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Want to study in the UK free of charge? A substantial number of scholarships in the UK are offered by the British Government and institutions for international students who wish to study in Britain.
A UK education, everywhere you go in the country, expands pathways.
UK has everything you need to achieve your potential, from the country’s world-renowned universities to its creative approach to education, to the leading minds who offer it.
For some of the most influential minds in history the UK was the preferred alternative. Three in four world leaders has been training in the UK and if you’re thinking of accomplishing huge things, you can be confident that you’re in the right place here.
To help you, we list the top 9 scholarships in the UK for international students below.
Without further ado, let’s get to it.
1. WHT Scholarship
The Scholarships and Leadership Programme of the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust (WHT) is designed to support youth professionals from developed countries and emerging markets.
The scholarship will finance 100 per cent of university and college tuition and a living expenses allowance (at least £ 14,553). Awards are issued for the full duration of the tuition obligation for the course decided upon.
The WHT only offers scholarships to Oxford University. Upon review of applications obtained by the applicable January deadline for the course, applicants must be successful in being given a place on their course.
All classes are taught in English and evidence of your English language proficiency would be required.
There are currently two schemes within the WHT Scholarships and Leadership Programme.
- Oxford-WHT Scholarships and Leadership Programme
- Chevening-Weidenfeld-Hoffmann
In order to be eligible for one of these scholarships in the UK, you must either choose the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme or Chevening-Weidenfeld-Hoffmann in the University of Oxford Scholarships page of the University’s graduate application form and apply your application for graduate study within the applicable January deadline for the course.
2. Arkwright Scholarship
An Arkwright Engineering Scholarship is one of the most coveted scholarships in the UK to encourage and cultivate students of school age to become the future leaders of the engineering profession in the region.
The scholarships are awarded through a stringent screening process to high-caliber 16-year-old applicants to assist them for two years of their A-levels, Scottish Advanced Highers or similar qualifications.
In order to apply for the scholarship, you are required to fulfil the stated criteria below.
- When you apply, you must be in the school year in which you will sit your GCSEs, Scottish National 5s, International Baccalaureate Standards, BTEC level 2s or equivalent exams;
- You must be planning to study Maths to A level (unless studying BTEC Level 3 in Engineering), Scottish Higher level or International Baccalaureate higher level;
- You must have a strong desire to have a future career as a leader within the Engineering Profession (which includes computing and technical aspects of design);
- You must intend to stay at school or sixth form college for two years to study A levels, BTEC level 3 Diploma/Extended Diploma, Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers or the International Baccalaureate higher level.
Before you can qualify for a Scholarship, the school must affiliate with the Arkwright Engineering Scholarships programme. When your school is not yet a partner, ask your teacher to fill out the partnership form for the school. Partnership claims to be fast , simple and free.
Applications are open between September and January each year.
3. Stormzy Scholarship
Michael Ebenezer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr. (born 26 July 1993) is a British rapper, musician, and songwriter, known professionally as Stormzy.
Stormzy has sponsored the University of Cambridge’s ‘Stormzy Scholarship for Black UK Students’ which covers tuition costs for two students and maintenance grants for up to 4 years.
To be eligible for a Stormzy Scholarship, applicants must:
- Have a confirmed place for entry to the University of Cambridge for a first undergraduate degree;
- Have applied to Student Finance (England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland) for a tuition fee loan and maintenance loan, and have received confirmation that they have been assessed and will receive full financial support. An income assessment must have been conducted and consent given to share the information with the University;
- Have been assessed for fee status as a ‘home’ student. (You were advised of your fee status in the offer letter issued to you earlier this year. (If you are in doubt, please contact the Cambridge College that has offered you a place.);
- Have one of the following categories of ethnicity: Black African; Black Caribbean; Black Other; Mixed – White and Black Caribbean; Mixed – White and Black African; or Other mixed background (to include Black African, Black Caribbean or Black Other).
The non-repayable scholarships will cover the entire cost of tuition fees and include a support allowance that would greatly minimize the requirement for award-winners to take out government or corporate loans. For the year the overall prize will be worth £ 18,000 for each recipient.
4. BPP Scholarship
BPP University has available, in scholarships and grants, funding estimated at £69,000. It is under reimbursement from the BPTC.
The scheme comprises four primary scholarships.
- BTC Excellence and Advocacy Scholarships,
- International Postgraduate Bursary,
- Law Society Diversity Access,
- AS Foundation BPP Scholarships.
Also if you are a winner of other grants, you can qualify as long as the total you have earned does not exceed £10,000. You may also register for all the BPTC Scholarship programmes.
While you can be successful with several qualifications within the BPTC Scholarship Awards, only the one with the highest merit will be granted to you.
5. Laidlaw Scholarship
The Laidlaw Undergraduate Research and Leadership Scholarship programme seeks to cultivate a new generation of leaders who are trained scholars, advocate data-based decision making and acknowledge that leadership with honesty is a moral imperative.
It invests in highly qualified and inspired undergraduates, empowering them with the knowledge, expertise and experience required to become engaged global citizens and future leaders.
The programme has four components: a six-week summer study project, leadership learning training, a leadership-in-action initiative during their second summer in which scholars bring their leadership philosophy into motion in new and demanding contexts, and global networking through an international online forum of scholars and real word activities.
Both undergraduate applicants are required to register in year 1 of a three-year programme or in year 2 of a four-year course. Discipline/branch, institution, nationality or fee status are not limited.
However, the programme is not open to visiting students.
6. Roux Scholarship
The Roux Scholarship is the UK’s premier chef award, which ranks among the world’s most esteemed. It’s, though, something more than just a competition that ends with a prize the same year.
The Roux Scholarship gives the recipient an unrivaled career-changing opportunity that reaches well beyond the much coveted three-month stage at a Michelin three star restaurant.
That’s just the beginning: The Roux Family’s mentoring continues, with encouragement and support that will make a career truly outstanding.
7. Saltire Scholarship
This groundbreaking scholarship opportunity is available to residents of Canada, China, Japan, Pakistan, India and the USA, and aims to inspire young, creative and hard-working people to stay, work and learn in Scotland.
The scheme rewards students who strive to become successful figures in their respective careers, have wide-ranging aspirations outside of their studies and plan to expand their personal and learning experiences in Scotland.
There are up to 50 scholarships in the UK available across Scotland, each worth £8,000 for tuition fees across a wide variety of subject areas and full-time postgraduate Masters programmes.
Applicants must:
- Be able to demonstrate that they can meet the costs of living in Scotland and the remaining tuition fees;
- Have a conditional or unconditional offer of a place at a Scottish university on an eligible course before an application can be considered;
- Not have previously received a Saltire Scholarship;
- Not have previously studied for a full undergraduate in Scotland.
After you have applied for your preferred course you must register for the Saltire Scholarship. Examples of subjects to study can be found on the Saltire Scholarships website.
8. Aziz Foundation Scholarship
The Aziz Foundation is a charitable family foundation which was established in 2015. The Foundation promotes the teaching of British Muslims in higher education in order to make important contributions to UK society.
The aims are followed by Masters’ scholarships in the UK offered to British Muslims committed to bringing about social change in their communities and beyond.
The scheme seeks to make it easier for British Muslims to campaign for deprived groups and improve their constructive contributions.
With the project, the Foundation is intended to be able to nurture positive, knowledgeable Muslim elected leaders who are able to communicate objectively with national discourse and discuss the social issues facing UK Muslim societies and broader society.
In turn, the initiative seeks to improve access to postgraduate higher education for British Muslims, allowing greater engagement and participation in civil society.
9. Bafta Scholarship
The BAFTA scholarships in the UK programme are available to British people in need of financial support to pursue qualifying UK undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
BAFTA scholar earns between £ 5,000 and £12,000 in advance of their annual course fees, as well as mentoring assistance from a BAFTA member, winner or nominee and free entry to BAFTA events around the UK.
Three participants in the UK will also earn one of the Prince William Scholarships in Film, Games and Television, funded by BAFTA and Warner Bros., which includes a brief paying job placement within the Warner Bros. group of companies, access to a Warner Bros. mentor, and invitations to a series of master classes in the industry.
As the application doesn’t have an age cutoff, everybody is allowed to apply.
Final thoughts
While it can be difficult to get financial support for your studies as an international student, there’s a wide variety of scholarships in the UK out there for you, so do a lot of research and explore every pathway.
Now that you’ve found some amazing scholarships in the UK, why not checking out the available most affordable universities in UK to further your study?
