PhD Degree UK
Vice Chancellor's International Scholarship for Research Excellence, University of Nottingham
University of Nottingham
24 April 2020Details
Of the 144 scholarships listed for the United Kingdom, 114 are Master's awards and 91 different hosts run them, so the money is spread across individual universities rather than one national scheme. University of Westminster leads with 10 entries, followed by Edinburgh with 8 and Leeds with 5. Most awards cut tuition rather than pay a stipend, and only 5 have a deadline still ahead, so check each page before you plan.
| Deadline | Scholarship | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nov 2026 | President's PhD Scholarships at Imperial College London (Fully Funded) | PhD Degree |
| 8 Dec 2026 | Gates Cambridge Scholarships for International Students at University of Cambridge | Masters/PhD Degree |
| 10 Dec 2026 | Chancellor's International Scholarships at University of Warwick (PhD) | PhD Degree |
| 26 Jan 2027 | Reach Oxford Scholarships for Students from Developing Countries | Bachelor’s Degree |
| 30 Jun 2027 | UWE Bristol College of Health, Science and Society Dean's Scholarship for Overseas MSc Students | Masters Degree |
University of Nottingham
Oxford University Press
EU CORDIS
The dominant award type is a partial tuition waiver. International Excellence Scholarships at Leeds gives £3,000, £6,000 or £16,000 off fees for the first year only. Glasgow's Global Leadership Scholarships are a £10,000 discount, one year, cash-free. Sussex's Chancellor's International Scholarships give £5,000 as a fee reduction. Full packages exist but are rarer: Westminster's International Postgraduate Full Scholarship covers fees, accommodation, living expenses and flights.
A second group comes from outside the universities and restricts who may apply. Commonwealth Shared Scholarships pay tuition, airfare and a stipend of £1,378 per month (£1,690 in London) to nationals of listed lower income Commonwealth countries. GREAT Scholarships give £10,000 toward fees to students from 18 named countries. Scotland's Saltire Scholarships offer £8,000 to nationals of Canada, China, India, Japan, Pakistan and the USA. The Marshall Scholarship is for US citizens only.
PhD funding is thinner: 23 of the 144 entries. Imperial's President's PhD Scholarships pay full fees, a £27,036 stipend and a £2,000 consumables fund for up to 3.5 years, open to any nationality. Gates Cambridge covers full cost plus a £22,000 maintenance allowance. Only 5 of the 144 have a deadline still ahead, including Imperial (2 November 2026, 11 January 2027, 1 March 2027) and Warwick's Chancellor's International Scholarships (10 December 2026). Treat every other date on this list as needing verification.
No. Most are tuition fee reductions, such as Leeds at £3,000 to £16,000 or Sussex at £5,000. Full packages with stipends and flights exist, for example Westminster's full scholarship and the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship.
Several are. Imperial's President's PhD Scholarships state no nationality restrictions, and Bath's Dean's Award and Global Leaders Scholarship are open to all nationalities. Colt Foundation PhD Fellowships accept students from all over the world.
Only 5 of the 144 listed. Imperial's President's PhD Scholarships list 2 November 2026, 11 January 2027 and 1 March 2027, and Warwick's Chancellor's International Scholarships list 10 December 2026.
Often yes. Leeds, Exeter, Sussex and Sheffield all require a conditional or unconditional offer first. Bristol's Think Big Scholarship is an exception: you do not need an offer before submitting the scholarship application.
Check the individual page for each award, since only 5 of the 144 listed deadlines are still ahead.