Quick Read
- August to October 2026 is peak season: Chevening, Commonwealth, and GREAT all open then.
- Chevening 2027 entry closes 6 October 2026, fully funded up to Rs.45 lakh.
- Commonwealth needs no work experience; SAKSHAT window closes mid-October 2026.
- Felix Scholarship is India-only, fully funded, but only has 5 seats each year.
Types of UK Scholarships for Indian Students
UK scholarships for Indian students fall into three broad categories, and knowing which one you’re chasing decides your entire application timeline.
| Type | What It Covers | Who Offers It |
| Fully funded | Tuition + living stipend + airfare | UK government, Commonwealth, select universities |
| Tuition-only | GBP 1,500-30,000 toward fees | British Council, individual universities |
| Living stipend only | Monthly allowance; tuition funded separately | Research councils, departmental grants |
Counselor insight: Chevening, a university’s own merit award, and a subject-specific scholarship like Felix are not mutually exclusive. Apply to all three if you qualify; they run on different timelines and different committees.
Not sure which of these fits your profile? See what our counselors say on scholarships for your specific profile in the UK.
Government-Funded UK Scholarships for Indian Students
1. Chevening Scholarship (2027 Entry)
| Detail | Information |
| Funding type | Fully funded |
| Covers | Tuition, monthly living allowance, return airfare, arrival grant |
| Value (approx.) | Rs.29.7-45.2 lakh (GBP 23,000-35,000) |
| Level | One-year taught Master’s only |
| Work experience required | 2,800 hours (part-time and voluntary hours count) |
| Academic requirement | Bachelor’s equivalent to a UK 2:1 (usually 55-65% from an Indian university; check your target university’s equivalency page) |
| Applications open | August 2026 |
| Deadline | 6 October 2026, 11:00 UTC |
| Interviews | March-April 2027 |
| Results | June 2027 |
Chevening also requires a minimum 2-year return to India after the award ends. Not eligible: under 2 years’ work experience, already enrolled in a UK program, or not a resident of your home country.
Counselor insight: Apply to Chevening and to at least three UK universities at the same time. You should have one unconditional offer in hand before Chevening finalizes its decision.
Full guide: Chevening Scholarships for Indian students | Source: Chevening official timeline
2. Commonwealth Scholarship (2027-28 Cycle)
Apply through the Ministry of Education, not directly to the CSC.
| Detail | Information |
| Funding type | Fully funded |
| Covers | Full tuition + living stipend + airfare |
| Value (approx.) | Rs.24.5-40 lakh (GBP 19,000-31,000) per year |
| Levels available | Master’s and PhD |
| Academic requirement | UK 2:1 equivalent (60% or above) |
| Work experience required | Not required for the master’s route |
| Application route | You must complete both the CSC’s central portal and the Ministry of Education’s SAKSHAT portal; missing either one disqualifies your application |
| Cycle window | August/September to mid-October 2026 |
| Results | July 2027; course starts September/October 2027 |
Counselor insight: The SAKSHAT and CSC deadlines are two separate submissions. Complete it on the day the portal opens, not the final week.
Full guide: Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship for Indian students
3. GREAT Scholarship
| Detail | Information |
| Funding type | Partial tuition |
| Covers | Rs.12.9 lakh (GBP 10,000) toward fees |
| Level | One-year taught Master’s |
| Participating universities | 60+ UK institutions, 18 eligible countries including India |
| Application | Through your chosen university, tied to your master’s admission |
| Timeline | Master’s application can go in from August 2026; the GREAT decision itself typically follows January-June 2027, varying by university |
Full guide: GREAT Scholarship for Indian students
4. Felix Scholarship
India-only and fully funded, Felix is one of the least-contested UK scholarships for Indian students simply because most eligible students never apply.
| Detail | Information |
| Funding type | Fully funded |
| Covers | Full tuition + living costs (approx. Rs.24.5 lakh, GBP 19,000 at Oxford) + return airfare |
| Universities | Oxford, SOAS, University of Reading |
| Awards per year | Only 5, across all three universities combined |
| Eligibility | First-class degree, genuine financial need |
| Deadline (2027 entry) | Oxford: December 2026 or January 2027 (course-specific); SOAS and Reading: expected January-March 2027 |
Full guide: Felix Scholarship eligibility and application
5. Rhodes and Gates Cambridge
Two of the most prestigious UK scholarships for Indian students, each restricted to a single university.
| Scholarship | University | Covers | Window (2027 entry) |
| Rhodes Scholarship | Oxford | Full tuition + Rs.26.3 lakh/year stipend (GBP 20,400) | India constituency: opened 1 June, closes 23 July 2026, 23:59 IST. 5 awards nationwide |
| Gates Cambridge Scholarship | Cambridge | Full tuition + Rs.27.1 lakh/year stipend + airfare | Opens September 2026; December or January 2027 deadline (course-dependent) |
Time-sensitive: If you’re reading this page before 23 July 2026, Rhodes is still open, but only for days. No late submissions; if you miss it, you will have to wait a full year.
University and Level-Specific UK Scholarships for Indian Students
Most of these are automatic on application; you rarely need a separate scholarship form.
| Scholarship | University | Award (INR approx.) | Level |
| UCL India Excellence Scholarship | UCL | Rs.6.45 lakh | Master’s, India-specific |
| UCL Global Masters Scholarship | UCL | Rs.12.9 lakh | Master’s |
| Edinburgh Global Scholarship | Edinburgh | Rs.12.9 lakh | Master’s |
| Bristol Think Big Award | Bristol | Rs.8.4-38.7 lakh | UG + PG |
| Nottingham Undergraduate Excellence Award | Nottingham | Up to Rs.9.03 lakh | UG |
| Birmingham Global Scholarship | Birmingham | Rs.1.94 lakh fee reduction | UG |
Also see: University of Hertfordshire partial-tuition awards for PG students.
Counselor insight: Do not skip the “personal statement” field even when a scholarship claims to be automatic. Bristol and Edinburgh admissions officers have both confirmed to Leap counselors that this text decides borderline awards.
| Level | Best Routes | Guide |
| Master’s | Chevening, Commonwealth, GREAT, Felix, UCL/Edinburgh/Bristol awards | Scholarships for Master’s in UK |
| PhD | Commonwealth PhD, Clarendon (Oxford), Gates Cambridge, UKRI-funded posts | Top PhD Scholarships in UK |
| MBA | Chevening (for one-year MBAs), LBS/Warwick/Imperial merit awards (Rs.6.45-25.8 lakh) | Scholarship for MBA in UK |
Documents Required for UK Scholarships for Indian Students
This same document set recurs across almost every application for UK scholarships for Indian students.
| Document | India-Specific Detail |
| Consolidated marksheet | Semester-wise, not just the final year |
| Provisional or degree certificate | Request from your registrar 6+ weeks before any deadline |
| Two letters of recommendation | At least one academic referee |
| Statement of purpose | Rewrite for each scholarship; do not reuse a generic SOP |
| IELTS or TOEFL score | Book IELTS UKVI if you also need it for your visa |
| Valid passport | Check expiry covers your full course duration |
| Proof of work experience | Required for Chevening (2,800 hours); not for Commonwealth Master’s |
| Financial background statement | Required for Felix and Commonwealth |
| Research proposal | Required for most PhD applications at Oxford and Cambridge |
Visa reference: UK Student Visa Fee Update 2026
See what our counselors say about how the UK scholarship process actually works if you’re applying for the first time.
Month-by-Month Calendar for UK Scholarships for Indian Students
| When | What to Do |
| June-July 2026 | Shortlist universities and scholarships; start SOP drafts |
| August 2026 | Chevening portal opens; Commonwealth CSC and SAKSHAT portals open |
| September-mid Oct 2026 | Submit Chevening (6 Oct) and Commonwealth (mid-Oct) applications; request marksheets |
| Nov-Dec 2026 | Rhodes interviews/results; Oxford Felix and some Gates Cambridge deadlines |
| Jan-Mar 2027 | SOAS/Reading Felix deadlines; most GREAT decisions; Gates Cambridge January deadline |
| Mar-Jun 2027 | Chevening interviews and results; Commonwealth results |
| Jul-Aug 2027 | Confirm offer, book IELTS UKVI, apply for the UK Student visa |
What to Do When UK Scholarships for Indian Students Applications Go Wrong
| Situation | What to Do |
| Missed the Chevening deadline | No recourse this cycle. Apply to GREAT and university awards instead and reapply to Chevening next year. |
| Rejected after shortlisting | Reapply next cycle. Most rejections trace to weak leadership essays or a vague return plan, not academics. |
| Your IELTS score is below the requirement. | Meet your university’s threshold, not a scholarship minimum. Most master’s degrees require an overall score of 6.5-7.0; retake quickly if you do not meet this requirement. |
| Delayed marksheet or certificate | Request an official registrar letter confirming degree completion; UK universities handle such requests regularly. |
| Visa refusal after an offer | Contact your scholarship body immediately. Chevening runs a deferral process for genuine visa complications. |
Visa guidance: Study in UK for Indian Students: Requirements
3 Key Takeaways on UK Scholarships for Indian Students
- Match your profile to one primary scholarship first. With 2,800 hours of work experience, target Chevening (apply Aug-Oct 2026). Recent graduates should aim at automatic merit awards (UCL, Edinburgh, Bristol). Strong academics plus genuine financial need points to the underused Felix Scholarship.
- Book IELTS UKVI well before your first deadline. It satisfies both your university’s admission requirement and the UK Student visa test in one sitting.
- Request your marksheet and provisional certificate six weeks early. Delayed Indian university paperwork is the single most common reason applicants miss deadlines.
Have questions about UK scholarships for Indian students? Book a free session with a LeapScholar counselor.
Frequently Asked Questions About UK Scholarships for Indian Students
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Can Indian students get a scholarship in the UK?
Yes. Indian students regularly win UK government scholarships (Chevening, Commonwealth), university-specific awards (UCL, Bristol, Edinburgh), and India-only schemes like Felix. Your eligibility depends on your course level, academic record, and sometimes work experience.
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How can I get a 100% scholarship in the UK?
Aim for the fully funded routes: Chevening, Commonwealth, Felix, Rhodes, Clarendon, or Gates Cambridge. These cover tuition, living costs, and airfare, but each has its own strict bar on work experience, marks, or your target university.
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How do I qualify for a scholarship in the UK?
You need a genuine university offer, marks equivalent to a UK 2:1 or higher, and for some awards, work experience or a first-class degree. Every scholarship also sets its subject, citizenship, or income criteria on top of these requirements.
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Which UK universities offer full scholarships?
Oxford (Clarendon, Rhodes, Felix), Cambridge (Gates Cambridge), and SOAS and Reading (Felix) all offer fully funded routes for Indian students. Most other universities, including UCL and Bristol, offer partial tuition awards rather than full funding.
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How much CGPA is required for a UK scholarship?
Most UK scholarships expect a UK 2:1 equivalent, roughly 60%, or a 6.5-7.0 CGPA from an Indian university. More competitive awards like Clarendon, Rhodes, and Gates Cambridge expect first-class marks, closer to an 8.5 CGPA and above.
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How do I check my scholarship eligibility?
Check the eligibility criteria on the scholarship’s own page, whether that’s Chevening, the CSC, or a university’s funding page. Match it against your degree, marks, work experience, and intended course level before you apply.
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Do UK scholarships require UK citizenship?
No. Most UK scholarships for Indian students exist specifically for international or Commonwealth applicants, not UK citizens. Chevening, Commonwealth, and Felix are all specifically for overseas students.
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Are there UK scholarships for Indian students at the undergraduate level?
Yes, though government scholarships are mostly postgraduate. Options include the Bristol Think Big Award (Rs.8.4-38.7 lakh per year), Nottingham’s Undergraduate Excellence Award (up to Rs.9.03 lakh), and Birmingham’s Global Scholarship (Rs.1.94 lakh reduction in fees).
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