6 Scholarships for Indian Students To Study in UK – Eligibility, Amount, Benefits

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Picture of Shivani Mani

Shivani Mani

Lead, Student Success - FundRight

8,660 students applied for undergraduate courses in the UK in 2022. That’s an 11% growth from the 7,830 applicants in 2021. 

IAT: Indian Students Enrollemts To Study in UK

Why the demand to study in the UK?

Three key reasons:

  1. The UK houses 4 of the top 10 universities in the world in 2022. The universities are the University of Oxford (QS World University ranking 2), the University of Cambridge (QS World University ranking 3), Imperial College London (QS World University ranking 7), and University College London (QS World University ranking 8).
  2. The UK government launched the Graduate Route programme in July 2021 which allows international students to apply for jobs in the UK for two years after completing a UG or higher degree at a UK college/university.

IAT: Indian Students | Study in UK | Visa

    83% of international students credit their UK degrees for getting a job.

However, you must poke a hole in your pocket to study in the UK. Expect to pay up to £30,000 (₹27,00,000) tuition fees for an undergraduate degree. The number shoots up to £35,000 (₹31,00,000) for postgraduation. And we haven’t even gotten into food, accommodation, transportation, and other related costs.

However, scholarships can help you sew back the hole in your pocket. We’re going to help in the journey. In the next seven minutes, this guide will offer insight on: 

  • The 6 most popular scholarships for Indian students to study in the UK
  • Their eligibility criteria
  • Benefits   
  • And more

Before you search for scholarships, however, you must decide on a college. 

Not an easy task when there are thousands. 

The information overload feels overwhelming.

You need AI by your side. 

You have it; SelectRight.

More on that later. Back to UK scholarships for Indian students now.

Note: the information is true at the time of writing. That’s April 2022.

6 scholarships for Indian students to study in the UK

1. Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Degree Scholarship

https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities/individuals/students/erasmus-mundus-joint-masters-scholarships

European Union (EU) launched the scholarship to foster excellence in higher education through cooperation between Europe and the rest of the world. The scholarship helps students who wish to study in the UK under the postgraduate program of any program affiliated college.   

The scholarship is one of the most popular scholarships for Masters in the UK for Indian students which is designed and delivered by at least three higher education institutions; two of them from EU member states and the third from countries associated with the program.

Eligibility criteria

  • Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree or demonstrate an equivalent and recognized level of learning as per national practices and legislation in the degree awarding country.
  • Applicants who’re in the final year can apply as well. However, the applicants must graduate before the master’s program begins.
  • Applicants must have secured at least 6.5 in the TOEFL, IELTS, or TOEIC exam.  

Benefits

  • Tuition fees.
  • Living expenses.
  • Travel allowances.
  • Monthly allowances.

Duration

1 to 2 academic years.

Find more information on the official scholarship page.

2. British Chevening Scholarships for International Students

The British Chevening scholarships for international students help students who want to study in the UK to enrol in over 12,000 courses in 150 universities.

The covered course areas include journalism, science, and cybersecurity, among others.

Eligibility criteria

  • Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree in the covered courses.
  • Applicants must have at least two years or 2,800 hours of work experience.
  • Applicants must have applied to a minimum of three covered courses in the UK and must have received an offer from one of these courses.
  • Applicants must return to their country of citizenship for at least two years after the scholarship period ends.  

Benefits

  • University tuition fees.
  • A round-trip economy class air travel allowance to and from the UK.
  • A monthly stipend.
  • One visa application costs.
  • A travel grant for attending Chevening events in the UK.

Duration

One year or until the completion of the course, whichever is earlier. 

Find more information on the official scholarship page.

3. Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships (CWIT)

The Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships (CWIT) is one of the most popular UK scholarships for Indian students which is offered by the British Council.

The scholarship for Indian students comes with 7 long-term awards in the fields of heritage conservation and visual arts for one-year long courses.

IAT: Indian Students | Study in UK | CWIT Scholarship

Eligibility criteria

  • Applicants must be between 28 and 38 years of old.
  • Applicants must hold a first degree, professional qualification, or diploma in their specialization. Furthermore, CWIT prefers applicants with significant work experience.
  • Applicants mustn’t have received a CWIT grant in the last 5 years. 

Benefits

  • Accommodation and living costs.
  • International travel allowance of up to £600.
  • Visiting fellowships in specific disciplines at partner institutions.
  • Grants for doctoral study and research.
  • Permission to attend the Scottish University’s Summer School.  

Duration

10 months.

Find more information on the official scholarship page.

4. Dr. Manmohan Singh Scholarships

If you’re asking, “Can I get a full scholarship in the UK?”, Dr Manmohan Singh scholarships are your answer. St. John’s College, the University of Cambridge awards the UK scholarship for Indian students seeking admission in doctoral degrees in science and technology, social sciences, and economics. 

Furthermore, students applying for Energy Studies and Aerospace Engineering receive preference over others.

Eligibility criteria

  • Applicants must be below 35 years of age.
  • Applicants must hold a Master’s degree from a well-known university in India with a first-class (both in UG and PG) in the relevant subjects.
  • Applicants must have received an admission offer from St. John’s college.  
  • Applicants mustn’t have received any UK funding or have had any exposure to UK education before.
  • Applicants must be willing to pursue a full-time doctoral research degree from the University of Cambridge.

Benefits

  • Tuition fees.
  • Visa expenses.
  • Travel allowances.
  • Monthly stipend.

Duration

Until the course is complete.

Find out more information on the official scholarship page.

Note: Dr Manmohan Singh scholarship isn’t available for academic years 2021-22 and 2022-23.

5. Rhodes Scholarship

The Rhodes scholarship is the oldest UK scholarship for Indian students which is offered by the Rhodes Trust.

IAT: Indian Students | Study in UK | Rhodes Scholarship

The scholarship offers free education in the UK for Indian students who wish to study at the University of Oxford. Each year, 100 students receive the scholarship.

Eligibility criteria

  • Applicants must be between 19 to 25 years of age.
  • Applicants must have completed their formal education at an Indian university or educational institution for at least 4 years.
  • Applicants must hold a first-class in their undergraduate degree or in equivalent degrees.  

Benefits

  • University fees.
  • Living costs.
  • Round-trip economy class airfare travel allowances.
  • Annual stipend.
  • Tier 4 Study Visa costs.
  • International Health Surcharge (IHS).

Duration

Two years. However, the trustees can renew the scholarship on a yearly basis at their discretion. 

Find more information on the official scholarship page.

6. Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan

The Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan is one of the most popular UK scholarships for Indian students offered by the governments of 53 Commonwealth countries.

Each year, over 800 students from Commonwealth countries receive the scholarship. 

However, before you apply for the scholarship, you must choose a college from among thousands. Opt for SelectRight to make the task easier.

On SelecRight, we offer unbiased and data-backed college recommendations as per your needs. Write to us at grad@stage.gradright.com to know more.

Eligibility criteria

  • Applicants must be below 40 years of age.
  • Applicants must hold an undergraduate honours degree of at least upper second class if they want to study postgraduation. If the applicants want to study for a PhD, they will need a Master’s degree with at least upper second class.
  • Applicants must not be able to afford to study in the UK without the scholarship.

Benefits

  • Tuition fees.
  • Monthly stipend of £1,084 a month or £1,330 a month for students studying at universities in the London metropolitan area.
  • Round-trip economy class international airfare allowances.
  • Thesis grants.
  • Fieldwork grants.

Duration

One year for Master’s degrees and 3 years for Ph.D.

Find out more information on the official scholarship page.

Scholarships for Indian students to study in the UK ⸺ knowing the battlefield

Knowing your options is only the beginning. You’ll have to compete with thousands of other students to receive the scholarships.

We hope this guide was able to answer your questions about scholarships for Indian students to study in the UK. We’ve tried to remain as objective as possible. 

However, before you choose a scholarship, you must select a college to study in the UK. Reading hundreds of blogs on the internet or listening to your uncle won’t help. These sources offer biased and half information. Thus, place your trust in SelectRigtht. Here’s why you should:

  • Transparent and unbiased college recommendations based on analyzing 6 million data points across over 10,000 MBA, STEM, and CS programs.
  • Latest and practical advice from alumni or current students of your chosen college.
  • Guidance on application review, SOP review, and LOR review from industry experts.

If you want more information, contact our education and finance advisors at grad@stage.gradright.com

Picture of Shivani Mani

Shivani Mani

Shivani, aka 'Sheen' brings in 15+ years of experience in banking & finance. An IIM-A alumna, she actively interacts with students & provides actionable solutions to their study abroad funding issues.

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