Scholarships in the UK for Indian Students

Dreaming of studying abroad, but worried about finances? Do not worry, you are not alone. Many Indian students aspire to study in the UK, but hold back due to the high cost of education. The good news is - scholarships are available.

Many financial institutions, government organisations, and some prestigious universities are offering scholarships to Indian students to study in the UK.

In this blog, we will cover what are the scholarships available to study in the UK, along with how to secure one. Read further below to understand more about scholarships and how to get them.

What are Scholarships?

Scholarships are financial aid offered to students to pursue higher studies. There are different types of scholarships available, categorised based on certain factors, which will be discussed below.

These scholarships are offered by government organisations, private institutions, prestigious universities, and colleges etc. Unlike education loans, scholarships are not required to be repaid.

Some scholarships are fully funded, while some are partially funded, which means a part of the education cost has to be bear by students themselves.

Types of Scholarships

As we previously discussed, there are different types of scholarships available for students, offered based on certain factors such as the scholarship provider, the student's need, etc.

• Merit-Based Scholarships

• Need-Based Scholarships

• Underrepresented Scholarships

• Country-Based Scholarships

• University Scholarships

• Privately Funded Scholarships

• Government Funded Scholarships

• Scholarships with a Special Focus

Scholarships to Study in the UK

The scholarships available to study in the UK are given below:

Government Funded Scholarships in the UK for Indian Students

Chevening Scholarship

Sponsored by: UK Government

Type: Fully funded

Level of Study: Masters

Deadline: OCT 7, 2025

Covers: Tuition fee, stipend, travel cost

Eligibility: A Citizen of a Chevening-eligible country(India). 

• Have at least 28,000 hours of work experience

• Apply to three different eligible UK countries

• Must have finished an undergraduate degree two years before this scholarship deadline.

https://www.chevening.org/scholarship/india/

Great Scholarship

Sponsored by: UK Government

Type: Fully funded

Level Of Study: Masters

Covers: Tuition fee, Stipend, Travel cost

Eligibility:  Must be a citizen of India

• Have an undergraduate degree

• Meet the English Language Requirement

http://britishcouncil.in/study-uk/scholarships/great-scholarships

British Council Scholarships for Women in STEM

Sponsored by: British Council

Type: Fully funded

Level Of Study: Masters

Covers: Tuition fee, Stipend, Travel cost, Visa, and Health Coverage, etc.

Deadline: Depends on the Institution

Eligibility: Women students

• STEM courses

• Applications are directly made to the participating universities

• Meet the English language requirement

https://www.britishcouncil.in/study-uk/scholarships/womeninstem-scholarships

Non-Government Scholarships in the UK for Indian Students

Felix Scholarships

Sponsored by: Private Organisation

Type: Fully funded

Level Of Study: Masters

Covers: Tuition fee, stipend, travel cost

Eligibility: Demonstrate good academics

• English language requirement

• Must hold at least a first-class bachelor

https://www.felixscholarship.org/how-to-apply/

Aga Khan Foundation Scholarships

Sponsored by: Private Organisation

Type: Fully funded

Level Of Study: Masters

Covers: Tuition fee, Stipend, Travel cost

Eligibility: Excellent academic records

• Must complete a bachelor's degree

• Under the age of 30

Commonwealth Master Scholarships

Sponsored by: Private Organisation

Type: Partially funded

Level Of Study: Masters

Covers: Tuition fee, Stipend, Travel cost

Eligibility: Citizen of India

• Must hold a degree of at least upper second class

• Must meet the English language requirement

Apart from the above scholarships, there are university-specific scholarships, underrepresented scholarships, and scholarships with a special focus that are also available. Visit the British Council Scholarships website for more information.

WeMakeScholars has comprehensive data that provides students with maximum scholarship availability in the scholarship market. The portal has all the available scholarships from the top institutes of different countries, leaving students with maximum scholarship opportunities.

Thus, applying through WeMakeScholars can help students find scholarships that match their interests.

The Required Eligibility to get Scholarships for the UK

Each scholarship has different eligibility requirements. However, the basic eligibility requirements to get a scholarship for the UK are given below.

Academic qualifications

• A relevant Bachelor’s degree, typically with good grades, enhances scholarship approval.

• For Merit-Based scholarships, academic performance matters. Maintaining a consistent academic record is required to beat the scholarship competition.

• For Need-Based scholarships, student is required to demonstrate financial challenges to be eligible for the scholarship.

Citizenship

• Some scholarships have citizenship specified in their eligibility criteria. It is recommended to thoroughly study the eligibility requirements before applying for a scholarship.

• This will reduce the scholarship rejection chances.

Age Requirement

• Some scholarship providers impose restrictions on the age criteria of students.

• Oftentimes, students overlook the factor and face rejection later. So, check the age limit while applying for a scholarship.

• Typically, students under the age of 30 are eligible to apply for the UK scholarships. 

Language Proficiency

• This often depends on the language of instruction of the chosen university.

• Some scholarships require the language proficiency test, which the student has to meet.

• Therefore, to study in the UK, English language proficiency could be an advantage. 

Standardised Test Score

• Some scholarships have standard tests to evaluate the eligibility of the scholarship applicants.

• A good score in these tests can help students get scholarships that they have applied for.

Apart from these are other requirements that typically depend on the scholarship provider, type of scholarship, etc. Students must make sure that they meet all the eligibility requirements to be eligible for the scholarship.

Because of the heavy competition associated with the scholarships, only a small percentage of students can secure scholarships successfully. It is recommended for students to have education loans as an alternative option to students.

Documents Required to Get a UK Scholarship

Below are the documents required to get a scholarship in the UK

• Documents proving the identity/citizenship of the student.

• Previous academic records(undergraduate/graduate, etc) of the students.

• For Merit-based scholarships, the score cards of standardised tests(if required).

• For Need-based scholarships, the documentary proof of financial requirements such as family annual income.

• Any extra documents as required by the scholarship provider, based on the scholarship type.

How to Apply for the UK Scholarships 

Below are the steps to apply for scholarships in the UK.

Start Early: 

• It is recommended to start the process early, considering the heavy competition for scholarships. 

Find the Right Scholarship: 

• Not all scholarships match every student. As previously discussed, various scholarships are available to pursue higher education in the UK.
• Often, students face rejection while applying to the wrong scholarship. For a successful scholarship process, it is important to find a scholarship that suits the student.

Know the Eligibility Requirement:

• This should be one of the primary concerns for students before applying for a scholarship. Many scholarship applicants are rejected after the scholarship providers evaluate their profiles and check their eligibility.
• Eligibility criteria such as the age, field of study, university, country, etc, are required to match to avail the scholarships.

Keep the Documents Ready:

• Students are advised to keep all the necessary documents ready to avoid rejection.
• Documents such as academic documents, statement of purpose(if required), etc, are required to be submitted. 

Apply through the Right Platform:

• Many students make mistakes by approaching the wrong platform. Apply through the official websites of the scholarships or WeMakeScholars for authentic information and application.

Track the Deadline and Submit on Time:

• Missing one deadline means waiting another year. Therefore, it is important to keep a check on the deadline and submit before the date expires.

Follow up:

After the application is submitted, a time-to-time follow-up is important to fill in any missing information. Keep a track of the email to know the status of your scholarship application. This reduces scholarship rejections.

Conclusion

Scholarships offer an excellent source of support to students to fund their higher education abroad. In this blog, we have covered the scholarships that are available to pursue higher studies in the UK. In addition, we have also covered how to apply and secure one, along with the eligibility and documents required for the same.