In this post article, you will learn how to get scholarship to study in UK (United Kingdom) Universities. You will also know some funding options available for you, as well as understand the process of applying for scholarships for many prospective students. How to get scholarship in uk universities
The main obstacle or problem is coming to study to the UK is the cost of education and to be honest, sometimes it’s very hard to get free education (i.e fully funded by scholarship, government or university) in the UK by free. But you can get a scholarship from many universities and you can expect to get from 10 to 50% reduction on your fees of the course.
Also keep in mind, the higher the level of study you’re going to pursue, the higher the chances of you getting a scholarship. how to get scholarship in uk universities
Types of University Scholarships in UK
There are a few types of university scholarships in the UK.
- Scholarship based on Educational excellence
These types of grants are solely based on the grades you’re going to get in your exams. It depends on the university you are going to study at, the course, but just let you know you have to be way above average to be considered.
- Scholarships based on the country you’re from
If you’re coming from a developing country and you never studied abroad and you’re planning to come back to your home country to make a positive impact, many UK universities will consider to sponsor you. You can even get the whole master’s course paid for you.
- Scholarships based on the school you’re currently studying
For example, many schools have ties to UK universities. School specific grants are usually given to students with exceptional grades. You have to check with your school if they have any links with British universities, if they work with the universities and can help you get scholarship.
Also, if you are choosing school right now, it’s probably worth asking them if they have any links to British University.
- Scholarship based on Course Specific
So there are some scholarships available from universities overall, but there are also separate schools within the universities, such as School of Engineering or Business Studies that provide specific scholarships.
- Scholarship based on sport achievement.
What I mean by sport excellence is some kind of achievement that you have on national or international level in your sport. Obviously, the university will consider if your achievement is significant enough for a scholarship, but do keep in mind if you have some exceptional talent, if you’re good at any sport, you should use it to get a scholarship.
As you can see, there are so many scholarship options available for universities. Now, what’s the process of actually obtaining these?
How to Obtain a Scholarship in UK?
Step 1: Research
This is the most important step. Some people just apply for university and then check: oh, are there any scholarships? If scholarship and funding help is super important to you, do your research beforehand. You have to research whether the university has any scholarships that are suitable for you. So do you research, check the criteria, are your grades good enough, are you from the country the scholarship required to be from, are you meeting the deadlines.
So many universities offer very specific unique scholarships. For example, scholarship for a woman from a Commonwealth country that wants to study physics. Perhaps this is you, but how would you know about this scholarship available if you never did your research? You could be both a candidate for a scholarship you never found.
Step 2: Apply to Universities
It is also quite important, but probably very logical. You have to apply for these universities. Before applying for a scholarship, you usually have to apply for university. This is the case for most undergraduate scholarships, for master’s sometimes you can be considered for scholarships along with application for PhD as well.
But what’s the point of paying for scholarships, preparing all this application, if you haven’t even got the place. You have to prepare a very strong application because not just the grades will be considered, your personal statement as well. This personal statement could be looked at when you will be considered for a scholarship. So perhaps it’s worth putting in extra effort into your personal statement, making sure you demonstrate all your skills, show your leadership qualities, show your talents, take time preparing the application.
Steps 3: Apply for a scholarship
You apply for scholarship once you get an offer, that’s when the scholarship application comes in. I recommend to emailing the universities just to find out what are the requirements for scholarship applications. The website could be clear, but still, what if there are any changes? Why don’t you just send them a quick e-mail saying “Hello, I have an offer from your university and I would like to be considered for a scholarship”.
What do you need for your application?
Obviously, you have been working very hard to get amazing grades, so now it’s time to pay attention to your scholarship application. There are four main things that could be part of your scholarship application to get scholarship in uk universities
- Motivational letter
Make sure you write very clearly, you answer the questions they ask. You show not just how great you are, but also how the scholarship will benefit you, what you’re going to do with your career plans.
- Reference Letters or maybe a few of them.
So you have to think about who you’re going to ask for a reference letter, make sure that person knows about the format of the letter that is required. They speak good English and know you well enough about your career plans and they know why you deserve the scholarship.
- Attend an interview at the university
It could be by Skype, by call or in person. There are so many aspects for a success in an interview, so I’m sure you’ll do your research and they can cover this whole topic in this post article.
- Financial Letters/documents
Nowadays, there are not that many scholarships available for students in the financial hardships, but it could help if you are struggling financially. So do ask universities if they require any proof of your financial struggle. But this could not even help you, as most of the scholarships are based on academic merit only.
Step 4: Hope for the best!
If you put your best effort into your grades and application, you will get something. Just make sure you plan in advance. Prepare, do your research, be patient and hope for the best.