The UK & Its Helping Hand For Indian Students

Do you want to study in UK but are falling short on funds? Don’t worry - if you are a bright student, money cannot stop you from pursuing your dream. 

Several students in India have a low budget and wish to pursue further studies in the UK. For such students, the government of the UK turns out to be greatly helpful. There are a number of UK government scholarships for Indian students that you can apply for in order to achieve your dream of studying abroad. All you need to do is look at what they offer, their eligibility criteria, and the deadline for application and you’re good to go. 

So are you willing to find out what these scholarships are? Hold on! Before we share with you the details of these, let us tell you - this article also contains information about the UK foundation programme for international students. That counts as help, too, right? Right. 

Top 3 UK Government Scholarships for Indian Students

Explained below are the best three UK government scholarships for Indian students along with their eligibility criteria. Let’s find out which one is the most suitable for you.

1. Chevening Scholarships in the UK for International Students

One of the most popular UK foundation programme for international students is the Chevening Scholarship which helps academically excellent students who have portrayed exceptional performances and leadership skills. It is for students who wish to pursue a master’s program in the UK that has a duration of one year. If you are looking for a course that has a duration of less than 9 months, is distance learning, is part-time, or is taught for over a month outside the UK, this scholarship is not for you. 

What does it cover?

The scholarship rewards 18,000 GBP which covers the living expenses, flight costs, visa expenses, monthly stipend, and tuition fees of students. 

Eligibility Criteria

• You must return to your country for a minimum of two years after the completion of the scholarship.
• You should have at least 2 years of work experience.
• You must possess a bachelor’s degree.
• Apply for at least three courses in the UK and you should get an offer from any of these. 
• English proficiency criteria must be fulfilled.

2. GREAT Scholarships

There are 25 postgraduate scholarships for the 2023-24 academic year. The GREAT scholarship is jointly funded by the British Council and the UK government’s GREAT Britain Campaign with collaborating UK higher education universities and colleges. 

What does it cover?

Each scholarship offers a minimum of 10,000 GBP for any 1-year postgraduate course. 

Eligibility Criteria

• You must be a citizen of one of the 18 countries and since you are on this page, you are lucky that India is on the list.
• You must fulfill the language necessities.

3. Scotland’s Saltire Scholarships

The Scottish government offers scholarships in collaboration with several universities and colleges in Scotland. 

What does it cover?

The scholarship offers 50 awards, each of which is worth 8,000 GBP towards the tuition fee of any postgraduate full-time program of one year. 

Eligibility Criteria

• You must be a citizen of one of the six countries, out of which India is one. 
• You must have a conditional/unconditional offer from any university in Scotland.
• You should not have studied in the country earlier or availed of the scholarship.
• You must meet the language criteria.

UK Foundation Programme for International Students

In case you are an Indian student focused on your final high school exams and have finished less than 13 years of education, you are not eligible to study in UK. Sounds bad, right? Well, there is a solution - if you want to study bachelor’s in the UK, all you have to do is take a foundation course in the UK. Don’t know what a foundation course is, well, let us brief you. 

A foundation program or course is a one-year course for preparation, specially designed for global students who require further academic or English language preparation in order to take an undergraduate course in the UK. 

Ideally, a UK foundation programme for international students is for those who are leaving school but have not studied the British curriculum. So if you take the course at a UK college or university, it will not only help you understand the curriculum better but will also prepare you for your university by familiarizing you with the language, culture, and life in the UK. 

What Are Your Plans?

If you want to Study in UK and want to pursue a year-long master’s program, which is full-time, you must consider applying for UK government scholarships for Indian students. Alternatively, if you are in high school and plan to pursue a bachelor’s degree in the UK, you should enroll in a UK foundation programme for international students. It will be helpful in more ways than one.