Looking for scholarships in the UK for Srilankan students? We’ve got the list.

Studying in the UK can be affordable if you plan well in advance, you can apply to a range of scholarships offered by UK universities and colleges before deadlines. Open to meritorious international students to help them fund their studies, these financial aids can be partial or fully paid, depending on the criteria, course, and the institution. Many scholarships and bursaries are also offered by the UK government, and various private and public establishments as well. When applying to any of these scholarships, make sure you check the criteria carefully, along with the application closing date.

Big News for International Students: The UK Is Ready to Welcome You!

Criteria for applying for scholarships to study in the UK

The primary requirement for most UK scholarships is a strong academic record. However, eligibility often varies based on factors like the destination, course, and level of study. Here are key considerations:

  1. Academic Excellence: Strong grades are a common requirement, especially for merit-based scholarships.

  2. Course and Level: Scholarships may be specific to certain programs, fields of study, or academic levels (undergraduate, postgraduate).

  3. Extracurricular Involvement: Participation in extracurricular activities or volunteer work can strengthen your application, showcasing your broader skills and interests.

  4. Eligibility Criteria: Each scholarship has unique conditions. Some may require only an application, while others may have additional requirements such as essays, interviews, or written assignments, particularly for research-focused programs.

What amount of money is available through scholarships?

The amount of money available and the type of award varies between institutions. Certain research programs may provide up to 100% of the tuition fee besides covering a part of your living expenditures. You may experience higher competition when applying for government scholarships than university scholarships. So, we suggest you start with the procedure about 8-12 months before your preferred intake begins.

Here are some popular government scholarship programs you can apply to study in the UK as a Sri Lankan student:

S.no.

Name of the scholarship

Description

1

Chevening Scholarship

Supports talented professionals who have shown prior leadership skills and exceptional performance in their respective fields. With Chevening, you can apply for a scholarship or fellowship, the selection of which is done by the high commission and British embassies.

These scholarships are fully funded and include airfare, living expenses and tuition fees

This is available for 12 months (if the duration is 12 months). However, it can be extended after 1 year under the special case that will be approved by FCO

(Source:https://www.chevening.org/current-cheveners/policies/terms-and-conditions-scholarships/)

2

Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship

The commonwealth scholarship aims to give international students from commonwealth countries a chance to pursue postgraduate degrees in the UK. Basically, the scholarship scheme caters to students from commonwealth nations to study in the UK.
Types of scholarship awards:
The Commonwealth Scholarships offers:

• Commonwealth PhD Scholarships

• Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships

• Commonwealth Master's Scholarships

• Commonwealth Shared Scholarships

• Commonwealth Distance learning Scholarships

• Commonwealth Professional Fellowships

3

GREAT Scholarship

This scholarship is jointly funded by the UK Government's GREAT Britain Campaign and the British Council under the Study UK campaign. This program includes 99 postgraduate scholarships from 36 UK universities in a variety of subjects. However, for Sri Lankan students, 12 of the UK higher education institutions are offering 13 postgraduate scholarships. The amount of each scholarship is a minimum of £10,000, equivalent to one year's tuition for a postgraduate (taught) degree.

The application deadline varies as per different institutions, so you need to check the university’s website for the same.

4

Scotland Saltire Scholarships

Scotland’s Saltire Scholarships is a scholarship program of the Scottish Government in collaboration with Scottish universities offered in the areas of creative industries, technology, science, medical sciences, healthcare, and renewable and clean energy.
The scholarships offer up to 50 awards of each £8000 which includes tuition fees for any one year of full-time postgraduate master’s program at any Scottish higher education institution.
Eligible courses (PG Master level courses)

• Science

• Technology

• Healthcare and medicines

• • Creative Industries

Renewable and clean energy

*This is an indicative list, speak with your IDP counsellor for details and the best available options suited to your profile

Also, most UK universities and colleges have a list of scholarships for Sri Lankan students. Don’t worry if you get stuck anywhere, our international education experts will be more than happy to guide you through.