Degree Show 2012

External Funding 

Securing funding is a major hurdle for anyone wanting to undertake postgraduate study. The majority of students who come to the UK for their postgraduate education support themselves through private means, usually from a combination of private savings, loans, or family support. However, there is a wide range of funding available to students from outside the EU who wish to study in Britain. 

Below is a list of resources and external funding bodies that we are aware of. Please note that this list is provided for information only and is rarely updated.

Scholarship Searches 

British Council's Scholarship Search

British Council's Scholarship Search is a useful search facility to see what scholarships, bursaries and awards are available to you - http://www.educationuk.org/scholarships. The British Council’s Sources of Funding for International Students is also a useful source of information: http://www.britishcouncil.org/learning-sources-of-funding-for-international-students-2004.pdf. The British Council also provide helpful information on living and working in the UK, and have an on-line budget planner which will help you to ensure you have the finances to study in the UK: http://www.educationuk.org/budgetplanner/. 

The Education UK  web site is the gateway to UK education and provides education information for international students. http://www.educationuk.org 

Association of Commonwealth Universities Course Finder

Opportunities for study and undergraduate, postgraduate and research levels can be explored on the Association of Commonwealth Universities Course Finder site: http://acu.studylink.com/index.html  

National Postgraduate Committee Funding Guide

National Postgraduate Committee Postgraduate Funding Guide contains useful general information on funding: http://www.npc.org.uk/page/1082154863  

International Financial Aid and College Scholarship Search

International Financial Aid and College Scholarship Search (IEFA) is a useful source of information on sources of financial aid, college scholarship and grant information for US and international students wishing to study abroad. The site has a comprehensive college scholarship search and grant listings plus international student loan programs and other information to promote study abroad. http://iefa.org/ 

Global Scholarship Funds 

Anglo-Jewish Association

The AJA offers scholarships, normally up to £500, to potential Jewish students from overseas, undergraduate or postgraduate, who could not otherwise afford to enter university in the UK.
http://www.anglojewish.co.uk/ 

Commonwealth Scholarships

These awards are for citizens of a Commonwealth country (not the Commonwealth of Independent States) or a British dependent territory who wish to undertake postgraduate study or research in another Commonwealth country.. Applicants should be aged under 35 and permanent residents of their country. Grants are for one to three years and usually cover the cost of travel, tuition fees and living expenses. There may, in some cases, be additional allowances for help with books or clothes. An allowance may be paid to help with the cost of maintaining a spouse.  Further details are available from the Ministry of Education in your home country and on the Association of Commonwealth Universities website, http://www.acu.ac.uk and http://www.csfp-online.org/ 

Chevening Scholarships Scheme

British Chevening scholarships, funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and administered by the British Council, are awarded to extremely able students from over 109 countries worldwide wishing to follow full-time, postgraduate or second degree courses or full-time research in the UK. Awards may be for study in any subject field. The Chevening scholarship scheme is an open competition and candidates are selected according to academic excellence, leadership qualities and in line with a list of educational and development priorities for their home country. Applications are dealt with by the British Council in the student’s home country, with successful candidates being chosen by the relevant British Embassy or Consulate. Deadlines are usually the end of November, for students wanting to start their course in the following September. http://www.chevening.com/ 

Churches Commission on Overseas Students Hardship Fund

Only students from the developing world in their final year of study or the last six months of MPhil or PhD are eligible and preference will be given to applicants who can demonstrate that their qualifications will be of benefit to the developing world.  Grants are typically £500 - £800 and decisions are made three times per year. 

Contact: David Philpot
CCIS Hardship Fund
121 George Street
Edinburgh EH2 4YN
dphilpot@cofscotland.org.uk  

David Montefiore Trust

Grants are made to students from Third World countries who will be returning to their own countries.  Grants are in the form of single payments in time for the start of the academic year and can be for up to £500. Applications must be made through the university or college and must provide details of how all other costs, including living expenses , are going to be met. Applications direct from individuals will NOT be considered without confirmation from the University.

Contact: Messrs Poole & Co
Dolphin House,
21 Hendford,
Yeovil, Somerset
BA20 1TP  

Erasmus Mundus

The Erasmus Mundus programme offers scholarships to students of exceptional quality to follow an Erasmus Mundus Masters Course or Joint Doctorate at two or more European universities, as well as scholarships to promote the mobility of students between European and non-European universities. The scheme is open to students throughout the world. http://ec.europa.eu/education/external-relation-programmes/doc72_en.htm  

Ford Foundation

The International Fellowships programme (IFP) provides support for up to three years of formal graduate level study.  Applicants must be resident nationals or residents of an eligible IFP country or territory. Currently, these are: Brazil, Chile, China, Egypt, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Mozambique, Nigeria, Palestinian Territories, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, and Vietnam. IFP selects Fellows on the strength of their clearly-stated intention to serve their communities and countries of origin. All applications must be submitted to IFP offices in the country or region where the applicant resides. www.fordfound.org 

Foundation for Urban and Regional Studies

The Foundation for Urban and Regional Studies Limited (FURS) provides studentships for students, generally from middle and low income countries, to pursue postgraduate research degrees in the field of urban and regional studies.  FURS is concerned to promote urban and regional research and within this broad field it is particularly keen to encourage an understanding of the interconnection between social, economic and political processes and of the broader causes and effects of these processes. Applications are expected to be predominantly from social scientists such as sociologists, political scientists, geographers, economists and town planners but others such as lawyers, cultural theorists, anthropologists and historians should not be discouraged from applying.

Only applicants whose nationality falls into the countries listed in Groups B and C of the World Bank classification will be eligible to apply - see http://www.isa-sociology.org/table_c.htm. In recent years studentships have been awarded to students from countries including Argentina, Cameroon, Chile, Nepal, South Africa, Turkey, Uruguay and Zambia.
http://www.ijurr.org/furs/studentships.html

Langham Trust

Langham Research Scholarships provide support for theological training at doctoral level for young scholars from the Third World and Eastern Europe. 
http://www.langhampartnership.org 

UNESCO Fellowships

UNESCO runs a Fellowship Programme with the following specifications: Target candidates - Graduate and Postgraduate candidates for study abroad wishing to pursue training, undertake advanced research, upgrade skills, or attend specialized or refresher courses; Priority attention - candidatures on behalf of women, and, those from the Least Developed Countries (LDCs); Qualifications required - University degree, i.e. at least a BA or BSc, be not more than 45 years of age; Additional qualifications - applicants must have exceptional merit, and have demonstrated that they possess outstanding potential that would enable them to make a significant contribution to their country upon their return.
http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=17616&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html 

Wingate Scholarships

Wingate Scholarships are awarded to individuals of great potential or proven excellence who need financial support to undertake original work of intellectual, scientific, artistic, social or environmental value, including Doctoral and Post-Doctoral studies, and associated Field Work.  They are designed to help with the costs of a specific project, which may last up to 3 years. The average total award is about £6,500 and the maximum in any one year is £10,000.  Wingate Scholarships attempts to support cross-disciplinary projects that might not fall comfortably into any of the conventional funding categories. 

Candidates must be citizens of the United Kingdom or other Commonwealth country, Ireland or Israel, or of another EU country (provided they have been resident in the UK for at least 3 years on 1 September 2009, and must be living in the UK during the application period.  Scholarships are awarded annually and information and application materials for 2010-11 will be available from 15 September 2009. Applications will be accepted from October 1, 2009.
http://www.wingatescholarships.org.uk/overview.php 

Country Specific Scholarship Fund 

Australia

JASON is a search engine that contains information about postgraduate scholarships available to Australian students wishing to study at home or abroad, and to international students wishing to study in Australia.
http://www.jason.edu.au/

General Sir John Monash Awards
Annually, up to eight awards may be awarded to outstanding Australian citizens graduating from Australian Universities to enable them to undertake postgraduate study, principally doctoral study, abroad at a university appropriate to their field of study.
http://www.monashawards.org/awards.asp 

Africa

Africa Educational Trust
The trust provides scholarships and bursaries to help support the general education of Africans, particularly African exiles and refugees. Grants are awarded annually; availability however depends on funding and in any one year may be limited to specific geographic areas on specific subjects. A range of awards with different eligibility conditions is available ranging from full scholarships covering fees, maintenance and fieldwork costs to small 'one-off' book and material awards.

The Emergency Small Grants Programme provides support to students who have come from Africa to study in the UK but run into unexpected financial difficulties in their last few months of study.  Recipients have to be in the final two or three months of completing their research or degree courses.   Emphasis is placed on subjects that are directly related to development and priority is given to students who can show a clear commitment to returning and using their qualifications and skills in Africa. The scheme is open to students from any African country and most awards are made to students studying at post-graduate or doctoral level. http://www.africaeducationaltrust.org/scholarships.html

Beit Trust
The Beit Trust offers annually a small number of Scholarships for postgraduate studies or research to graduates who are domiciled in Malawi, Zambia or Zimbabwe.  The duration of the Scholarships is normally for up to three years at the discretion of Trustees.  Scholarships are taken up at a University in the United Kingdom, Ireland or South Africa, for study in a subject of the individual’s choice appropriate to the needs of the beneficial area.   Selection is highly competitive, and only postgraduates with at least a Merit (equivalent to a good 2.1 from a UK university) in their first degree are likely to succeed.  The selectors favour practical and useful disciplines that are likely to offer a clear benefit to the beneficial area. Because of their high cost, MBA's and PhD's are seldom, if ever, awarded in the UK.
http://www.beittrust.org.uk/Scholarships.htm

The Canon Collins Educational Trust for Southern Africa
Canon Collins Trust provides scholarships to students from South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Angola and Mozambique who wish to pursue a postgraduate degree (mainly Master's degrees of one or two years) in either the United Kingdom or South Africa.

Applicants for UK Scholarships must be committed to returning to southern Africa upon completion of their studies and using the knowledge, training and skills acquired in the UK for the general benefit of their home community and country.  Applications for all subject areas will be considered; however scholarships for academic programmes which are relevant to the needs of southern Africa will be prioritised.  Students are expected to apply independently to British universities.  Enquiries should be directed to the UK Scholarships Programme Manager info@canoncollins.org.uk
http://www.canoncollins.org.uk/

Mohamedali Karimjee Trust
This trust provides grants to African students to study in the UK.
Contact: Karimjee Jivanjee and Co UK
1250130 Temple Chambers
Temple Avenue
London EC4Y 0DT 

Middle Eastern / Arabic Countries

The Arab-British Chamber Charitable Foundation
The Student Grants Programme provides partial funding grants that for postgraduate students who need additional contributions to cover the balance of their fees, living expenses and related study costs.  Applicants must be Arab nationals under 40 years of age with citizenship of a member State of the Arab League who come to Britain temporarily for the sole purpose of undertaking postgraduate studies (Masters, MPhil, PhD) as an overseas student and who are committed to returning home to a country in the Arab world, on completion of their study programme.  Priority is given to subjects of study of special relevance to the development needs of the student's home country, including: Agriculture; Business and Public Administration Economics;  Environmental Studies; Finance; Public Health Management; Science / Technology; Urban / Architectural Development.
http://www.abcc.org.uk/charitable_foundation.cfm

King Faisal Foundation Scholarships
King Faisal Foundation Scholarships (KFF Scholarships) are awarded to outstanding Muslims from to undertake their postgraduate studies in science, medicine and engineering. The program covers two to three years of study and provides full tuition and a generous monthly stipend.
In continuation of the Scholarships Program offered by King Faisal Foundation for the past thirty years, and in the framework of continuous reform and development of this program in order to provide further opportunities for outstanding students in the Muslim world to pursue their education, especially undergraduate studies, a new Scholarships Policy has recently been endorsed. The new policy will soon be announced in this section and will provide comprehensive information on the requirements, application procedures, conditions and privileges. Meanwhile, enquires should be addressed to scholarships@alfaisal.edu.
www.alfaisal.edu  

Canada

Canadian Centennial Scholarship Fund (UK)
Canadian citizens enrolled in a postgraduate programme and who at the time of applying be have completed at least one term of full-time study at a UK university or similar institution are eligible to apply to the CCSF for support. They must intend to return to Canada after completion of their studies in the UK.
www.canadianscholarshipfund.co.uk

Florence Mary Mackenzie Bequest
Supplementary grants are available for Canadian students to cover or contribute to fees, travel costs, books, etc for students on medicine and related sciences
Applications (in writing only): Mr G. Bentinck
Peterkins Solictors
100 Union St
Aberdeen
AB1 1QR 

China

The China Scholarship Council
CSC provides financial assistance to the Chinese citizens wishing to study abroad and to the foreign citizens wishing to study in China, in order to develop the educational, scientific and technological, and cultural exchanges and economic and trade cooperation between China and other countries, to strengthen the friendship and understanding between Chinese people and the people of all other countries, and to promote world peace and the socialist modernization drive in China.
http://www.csc.edu.cn/

Christine King Memorial Trust
Grants are awarded to Chinese students from the People's Republic of China who want to study science and technology in the West. Grants are for the cost of graduate courses and research leading to a PhD. Forms are available from the contact
Mrs B D’Arcy
4 Larkfields Road
Richmond
Surrey TW9 2PF

The Great Britain-China Educational Trust (GBCET)
Awards, normally between £500-£5000, are available for Chinese students (from the PRC inc. Hong Kong) studying for a PhD in any subject.  The Trust will not fund taught courses, not the first year of PhD study.  Priority is given to applications where the bulk of funding has already been raised
GBCET also administers awards by the Han Suyin Trust. These are specifically for candidates who hold a recognised medical degree, or a postgraduate/post-doctoral qualification in the field of science and technology with specific reference to the medical, environmental and economic sciences, with some work experience at the relevant level. Forest and coastal studies will also be considered as a priority.
http://www.gbcc.org.uk/staward.htm

Henry Lester Trust
The Henry Lester Trust Limited will consider applications for a grant from citizens of the People’s Republic of China studying at PG level or above in the UK.  Applicants should be studying or researching in the subject areas of architecture (to include civic planning, construction management, etc), medicine, computer development, and mechanical sciences.

The current norm for a grant is £2,500 per annum and the calculation of the amount sought should set out details of both expected income (own/family contribution, scholarships and grants, fee waivers, etc.) and expenditure (fees, materials, travel, living expenses, etc). If the shortfall between the two figures is significantly greater than our current norm then an explanation of how this is to be covered, for instance by an application to another funding body, should be given.  A grant is given for one year only although a re-application, supported by the professor or head of department, may be made at the appropriate time. http://www.gbcc.org.uk/grants.htm
Contact:  Mr A C Hamilton
65 Hazlewell Road
London SW15 6UT

Sino-British Friendship Scholarship Scheme
This scheme is jointly funded by the Sir Y K Pao Foundation and the governments of The People's Republic of China and Britain. Applicants should be resident in China at the time of the application and plan to undertake postgraduate research studies in the UK in the fields of technology, science, medicine, economics or social sciences. Awards last for up to three years and include air fares.
Contact: The Cultural Section of the British Embassy in Beijing
or
The British Council
10 Spring Gardens
London SW 1

Sino-British Fellowship Trust
Awards available for advanced short-term studies of a practical nature in scientific, technological, medical and educational fields.
Contact: Sino-British Fellowship Trust
c/o Coutts and Co Bankers
440 Strand
London WC2 ROQS

Croucher Foundation Hong Kong
The Croucher Foundation provides financial support for promising young people in Hong Kong to pursue scientific research at postdoctoral and doctoral levels. The awards offered are intended to enable applicants who are permanent residents of Hong Kong to devote themselves to a period of full-time study or research in natural science, medicine or technology in approved academic institutions outside Hong Kong.
http://www.croucher.org.hk/

Student Financial Assistance Agency, Hong Kong
A number of different schemes are available for postgraduate and research study overseas.  Please see the website for details
http://www.sfaa.gov.hk/eng/scholar/index.htm 

India Sub-Continent

Charles Wallace Bangladesh Trust
Grants are available for Bangladeshi students studying in British higher education institutions at postgraduate level, primarily PhD students in their final year. They are intended as supplements to other sources of funding and are applicable to a wide range of disciplines in the arts, humanities, science and technology.  Applicants should be normally resident in Bangladesh and should intend to return there at the end of their studies. Trustees will consider applications primarily on the grounds of academic merit although financial need must be demonstrated.
http://www.wallace-trusts.org.uk/cwt_bangadesh.html

Charles Wallace Burma Trust
Grants are given to Burmese nationals who are normally resident in Burma/Myanmar and who intend to return to Burma at the end of their studies. Awards are given to Burmese students studying for postgraduate degrees in British higher education institutions. They are intended as supplements to other sources of funding and are applicable to a wide range of disciplines in the arts, humanities, science and technology.  Applications for grants are generally considered at 6 month intervals, in December and June.
http://www.wallace-trusts.org.uk/cwt_burma.html

Charles Wallace India Trust
Applications are invited from Indian nationals pursuing doctoral studies at UK universities who are in their penultimate or final year. Three or four grants are given every year, currently of £1000. They are intended as a contribution towards the costs of completing a doctorate.  Subjects covered include: history, literature, archaeology, philosophy, performing and creative arts.  Management, sciences, economics, law and publishing are not eligible.  Applications may be made at any time of year and will be considered all together in early April
http://www.wallace-trusts.org.uk/cwt_india.html

Annemarie Schimmel Scholarship
The Scholarship was established in honour of Professor Annemarie Schimmel to commemorate her great contribution to culture and poetry in Pakistan and her role as a dedicated woman scholar. It offers the opportunity to do graduate study in the United Kingdom to a woman who is committed to make a genuine contribution to her chosen field on her return to Pakistan.
The Schimmel Scholarship is awarded to women for study at recognized institutions of higher education in the UK for up to two academic years.
http://www.britishcouncil.org/pakistan-education-scholarships-other-schimmer.htm

Charles Wallace Pakistan Trust
The Charles Wallace Pakistan Trust helps Pakistani nationals to pursue post-graduate study and scholarship in the UK. The Trust grants awards to individual students already in Britain, normally in the last year of a PhD, who require additional funding to help them finish their studies. The Trust is not a hardship fund and all applicants are required to demonstrate academic merit. The maximum grant is £2,000. Students will have to satisfy the Trustees that they will have sufficient funds from other sources to complete their course.
http://www.wallace-trusts.org.uk/cwt_pakistan.html

Higher Education Commission Pakistan
The HEC Pakistan website gives details of scholarships available to Pakistani students wishing to study abroad.
http://hec.gov.pk/InsideHEC/Divisions/HRD/Pages/HRD1.aspx 

Latin America

Colfuturo
Colfuturo is a non-profit organisation that provides funds for Colombian citizens to study for postgraduate qualifications. When awarding their scholarships, Colfuturo looks at the academic excellence of the applicant and the quality of graduate programme selected.  The General Loan-Scholarship Programme (PGB) is available to students who have been unconditionally accepted onto specialisation, master or doctoral programmes in any subject in any foreign university.
http://www.postgraduatestudentships.co.uk/node/691

Fundacion Beca (Scholarship Foundation)
Fundacion Beca offers annual scholarships to students who wish to undertake postgraduate studies abroad, primarily in Europe, Asia, and North America.  Scholarships are offered to universities with whom the fondacion currently has an established agreement, but Free Choice Applications are also available for those who do not find courses in their field of interest within the programs offered, and / or who have already been accepted by another university in Europe or Canada. Scholarship holders are asked to participate in the Fundacion Beca’s Social Responsibility Program once they have completed their studies.  www.fundacionbeca.net

FIDERH (Human Resources Development Fund), Bank of Mexico, Loan Scheme
Applicants must be of Mexican nationality and citizenship, hold a BA with a minimum grade point average of 8.0 or the equivalent , must be 30 years or younger if applying to a master’s, and 35 years or younger if applying for a doctorate degree, and have attained the required TOEFL/IELTS score.  A Mexican guarantor is required. 
http://www.fiderh.org.mx/ 

Turkey
Turkey Scholarships
British Scholarships will be awarded to individuals wishing to pursue postgraduate studies in areas which contribute to the social, economic and scientific development of Turkey.  Applications are encouraged particularly for study in the following fields: Economics, Political Studies, Social Sciences with direct application to social problems, Applied Sciences, Engineering, Business Administration and Management, Computer Technology, Information Services, Agricultural Science.  The scheme is open to all Turkish nationals with a first degree. There is no age limit. Funding is available for courses ranging from three months to three years, with provision for up to three months of English Language training in the UK prior to taking a place on a course.
Contact:   The Assistant Representative
Office of the Counsellor for Cultural and British Council Affairs
Kirlangic Sok 9
Gaziosmanpasa
Ankara
Turkey  

United States of America

US Government Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP)
The University of Gloucestershire is a participating institution in the US Government FFELP. Financial aid form can be accessed through the FAFSA website at: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/, The deadline for student loan applications to reach the university is 1 August each year.  The University of Gloucestershire Federal School Code is: G38803.  Please contact Charlotte Robinson, the University’s International Student Advisor, crobinson@glos.ac.uk for further information.

Fulbright Postgraduate Awards
The Fulbright Postgraduate awards are open to US graduates wishing to study in the UK in any subject and provide tuition and maintenance for the first year of study.  Awards are for nine months with a renewal for one year to a limited number of students. Grants cover round-trip travel, maintenance, approved tuition fees and an incidental allowance.
http://www.cies.org

Marshall Scholarships
Marshall Scholarships finance young Americans of high ability to study for a degree in the United Kingdom. At least forty Scholars are selected each year to study at graduate level at an UK institution in any field of study. Awards are tenable at any British university and cover two years of study in any discipline at graduate level, leading to the award of a British university degree.  http://www.marshallscholarship.org/ 

University of Gloucestershire, The Park, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 2RH. Telephone +44 (0)844 8010001.