After the USA, the UK is one of the best places in the world to study, which is a very desirable situation. International students in London can get thousands of pounds in grants from universities and other public and private groups to help them with their funds. It might seem hard for Indian students to get a grant in the UK.
In 2023, a record-breaking 142,848 sponsored study visas were granted to Indian students, marking a substantial increase.
The number of Indian students studying in the UK has significantly increased in 2023-24. Compared to the previous year, there's been a rise of 49,883 Indian students, according to data from the UK Home Office.
However, the country offers many awards to qualified people from India and other countries. In the UK, school prices and living costs can be very high, so scholarships can help a lot with money issues. You can make plans to study abroad, find out if you are eligible, and apply for grants. But if you want to get a good grant in the UK, you need to know how the whole process works.
Different Types of Scholarships for Indian Students in the UK
In the UK, many grant programs can help students pay to go to school. These grant programs are run by several different groups and organizations. There are three main types of grants for Indian students in the UK:
1. Scholarship from the government
2. Scholarships from universities
3. Grants from NGOs and trusts
Indian students can get scholarships from both the UK government and the Indian government. There are other types of scholarships for Indian students besides the Commonwealth grants. Besides this, many NGOs and trusts, such as the Rhodes Trust and the Goa Educational Trust, offer scholarships to study in the UK.
UK scholarships for Indian students are awarded based on three criteria, which are listed below:
- Based on merit: Honor kids who do well in school and have a wide range of hobbies.
- Based on talent: Help students who are great at a certain subject.
- Based on needs: Help kids who are struggling financially by giving them money.

British Council Scholarships for Indian Students
The British Council is the UK's prime organization for cultural exchange and training opportunities around the world. They help people from the UK and other countries find jobs in other countries, which builds trust around the world. With three libraries and cultural centers in India, the British Council provides a wide range of arts, education, and English language projects to people all over the country. They also give students and teachers access to English language training and learning and make it possible for them to study in the UK. The GREAT scholarships, the Commonwealth scholarships and fellowships, the Charles Wallace India Trust scholarships, and the Hornby scholarships are just a few of the prestigious awards and scholarships that they handle.
Just like the UK, the USA is also a top draw when it comes to higher education options and Indian students have plenty of options in scholarships to study in the USA.
GREAT Scholarships India
For the 2024–25 academic year, 26 postgraduate scholarships in a range of topics are offered from universities in the UK to students from India. Each grant is worth at least £10,000, which can be used to pay for a postgraduate study that lasts one year. The GREAT Britain Campaign of the UK government, the British Council, and participating UK higher education schools all work together to pay for each grant.
Eligibility
A GREAT scholar must:
- Be a citizen of India.
- Have an undergraduate degree, be motivated, and be interested in the proposed subject area.
- Meet the English language requirement of the UK university.
- Establish an engagement with the UK as a scholar, through personal and academic fulfilment.
- Be willing to attend a networking event for all UK-based GREAT scholars, to discuss experiences and capture perceptions of studying in the UK.
- Be willing to maintain contact with the British Council and their HEI and act as an ambassador for the GREAT scholarships.
- As an alumnus of the GREAT scholarships, be willing to speak to potential candidates about his or her own experience of studying in the UK.
British Council Scholarships for women in STEM
With the help of UK universities, the British Council grants the Global Women in STEM scholarship. For women from certain South Asian countries, this is the fourth year that the grant has been given out. Women with backgrounds in STEM who can show they need financial help and want to encourage other women to go into STEM fields are what the institution is looking for. You can apply if you:
- Are applying during the academic year from September or October 2024–2025.
- Can show that you need help with money.
- Have a college degree that lets you into one of the master's-level advanced courses already chosen at a UK university.
- Can improve your English to the level needed to do graduate work at a UK university.
- Are working in the field or have shown you are interested in what you do.
- Are dedicated to your studies and ready to get involved as British Council grant recipients.
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Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships
Indians in the early to mid stages of their lives can spend time in the UK through CWIT. This helps them reach their artistic, academic, and professional goals and makes it easier for them to make new friends around the world. The Charles Wallace India Trust (CWIT) and the British Council India have worked together for 40 years. CWIT has given out about 3000 grants in more than 40 years. The British Council India gives CWIT advice on its work and important procedural help.
Commonwealth Scholarships
They are for students from all over the Commonwealth who would not be able to pay to study in the UK otherwise. By giving money for different types of postgraduate studies, the plan helps to support the next generation of leaders and thinkers. This award has a long history and is the UK's main grant program for people who want to help the UK's foreign development goals. Its goal is to bring top students to UK universities while also helping with long-term growth in other countries.

Types of Scholarships
The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) offers:
- Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (for least developed countries and fragile states)
- Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships (for low and middle-income countries)
- Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships
- Commonwealth Shared Scholarships
- Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships
- Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (for high-income countries)
- Commonwealth Professional Fellowships
Scholarships for Indians in the UK
Chevening Scholarships for Indian and International Students
The Chevening Scholarship is a global grant program run by the Government of the United Kingdom (UK). It helps students who are very good in school and have shown leadership skills and great success in their fields. It pays for the student's fees, plane tickets, and living costs. This grant is for students who want to go to the UK for one year to get their master's degree. Also, keep in mind that these grants cover everything. This grant doesn't cover part-time, online learning, courses that last less than 9 months, courses that last more than 12 months, PhD or DPhil programs, or programs that require more than one month of study outside of the UK.
Rhodes Scholarships
The Rhodes Scholarship lets smart young people from all over the world study at the University of Oxford for free as a full-time university student. Rhodes Scholars stay in the UK for at least two years. This group of students can apply to Oxford University's full-time graduate programs. This grant pays for the real stipend and the course fees at Oxford University. Scholars can pay for their living costs, like housing, with the help of the grant. The salary was £18,180 a year, or £1,515 a month, for the year 2022–2023. Once the winner is chosen, the Rhodes Trust will pay for the entry fee to the University of Oxford, the student visa fee, the International Health Surcharge that goes with it, and two economy class flights to and from the UK at the start and end of the student's time there.
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Erasmus Mundus
Many colleges and universities offer Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters programs that take place in many countries. This grant is open to students from everywhere in the world. The Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Scholarship pays for students to go to college and covers their living and travel costs. The amount of the grant depends on the level of study, research, or teaching, the student's country, and the length of the course.
Dr. Manmohan Singh Scholarships
To honor Dr. Singh, St. John's College has created the Dr. Manmohan Singh Scholarships. Indian students who have done very well in school will be able to use these awards to study for graduate degrees at St. John's College, University of Cambridge, in topics like Science & Technology, Economics, and Social Sciences. Applications in Energy Studies and Aerospace Engineering will be given more weight. The grants pay for everything: tuition, foreign travel, a monthly stipend to cover living costs and a visa for the UK.
Felix Scholarships
These grants are for students from India and other poor countries who are doing well in school but don't have much money. Students must be younger than 30 and have a bachelor's degree from a well-known Indian university to apply for these grants. Students from low-income families can get the Felix grant and go to a university in the UK to continue their education after undergraduate studies. The University of Oxford, the University of Reading, and the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) all give Felix grants.

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Hornby Scholarships
The Hornby Scholarship includes all costs in the UK, including a monthly stipend that can be used for housing and living costs, as well as education, return airfare, a visa, and language test fees. To qualify for the grant, applicants must have taught English full-time for at least three years and have a bachelor's degree. There is also a certain amount of English ability that applicants must meet. The Hornby Scholarship helps English language teachers with a lot of experience who might be able to make a difference in the field in the future.





