Each year the University provides a number of Scholarships and Bursaries to international students to cover a proportion of the tuition fee for the first year of study. Amounts will vary and are discretionary. Some of these bursaries will be allocated on a first come first served basis and are based on you paying your deposit to the University. Others will be allocated by our Regional Managers at selected interview sessions and exhibitions overseas. For further details please contact bcuinternational@enquiries.co.uk.
There are also a number of alternative sources of funding for which international students may apply.
Other possible sources of funding include the European Commission, UNESCO and WHO, and voluntary organisations and charities.
To find out about scholarship opportunities, first contact your own Ministry of Education and your nearest British Council Office or British Embassy/High Commission. The British Council’s Funding Your Studies website provides links to information on funding sources, and includes a UK Scholarships Database. You can also download the booklet Sources of funding for international students (PDF) from the British Council. Another useful source of information is UKCISA: The Council for International Education.
There is also a range of funding opportunities specifically for postgraduate students – these include the British Chevening Scholarships, which are funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and administered by the British Council and the Commonwealth Scholarships & Fellowships Plan (CFSP), which are available to students from Commonwealth countries and British dependencies.
The following websites may be useful for finding alternative sources of funding for postgraduate study:
Applying for funding
You should consider the following points when you apply for funding:
- Apply only to those funding organisations whose criteria you meet. Try to target those sources where your chances are strongest.
- Start looking in good time and apply early. You should begin looking 18 months before you intend to start your studies in the UK. In most cases you will have to apply at least a year before your course starts. Always make sure you apply before the deadline.
- Ensure that your application is accurate and complete and includes all necessary supporting documentation. If the grant-making body has its own application form then use it.
- Bear in mind that most grant-making organisations only give small amounts of money and it is unlikely that they will cover the whole or even the major part of the cost of your studies.