective of their nationality. This means that if there are a few Masters scholarships in the UK that interest you, you will have to compete with international students from all corners of the world. There are also a few postgraduate scholarships in the UK that are available to students who come from a particular country or region. Let’s learn more about them.

Chevening Scholarships and Fellowships

Chevening Scholarships and Fellowships are one of the most popular scholarships for postgraduate studies in the UK. This scholarship is aimed at grooming future leaders, decision-makers and opinion-formers in countries with whom the UK’s economic relationship is expected to develop. This scholarship program is funded entirely by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and partner organisations. There are two types of scholarships –

Chevening Scholarships.

Chevening Fellowships.

The winners of the Chevening Scholarships and Fellowships are selected by British embassies and high commissions throughout the world.

Eligibility criteria –

Have an undergraduate degree

Have at least 2 years’ eligible work experience

Meet the Chevening English language requirements

The Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP)

Just like the Chevening Scholarships and Fellowships, the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) offers a wide range of scholarships to students from other British Commonwealth countries. The Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) not only provides students with postgraduate scholarships in the UK but also undergraduate, doctoral, distance-learning, undergraduate exchanges, post-doctoral fellowships, mid-career academic fellowships and short professional scholarships.

Since its inception in 1959, the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) has helped over 27,000 students to pursue their higher education in the UK. Currently, the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission gives out over 800 postgraduate scholarships for UK students every year. Students from all Commonwealth countries are welcome to apply for this scholarship.

The Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) is funded by the Department for International Development, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Department for Education (DFE), along with partner UK universities.

Here are the following sub-scholarships under the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) banner –

Masters degree scholarships.

Scholarships for PhD study at a UK university – These scholarships are targeted at low and middle-income countries.

Split-site Scholarships for split-site PhD study at a UK university – Recipients of these scholarships are selected from low and middle-income countries.

Shared Scholarships for Master’s study at selected UK universities.

Distance Learning Scholarships to study for a UK Master’s degree in your home country.

Commonwealth Rutherford Scholarships – These scholarships are reserved for highly skilled researchers to spend 1-2 years at an eligible UK university or a higher education institution conducting postdoctoral research.

Professional Fellowships – These fellowships are for mid-career professionals to spend time at a UK host organisation.

Medical Fellowships – As the name suggests, these scholarships are awarded to doctors and dentists to spend time at a UK hospital.

Commonwealth Undergraduate Scholarships – These scholarships are available to candidates from St Helena, where there is no undergraduate provision.

For more information on the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP), check their website.

Gates Scholarships

The Best Postgraduate Scholarships In The UK That You Should Apply For Today

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation launched the Gates Cambridge Scholarships program in October 2000. This foundation donated $210 million to the University of Cambridge, with the aim of encouraging international postgraduate students to study at the University of Cambridge and develop skills to provide service to their communities.

The Gates Scholarships are awarded to outstanding students from outside the UK who wish to study at an accredited UK based university. This is one of the most prestigious postgraduate scholarships in the UK and in order to win it, you need to meet the eligibility criteria.

Eligibility criteria –

Leadership potential

Outstanding academic achievements

A commitment to improving the lives of others

A good fit between the applicant’s qualifications and aspirations and the postgraduate programme at Cambridge for which they are applying.

Past winners of the Gates Scholarships have gone on to accept leadership roles at big companies and apply their knowledge and skills to improve the lives of others. The Gates Scholarship program is designed to create a network of future leaders committed to improving the lives of mankind.

As a recipient of a Gates Scholarship, your entire cost of studying at the University of Cambridge is covered. Students from all over the world can apply for the Gates Scholarships, provided they are pursuing a postgraduate degree in the UK.

The International Research Foundation for English Language Education (TIRF)

The International Research Foundation for English Language Education (TIRF) offers postgraduate scholarships in the UK to international students. Since the International Research Foundation for English Language Education is a non-profit organisation, most of their scholarships go to students coming from low and middle-income countries. The main aim of the International Research Foundation for English Language Education is to promote the English language in non-English speaking countries. TIRF applies its research to practical language problems by working in association with government agencies, teachers, educational institutions, philanthropic foundations, researchers, publishers, authors, and well-established companies.

The International Research Foundation for English Language Education has a wonderful doctoral scholarship program, where PhD or EdD applicants are invited to submit proposals for Doctoral Dissertation Grants (DDGs). The TIRF committee of international researchers reviews the proposal and winners are awarded scholarships of up to $5,000.

Rotary

The international Rotary is a network of over 33,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries. This organization offers postgraduate scholarships in the UK to students living in countries where there are active Rotary clubs.

Every year, the Rotary offers scholarships for postgraduate studies in the fields of world peace and conflict resolution or water and sanitation. The Rotary Peace Fellowships are awarded to candidates who enrol in a Master’s degree or certificate program at one of six partner universities, which are known as ‘Rotary Peace Centers’. One of the Rotary Peace Centers includes the University of Bradford.

Receipts of the Rotary Peace Fellowships have gone on to have successful careers with NGOs, governments, law enforcement, the military, and international organisations like the World Bank and the United Nations.

Popular UK Scholarships For Indian Students

Dr. Singh Scholarships

The Dr. Manmohan Singh Scholarship was first launched by St John’s College, in honour of Dr. Manmohan Singh. These scholarships are targeted at Indian students who wish to pursue postgraduate studies at St. John’s College, a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Indian students pursuing postgraduate courses in areas like Economics, Social Sciences and Science & Technology, Aerospace Engineering and Energy Studies will be given preference. The monthly stipend will be enough to fully cover academic fees, international airfare, living expenses and student visa to the UK.

Goa Education Trust Scholarships

The Goa Education Trust Scholarships are aimed at providing Goans with the financial arsenal to pursue postgraduate studies in the UK. As per the Goa Education Trust Scholarships rules, scholarships and research fellowships are awarded to deserving students for their post-graduate studies in the United Kingdom, irrespective of their area of study. Since its inception in 2010, these scholarships have helped many Indian students to pursue their dream of studying Ancient History, Journalism, and Law at the most popular universities in the UK.

Sir Ratan Tata Scholarships

Started in honour of one of the most philanthropic people of our time, Mr Ratan Tata, the Sir Ratan Tata Scholarships provide partial international airfare for Indian students travelling from India to the UK. These travel grants are for Indian students applying for post-graduate and doctoral studies in the UK.

Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships

The Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships is one of the most popular postgraduate scholarships in the UK among Indian students. Charles Wallace India Trust offers up to 10 long-term awards to Indian students who are pursuing their postgraduate studies in the UK. This scholarship covers the cost of tuition, accommodation and other living costs. Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships are available only to Indian students who are pursuing 1-year postgraduate degree programs in the UK. CWIT does not provide scholarships for two-year courses.

Every year, thousands of students apply for the aforementioned scholarships. This means that the probability of you bagging a scholarship is pretty slim. But don’t let this fact discourage you. You can always apply for an education loan from UniCreds, which will allow you to live your dream of studying in the UK. Education loans listed on the UniCreds platform are 100% safe and reliable. They also have loans that cover the entire cost of tuition, accommodation expenses and other living expenses.