Best UK Scholarships For Indian Students 2025: Apply For Fully Funded Opportunities – News18

Last Updated:March 21, 2025, 13:55 IST

Explore top UK scholarships for Indian students in 2025, including GREAT, Chevening, Commonwealth, and Women in STEM awards.

Studying in the UK is the dream for many international students and each year many students from India go there to study at world-recognised universities and enjoy the cultural diversity of the campuses. What’s important is to be informed on how to make this educational journey accessible to aspiring students.

There are many funding options available for international students who want to study in the UK. They range from part-funding, for example paying part of your fees, to full-funding which covers programme fees, living expenses, and return flights to the UK.

The British Council offers and promotes various scholarships to support students worldwide. Here are scholarships that can help make this dream a reality:

The Great Scholarships 2025: The GREAT Scholarships, offered by the British Council in partnership with the UK government’s GREAT Britain campaign, provide financial support to Indian students pursuing postgraduate studies in the UK. For 2025-26, 26 scholarships are available across various subjects, each worth a minimum of £10,000 towards tuition fees for a one-year master’s programme. These are currently open for Autumn admissions.

These scholarships provide partial or full financial assistance to Indian students with access to top-quality education and valuable cultural experiences. Each scholarship is jointly funded by the UK government’s GREAT Britain Campaign and the British Council with participating UK higher education institutions. For more details, students can visit: https://www.britishcouncil.in/study-uk/scholarships/great-scholarships

Chevening Scholarships: Funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and partner organisations, Chevening Scholarships fully cover tuition, living expenses, and return flights for master’s degrees at any UK university. Awarded to individuals with leadership potential and a commitment to positive change, they also provide access to exclusive networking, internships, and professional development opportunities.

Chevening has been the UK government’s flagship international scholarship scheme aimed at developing global leaders since 1983. Fully funded by the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and partner organisations, Chevening offers two types of awards – Chevening Scholarships and Fellowships – the recipients of which are personally selected by British Embassies and High Commissions throughout the world.

Chevening India programme is the largest in the world offering up to 90 fully paid awards every year.

Scholarships for a one-year master’s degree are given to outstanding Indian graduates with a minimum of two years’ work experience to study any subject of their choice at any recognised University in the UK.,

Fellowships are customised courses aimed at mid-to-senior level professionals who are looking to expand their knowledge and expertise in their specific field of work. The programmes are tailored, short courses which usually run for 8-12 weeks at a designated UK University. Currently fellowships are offered in cyber security, science & innovation, journalism and leadership & excellence.

Commonwealth Scholarships: Commonwealth scholarships are awards for students from Commonwealth countries who lack the financial means to study in the UK.

These scholarships cover tuition fees, airfare, and a living allowance, offered to those who are citizens or permanent residents of a Commonwealth country and hold an undergraduate degree of at least upper second class (2:1). This historic award is the UK’s primary scholarship scheme focused on contributing to the UK’s international development aims, designed to attract outstanding talent to UK universities while supporting sustainable development overseas.

Women In STEM Scholarships: The British Council’s Women in STEM Scholarships support women pursuing postgraduate degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Beyond financial aid, the programme promotes gender equality through mentorship, academic collaboration, and leadership development in traditionally male-dominated fields.

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Charles Wallace India Trust (CWIT) Scholarships: Charles Wallace India Trust provides scholarships for Indian citizens in the early to mid-stages of their careers, enabling them to spend their time in the UK, to achieve artistic, academic, and professional ambitions, and to broaden their international contacts. The scholarships are offered to those applying in the fields of Arts and Heritage conservation as long-term scholarships for maximum one-year study for full time MA course and short-term research grants primarily for academic researchers and working professional in Arts and conservation sectors. Over 40 years, CWIT has awarded around 3,000 grants, with British Council India providing advisory and administrative support.

The UK offers a variety of scholarships, ranging from government-funded programmes to institution-specific awards. Indian students can access financial aid through scholarships, bursaries, and grants offered by UK universities. The British Council also provides resources like pre-departure briefings and accommodation guidance to help plan finances and budgeting for studying abroad.