8 Amazing Scholarships for Undergraduate Studies in the UK

Are you an average middle-class Indian student who aspires to study abroad? It is an established fact that higher education from good universities abroad can take you to new heights. And the UK is one of the most popular international study destinations. It is famous for its world-class universities and education. It is costly to pursue higher education overseas is general, but it still is within the reach of an average middle-class student because of the availability of plenty of education loans and scholarships in the UK.

That’s right! It is an established fact that education in the UK can be quite expensive. However, different universities offer scholarships to support students in financial distress. Considering that the season of university admissions and scholarship applications is round the corner, we have compiled a list of scholarships to help students pursue their higher education in the UK.

But, before we provide the list of scholarships, it is essential that you understand the importance of profile building in order to increase your chances of securing admission as well as a scholarship from your target universities abroad.

How to Build a Profile to Secure a Scholarship in the UK?

In India, most people equate education to a scorecard or a degree. The accepted standard has evolved through time and many novel concepts, like social entrepreneurship, are now valued as essential components of applications. Although there have been some changes to the conventional, antiquated methods of teaching and learning in our educational system, developed countries have always favoured holistic education.

Holistic education comprises not just academic but also practical, emotional, social, and ethical understanding. It gives character to a student which builds the foundation for a better life. Knowing this, if you decide to study abroad at top universities or even reasonably good universities, you must build your profile accordingly.

The following are some tips to build your profile that may help you land a scholarship to study in the UK:

• Have a stellar academic record.
• Participate and excel in extracurricular and profile enhancement activities.
• Try to engage in some kind of social service or community work.
• Improve your verbal and written skills.
• Secure excellent references or recommendations.

Top Scholarships to Pursue Higher Education in the UK 

1. Cambridge Trust Scholarship

If you have a dream of studying at the prestigious Cambridge University, you might just be in luck. A candidate with poor financial background is eligible for Cambridge Trust Scholarship. There are various scholarships for different courses. Though this is one of the best scholarships in the UK, it is important to note that Students pursuing master’s or doctoral degrees receive about 85% of all scholarships each year.

Eligibility 

• The candidate must be enrolled for under-graduation (excluding the UK and EU applicants), and post-graduation (such as MPhil, M.ED, LLM, MAST, or PhDs in the university. 
• Admission to the University of Cambridge through the normal application procedures is a prerequisite.
• The candidate must require financial assistance in order to attend Cambridge University.
• The candidate must have an outstanding academic record and evidentiary transcripts to support the claim.
• The applicant must meet the minimal standards for English proficiency i.e., IELTS Score: 7.5 or above.

Selection Process

• Step I: Fill out the “Funding” part in the applicant portal. In case of any doubts, use the Cambridge Funding Search.
• Step II: Include complete family income from all sources.
• Step III: Attach all the necessary documents, and submit them.

Amount: This scholarship covers tuition, an annual stipend, and, if you’re lucky, other allowances for visa, travel, and immigration.

Click here to visit the website.

2. President’s International Scholarship

CITY, University of London offers this scholarship. It belongs to the public research sector. It is a constituent college of the University of London.

Eligibility

• You must be a student who anticipates paying overseas expenses.
• The year of admission should be the beginning of your first year of undergraduate study.
• You are required to receive academic grades that are higher, for Indians it must be 80% or higher.
• Make CITY your firm of choice before the deadline, either as a Conditional Firm (CF) or an Unconditional Firm (UF) visit the website to understand the details.

Selection Process

It is a four-stage process:

Stage I: In order to get scholarships in a UK university, a candidate must show that you anticipate outperforming the requirements of the offer in terms of academic performance. Also, give a written explanation of your goals for contributing to the larger CITY community.

Stage II: Candidates are screened by the panel to move to the next stage. Selected candidates are informed via email.

Stage III: Students will be further screened (by interview if needed) and the final number of selected candidates will be determined.

Stage IV: Selected candidates receive information via email. If a student wants to appeal a decision about their scholarship application, they must adhere to the admissions appeals and complaints policy.

Amount: In general, the scholarship covers 50% of the first year’s study tuition.

Number of students accepted in 2022: 30

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3. University of York Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarships

The University of York offers this scholarship. The University of York offers a variety of scholarships for students with financial needs.

 Eligibility

• You must have a conditional or unconditional offer to study at the University of York.
• You are being charged fees at the international rate.
• You should enrol as an undergraduate.

Selection Process

It is a two-round process where awardees are decided by a panel of senior staff. Candidates are required to fill out application forms separately for both rounds within the deadline. Students selected in this round are moved to the next round. Selected candidates receive information via email.

Amount: £7,500

Number of students accepted: 10

Note: Applications for 2023/24 will open on Monday 9 January 2023. Any fee assessments must be finished by either 26 March 2023 (round one) or 12 June 2023 (round two). The scholarship offers a £7,500 tuition fee discount in your first year only.

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4. LSE Undergraduate Support Scheme

London School of Economics and Political Science offers this scholarship. It offers financial aid to international (including EU) students who lack the resources to cover all of their educational expenses.

Eligibility

• You must have the offer to study at the LSE.
• You must have all the supporting documents.
• You must provide an academic reference.

Selection Process

The candidates must fill out the application and an academic reference must be provided along with the application. Supporting documents must be provided. These documents depend on the information provided by the candidates. Selected candidates receive information via email.

Amount: £6,000 and £15,000 per year

Note: Please be aware that the LSE receives considerably more requests for financial aid thus, not every application to the Undergraduate Support Scheme will be accepted. By submitting your completed LSE Undergraduate Scholarship Application, you will be considered for any LSE scholarships for which you are eligible.

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5. Vice Chancellor’s International Attainment Scholarship UG

Queen’s University, Belfast offers this scholarship to all eligible students. And it is available for undergraduate students. Students enrolled in the following clinical programmes are not eligible for a Vice Chancellor’s International Attainment Scholarship.

• Dental Surgery
• Dental Surgery – Graduate Entry
• Medicine, Medicine – Graduate Entry
• Veterinary Science
• Veterinary Science with Intercalated Honours Year

Eligibility

• You must have the offer to study at the university (non-clinical courses).
• You must meet academic and language requirements.
• You are liable to pay full tuition fees at the overseas rate.

Selection Process

A candidate can obtain Vice Chancellor’s International Attainment Scholarship without applying. All qualified students are automatically awarded the Scholarship.

Amount: 50% off the total amount of tuition fees paid for all programme years, up to a maximum of four years (including advanced entry into Year 2 or Year 3)

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6. Global Study Awards

Global study award is provided by the British Council to eligible students. If tuition costs are less than the individual award fund of the maximum of £10,000, the remaining funds may be distributed as per diem for living expenses for a maximum of 52 weeks beginning with the date the student first enrolled at the higher education institution. and this makes this one of the most favoured scholarships in the UK.

Eligibility

• You must be at least 18 years old on the first day of the academic programme.
• You must have a valid IELTS Test Report Form (TRF).
• You must be enrolled full-time in an undergraduate or graduate programme and have a valid International Student Identity Card (ISIC) and/or International Youth Travel Card (IYTC) at the time of application.

Selection Process

The candidates’ must fill out the online application form along with their IELTS score and ISIC or IYTC card. Also, a candidate must write a short personal essay describing challenges and experiences. Their selection process depends on the –

• Their capacity to benefit society through their studies.
• Their steadfast dedication to advancing their careers, and
• Their genuinely honest desire to foster intercultural exchange is evident.

Amount: £10,000

Click here to visit the website.

7. International Undergraduate Scholarship

The University of St Andrews offers this scholarship to the undergraduate students.

Eligibility

• A candidate must be financially challenged. To prove their financial status, a candidate is required to submit all the documents about their gross family income.
• The candidate must provide the exchange rate, which means you must convert their local currency into Pound.

Selection Process

Their selection process depends on the financial status of a candidate. The following are the steps

• Log in to my application portal.
• Search for the scholarship, a list will appear, select the one you will need.
• Proceed to the application for the scholarship.

Amount: £10,000

Note: Please be aware that applicants for the BA International Honours programme are not eligible for this scholarship.

Click here to visit the website.

8. Think Big Undergraduate Scholarships

The University of Bristol offers this scholarship to eligible students for undergraduate students looking for financial aid.

Eligibility

• A candidate is an overseas student for fee purposes 
• A candidate has applied to start any full-time undergraduate course, excluding Medicine, Dentistry, and Veterinary Science, at the University of Bristol.

Selection Process

Their selection process depends on the financial status of a candidate. So, candidates should fill out the application providing all the details. There are three questions in the application, and a candidate must answer them in 200 words. Each question carries 10 marks and decides the fate of a candidate. Selected candidates receive the email regarding this.

Amount: Awards for international undergraduate students are worth between £5,000 and £10,000.

Note: The University of Bristol international scholarships automatically consider students who are qualified if you apply for this award. There is no requirement for two separate applications.

Click here to visit the website.

Conclusion

A fairly decent number of scholarships are available to get admission into some of the good universities in the UK. It depends on how committed and diligent a candidate is. This is why choosing your ideal institution or university and preparing accordingly is crucial. Keep your academics and your profile up to the mark, and submit your applications on time.

Contact us if you need any assistance. We help students turn their study abroad dream into reality by helping them with guidance on country selection, course selection, university shortlisting, applications, visas, forex etc. EnrichMyCareer is dedicated to assisting you in achieving your goal. 

Best of luck!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

1. How can I get a full scholarship in the UK?

Find out if you qualify for a scholarship by visiting the website of the UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs). You can discover more about the financial aid programmes offered by many schools and universities by visiting their websites. There are a lot of universities that provide fully supported postgraduate scholarships too.

2. What is the hardest scholarship to get?

Scholarships like Rhodes Scholarship, Fullbright Scholarship, Gates Cambridge Scholarship etc. are thought to be the toughest to get. However, nothing is impossible with hard work and dedication.

3. How do you get 100% free scholarships?

There are some universities and charitable trusts that offer 100% scholarships to a candidate. There are many factors that contribute to securing a scholarship. So, keep the following points in mind.

• Research well.
• Consult a career coach or education consultant for the right advice.
• Maintain excellent academic records.
• Take part and excel in volunteer work and extracurricular activities to build your profile.
• Make yourself distinct from other applicants.
• Have realistic goals.
• Prepare well for the interview.