Scholarships
Such is the reputation of British education that, every year, UK institutions attract hundreds of thousands of international students. Many who come to study here pay for their courses privately and some receive financial help. UK government departments and the devolved administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, plus a number of other UK organisations, offer a variety of scholarships and other awards to help international students study in the UK. These awards are a sign of the UK's strong commitment to the rest of the world. They also show the UK's awareness of the many benefits that come from sharing the excellence of its schools, colleges and universities with visiting students and scholars from abroad. To find out whether you might be eligible for a scholarship or for financial grant support, start by asking your own Ministry of Education. You can also consult your local British Council office, which will have information about UK award schemes. 
Online scholarships search A new development from the British Council means that it is now possible to search for a scholarship online. You can now find any scholarships that are appropriate to your country of origin, level of study, subject, and institutions where you are interested in studying. To try the search, visit http://ukscholarshipsdatabase.org
Boarding schools and colleges Gifted children studying at this level are invited to compete in open scholarship examinations for academic, musical and other specialist scholarships. The schools hold these examinations in the September to December and January to April terms of the year before admission. The examination papers can be sent to local British Council offices so that children in other countries can sit the examinations locally. These scholarships can cover up to 50 per cent of fees. Head teachers also often offer means-tested bursaries to gifted children. The Independent Schools Council information service (ISCis) www.iscis.uk.net has guidance on scholarships for independent boarding schools.
Career-based courses A very small number of scholarships is available and there is strong competition for these. Your Ministry of Education and local British Council office will be able to give you more details of scholarships for career-based courses. Migrant workers from the European Economic Area and their families may be eligible to apply for residential bursaries to study at art and design colleges and agricultural colleges.
Degree courses Scholarships for degree courses are most likely to be available from your own government (contact your Ministry of Education for information) and many higher education (HE) institutions also offer scholarships and bursaries.
Postgraduate programmes and MBAs The main scholarships for master's courses are as follows: - British Chevening Scholarships. These allow particularly able students to pursue research or taught postgraduate courses. To apply for an award, contact your local British Council office, British High Commission or British Embassy. Preference is given to candidates already established in a career. - Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowship Plan (CSFP). Awards are made to citizens of Commonwealth countries and are primarily for postgraduate programmes, although funding for undergraduate degree courses may be possible if there are no suitable equivalents in your home country. Contact your local British Council office for information on how to apply. - Department for International Development (DfID) Shared Scholarship Scheme.This programme funds awards for taught postgraduate courses. Candidates should be of high academic calibre and should be intending to study a subject of develop mental relevance to their country. Eligibility is restricted to those resident in developing Commonwealth countries who are not employed by their government or by an international organisation. Contact your local British Council office or British High Commission for information on how to apply. - Overseas Research Students Awards Scheme (ORSAS). Awards are for postgraduate research for an initial period of one year. Application forms are available from UK HE institutions (contact the one you want to study at). For research programmes, scholarships are also available from the UK research councils, which provide funding for the sciences and humanities, and through British Council schemes. To apply and to get more information, contact your local British Council office. International organisations, such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), also operate award schemes, mainly for students from developing countries. Scholarships are also available from many HE institutions.
Further information - Joint British Council/FCO/ UKCISA information sheet: Studying in the UK: Sources of Funding for International Students. - UKCISA guidance notes: Fees and student support; Financial hardship. These publications are available for reference at most British Council offices. UKCISA guidance notes can also be downloaded from www.ukcosa.org.uk - Directory of Grant-Making Trusts (Charities Aid Foundation; available from Directory of Social Change: www.dsc.org.uk) - Directory Guide to the Major Trusts (Directory of Social Change: www.dsc.org.uk) Web links The National Academic Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom (UK NARIC) www.naric.org.uk British Council (funding and scholarships) www.britishcouncil.org/education/funding British Council (scholarships database) http://ukscholarshipsdatabase.britishcouncil.org Independent Schools Council information service (ISCis) www.iscis.uk.net UKCISA:The Council for International Education www.ukcosa.org.uk | |||||||||||||||||||
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