How much can scholarships reduce the total cost of a Master's in the UK or UAE?
Scholarships can shave anywhere from 3,000 pounds off your tuition to reducing your entire Master's cost to zero, in both the UK and the UAE, depending on whether you land a partial award or a fully funded one covering tuition, living stipend, housing, and flights.
Scholarships can shave anywhere from £3,000 off your tuition to reducing your entire Master's cost to zero, in both the UK and the UAE, depending on whether you land a partial award or a fully funded one. In the UK, prestigious fully funded schemes like Chevening or Gates Cambridge cover tuition plus a stipend of £15,000 to £18,000+ a year; in the UAE, universities like Khalifa University and MBZUAI offer full rides including a monthly allowance of AED 4,000 to AED 8,000.
Scholarship Impact: UK vs UAE
| Scholarship Type | UK Cost Reduction | UAE Cost Reduction | What It Typically Covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Partial Merit / University Grants | £3,000 to £20,000 | 15% to 50% tuition waiver | A portion of tuition fees only |
| Fully Funded Schemes | 100% of total cost | 100% of total cost | Full tuition, living stipend, housing, and flights |
Where to Look for Each Type
- UK partial awards: GREAT Scholarships (£10,000), Saltire Scholarships (£8,000), and university-specific grants like Bristol's Think Big (up to £20,000)
- UK fully funded schemes: Chevening, Commonwealth, and Gates Cambridge, which can bring your total Master's cost down to £0
- UAE partial waivers: offered by branch campuses such as American University of Sharjah, Heriot-Watt University Dubai, and UOWD, typically 15% to 50% off tuition
- UAE full rides: Khalifa University, UAE University, and the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence offer full tuition waivers plus housing and a monthly allowance, mainly for STEM and AI fields
My Advice
Apply to both a fully funded scheme and two or three partial scholarships in parallel, since the fully funded ones are extremely competitive and you do not want your entire budget resting on one outcome. Tell us your field of study and target country and we will shortlist which of these specific scholarships you are actually eligible to apply for this cycle.
More expert answers
Yes, scholarships are available to help reduce tuition fees for Master's studies in both the UK and UAE.
For the UK:
- UCL India Excellence Scholarship: £5,000 for Indian students with top academic records.
- UCL Global Master's Scholarship: £15,000 for international students from lower-income backgrounds.
- Commonwealth Master's Scholarship: Fully funded, covers tuition, airfare, and stipend for eligible Indian citizens.
- GREAT Scholarships - India: £10,000 towards tuition for one-year postgraduate courses.
For the UAE:
- University of Manchester Global Futures Scholarship: £10,000 for international students from the UAE.
- Queen Mary University of London Global Talent Scholarship: £5,000 for high-achieving postgraduate students.
Scholarship amounts and deadlines are subject to change. For personalized guidance on current opportunities and next steps, please connect with your LeapScholar counsellor.
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