UK Masters Funding Guide for International Students

UK government-funded schemes like Chevening Scholarships, which cover full tuition, living expenses, and travel costs, and Commonwealth Scholarships, which support students from developing nations, offer significant financial support to international students. While UK student loans are generally not available to international students, exceptions exist for those with pre-settled status, refugee status, or other specific residency conditions. Many UK universities also offer their own scholarships.

So, you want to do a Masters in the UK? Great choice! The UK boasts some of the world’s top universities, an incredible academic tradition, and, let’s be honest, more rainy days than you’d probably like. But before you start daydreaming about afternoon teas and weekend trips to Edinburgh, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: funding.

International postgraduate fees in the UK can be steep, and, unfortunately, there aren’t technically student loans for international students in the UK. Unless you happen to be from the EU/EEA with pre-settled status or indefinite leave to remain (in which case, congratulations—you may qualify for a UK Government Masters loan). If in doubt, check with UKCISA.

But don’t lose hope just yet! in this guide, I'll talk you through the surprisingly wide range of scholarships, funding schemes, and even some postgraduate loans (for a lucky few) that can help finance your studies.

The UK Government isn’t entirely heartless—it does offer several prestigious scholarships for international postgraduates. Here are the main ones:

Chevening scholarships

This is the holy grail of UK postgraduate funding. Chevening covers your full tuition fees, travel, visa costs, and even gives you a living allowance to survive in London (which is no small feat). However, it’s highly competitive—think of it like the Ivy League of scholarships.

For more information on eligibility criteria and the application process, please read our guide to Chevening Scholarships.

Commonwealth Scholarships

If you’re from one of the 53 Commonwealth countries, you might be eligible for funding through the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC). This scheme is designed to help talented students from developing countries study in the UK..

Over 800 Commonwealth Scholarships are available, but most postgraduate opportunities are provided to citizens of developing Commonwealth countries.

There are three main Commonwealth Scholarship schemes for international Masters students.

Commonwealth Masters Scholarships

• Covers tuition fees, living expenses, and travel costs.
• Available to students from developing Commonwealth nations.
• Apply through your home country’s nominating agency.

Find out more about Commonwealth Masters Scholarships.

Commonwealth Shared Scholarships

• For students who really wouldn’t be able to study in the UK otherwise.
• Partially funded by UK universities.
• You need to apply through a university that participates in the scheme.

Find out more about Commonwealth Shared Scholarships.

Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships

• Allows you to study a UK Master’s while staying in your home country.
• Universities offer scholarships of up to £18,000.

Find out more about Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships.

GREAT Scholarships

A collaboration between the UK Government and British Council, this scheme offers scholarships worth £10,000+ to students from select countries, including India, China, and Mexico. If you’re from one of the lucky 13 countries, you might just land a spot.

We’ve written a full guide to the GREAT Scholarship scheme, covering eligibility, applications and more.

Another way to narrow down your search for Masters funding is to look at specific funding for students from your home country.

There’s a wide range of scholarship programmes that are targeted in this way, aiming to support talented graduates with their studies in the UK. These might be the result of partnerships between the UK and other countries, or part of a broader exchange scheme that encourages students to study abroad.

Here is a selection of countries with funding options in place for their students to study a Masters in the UK:

Most UK universities offer their own scholarships for international students, but the catch is you’ll need to do some digging. The best way to find out? Look at the university’s website or (pro tip) email them—politely, of course. Don’t just ask for money; show genuine interest in the course, and then slip in a funding question.

In addition to the funding sources we’ve already mentioned, there are plenty of charitable organisations and trusts that provide scholarships for talented graduates to study abroad. Here is a selection of organisations that might be well-placed to help you finance your postgraduate opportunity:

• Gates Cambridge Scholarships are open to students of any nationality (apart from the UK) to study a postgraduate course at the University of Cambridge.
• The Rhodes Trust runs two scholarship programmes for outstanding international students to complete a postgraduate qualification at the University of Oxford: the Rhodes Scholarship, open to students from one of 64 countries worldwide, and the Global Rhodes Scholarship, open to any country that isn’t already eligible for a Rhodes Scholarship.
• The Hornby Trust provides scholarships for English language teachers from developing countries to study a Masters in TESOL at the University of Warwick.
• Article 26 is an initiative that aims to help refugees in the UK access higher education, including Masters programmes.

There are many other sources of postgraduate funding, but most of them are far smaller than the organisations described on this page.

That doesn’t mean you can’t get support from smaller charities or educational foundations: you’ll just have to work harder to find it.

Our guide to postgraduate funding from charities is a good place to start.

Now, onto the big question: Can international students get student loans in the UK? The answer: Mostly no. BUT (and it’s a hopeful “but”) if you meet specific criteria, you might qualify.

Who might be eligible?

• EU nationals with pre-settled status (thanks, Brexit!).
• Irish students (under the Common Travel Area agreement).
• Those with refugee status, humanitarian protection, or long-term residence in the UK.
• Children of Turkish workers in the UK (yes, oddly specific).

If you tick one of these boxes, you may qualify for one of these UK postgraduate loans:

• England offers Masters loans of up to £12,471
• Wales offers its own Masters loans of up to £18,950
• Scotland offers loans for taught postgraduate courses of up to £13,900.
• Northern Ireland offers postgraduate tuition fee loans of up to £6,500 for courses up to Masters level.

These loans are provided by the UK Government to support UK postgraduates. This means that they aren’t usually available to international students.

However, students from outside the UK may be eligible if they meet certain criteria.

For example, if you’re an EU national that has successfully applied for the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be eligible for UK student finance.

Irish nationals are also eligible for UK student finance under the terms of the Common Travel Area.

Our guide to UK Masters funding for EU students has more information on eligibility, as well as advice on the effect of Brexit.

Other international students who might be eligible include the children of Turkish workers, and those with refugee status, humanitarian protection or long-term residence in the UK.

Hopefully this page has demonstrated the breadth of funding that’s available to international students in the UK, and pointed you in the right direction to find out more.

If you’re looking for further guidance on studying in the UK, we recommend visiting the following organisations:

• UKCISA – The UK Council for International Student Affairs is a national body that serves the interests of international students in the UK, providing advice on all aspects of overseas study in the UK.
• Study UK – Run in conjunction with the British Council, Study UK is the official portal for international students in the UK, offering advice on applications, funding and the practicalities of life in the UK.

1. Apply early – Many scholarships close months before your course even starts. Don’t procrastinate!
2. Write a killer personal statement – Scholarships aren’t just about grades; they want passionate, driven students. Sell yourself (not literally).
3. Look beyond the big names – There are tons of small trusts and foundations that offer funding. You just need to hunt them down.