UK Government Scholarships for International Students 2026: Chevening, Commonwealth & GREAT

When international students say “UK government scholarship”, they usually mean one of three programmes — and confusing them is the fastest way to waste an application season. Chevening funds future leaders for a one-year master’s degree in almost any subject at any UK university. Commonwealth Scholarships fund talented students from eligible Commonwealth countries whose studies will drive development at home, at master’s and PhD level. GREAT Scholarships are smaller — £10,000 towards tuition for a one-year taught postgraduate course — but far more numerous and open to students from a defined list of countries through participating universities. All three are backed by the UK government, all three are genuinely competitive, and each rewards a different kind of applicant.

This guide compares the three schemes side by side for the 2026 cycle and 2026-27 entry: who funds them, who is eligible, exactly what each one covers, when to apply, and how selection actually works. It is written for the students StudyGraduate serves most — applicants from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Nigeria, Indonesia and other eligible countries — who are weighing a fully funded leadership award against a development-focused award against a generous partial award they can combine with a university discount. You can explore the universities these scholarships can take you to in our universities directory, keep the full list of awards in view in the scholarships directory, and check where your target universities sit in the world rankings as you build your three Chevening course choices or your Commonwealth university list.

A note on honesty before the detail. Government scholarships are prestigious precisely because most applicants do not win them. Chevening selects around a small percentage of its global applicant pool each year; Commonwealth awards are filtered first by national nominating agencies in many countries; GREAT Scholarships are allocated per university and per country, sometimes with only one award for your nationality at your chosen institution. None of that should discourage you — every scholar once stood where you are standing — but it should shape your strategy: apply properly, apply early, and always run a parallel plan with university scholarships so that one panel’s decision does not decide your whole year.

UK Government Scholarships at a Glance

The single most important line in that table is the difference between “fully funded” and “£10,000 towards tuition”. Chevening and Commonwealth awards are designed so that a scholar with no personal wealth can complete the degree. A GREAT Scholarship is a substantial discount — often a third to a half of a one-year master’s fee — but you must fund the remainder of the tuition plus all of your living costs yourself, and prove you can do so for your visa. Planning that treats a GREAT award as full funding collapses at the visa stage; planning that treats it as one piece of a funding stack — GREAT plus a university international scholarship plus personal or family funds — works very well.

Chevening: The UK Government’s Global Leadership Scholarship

Chevening is the UK government’s international scholarships programme aimed at developing global leaders. Funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and partner organisations, it offers future leaders, influencers and decision-makers a fully funded one-year master’s degree at any UK university, in any subject — the official Chevening site describes awards that let scholars “develop professionally and academically, network extensively, experience UK culture, and build lasting positive relationships with the UK”, and the alumni network, built over four decades, is a large part of the award’s long-term value in government, business, media, academia and civil society.

Who can apply for Chevening

You must be a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country or territory — a list of more than 160 countries and territories that includes Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Nigeria and Indonesia; citizens of countries that are not on the list, and British citizens or dual British citizens, cannot apply. You must hold an undergraduate degree that enables entry to a UK postgraduate programme — in practice most successful applicants hold the equivalent of a UK upper second-class honours degree or better. You must have at least two years of work experience, which Chevening calculates as 2,800 hours and which can include full-time and part-time employment, voluntary work and paid or unpaid internships completed after your undergraduate degree. You must apply to three different eligible UK university courses and receive an unconditional offer from one of them by the deadline Chevening sets in your cycle. And you must commit to returning to your country of citizenship for at least two years after your award ends. You cannot apply if you have previously studied in the UK on a UK government-funded scholarship, or if you are an employee (or close relative of an employee) of His Majesty’s Government in the categories Chevening lists — read the full eligibility page on chevening.org before you invest in the essays, because these exclusions are applied strictly.

What Chevening covers

Chevening is fully funded. The award covers your full master’s tuition fees (subject to Chevening’s fee cap rules for certain high-cost courses such as MBAs — check the current cap on the official site if you are considering an MBA), a monthly stipend for accommodation and living expenses at a rate that is higher for London, an economy return airfare to the UK, an arrival allowance, a homeward departure allowance, the cost of your Student visa application, the Immigration Health Surcharge, and a grant towards travel to Chevening events in the UK. Because the stipend and fees are paid for you, Chevening scholars do not need to show separate maintenance funds for the visa in the way self-funded students do — the award letter performs that function.

How Chevening selects

Chevening is not an academic-merit contest alone. Applications are read against leadership and networking criteria: you must show, through the four application essays, a clear post-study career plan, evidence of leadership and influence in your work or community so far, a plan for building a network in the UK that serves that career plan, and a reasoned link between your chosen courses and your goals. Longlisted candidates are interviewed at the British embassy or high commission in their country, typically between February and April, and final results follow in June. This is why a candidate with a slightly lower GPA but five years of documented, rising professional responsibility often beats a fresh graduate with perfect grades: Chevening is buying future influence, and your essays must present evidence, not adjectives.

Commonwealth Scholarships: Development-First, Fully Funded

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) provides the UK government’s Commonwealth scholarship scheme, led by international development objectives, and has funded tens of thousands of individuals since 1960. Where Chevening asks “will this person lead?”, the CSC asks “will this person’s study create development impact in their home country, and could they not afford it otherwise?” That difference runs through every stage: the themes, the essays, the nominating process and the selection criteria.

The main Commonwealth routes

Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships support full-time taught master’s study for candidates from eligible low and middle income Commonwealth countries. Commonwealth PhD Scholarships support doctoral study, including a dedicated stream for candidates from the least developed countries and fragile states in the Commonwealth. Commonwealth Shared Scholarships, offered jointly by the CSC and participating UK universities, fund master’s study on an approved list of courses at participating universities, aimed at students from eligible less-developed Commonwealth countries who would not otherwise afford UK study. The CSC also runs fellowships and distance-learning awards in some cycles. Each route has its own page, eligibility list and course rules on cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk — the only authoritative source.

Eligibility and coverage

For the master’s and PhD scholarships you must be a citizen of or hold refugee status from an eligible Commonwealth country (or be a British Protected Person), be permanently resident in an eligible country, hold by the September of entry a first degree of at least upper second class standard — or a second class degree plus a relevant postgraduate qualification — be available to start in the UK that academic year, and be unable to afford to study in the UK without the scholarship. Financial need is a genuine criterion here, not a formality. Coverage under CSC terms includes approved airfare to and from the UK, full tuition fees, a monthly stipend (with a higher London rate), warm clothing allowance, study travel grant, thesis grant for PhD scholars, and child allowance for eligible scholars with children. Confirm the current rates in the cycle’s terms and conditions, because stipend figures are updated annually.

Applications are made through the CSC’s online application system, CSC Central, and — critically — many applicants must also be nominated: for master’s and PhD awards, candidates typically apply both to the CSC and through a nominating agency in their home country (often a ministry or university grants body) or, for some categories, via a selected NGO or university. The nominating agency has its own deadline, which can be earlier than the CSC’s, and only nominated candidates reach the Commission’s final selection. Recent cycles have opened in September and closed in October — for example, the 2026/27 master’s cycle ran from September to October 2026 for September 2027 entry — so treat the autumn as your working window and verify this year’s exact dates on the CSC site the moment applications open. Selection is scored on academic merit, the quality of the study or research plan, and the potential impact on the development of your home country.

GREAT Scholarships: £10,000 Towards a One-Year Master’s

GREAT Scholarships are offered by the British Council’s Study UK campaign together with the UK government’s GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland campaign and participating UK universities. For the 2026-27 academic year, over 140 scholarships are offered by over 60 universities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, for students from 18 countries: Bangladesh, China, Egypt, France, Ghana, Greece, India, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Spain, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam. Each scholarship provides £10,000 towards tuition fees for a wide range of one-year taught postgraduate courses.

There is no central GREAT application portal. You apply to the university for your course, then apply for that university’s GREAT Scholarship for your country following the instructions on the university’s scholarship page — deadlines and application forms are set by each university and differ widely, falling anywhere between January and May for autumn entry. To be eligible you must be a citizen of one of the listed countries, hold an undergraduate degree, be motivated and academically engaged with your chosen subject, and meet the English language requirement of the UK university. GREAT scholars are also expected to act as ambassadors: attend the GREAT welcome and networking events, maintain contact with the British Council, and share their experience with future candidates.

Because each university offers GREAT for specific countries and sometimes specific courses, your first research task is the country page for your nationality on the Study UK website, which lists exactly which universities are offering an award to students from your country this year. A university that offered a GREAT award to Pakistani students last year may offer it to a different country set this year. Nepal, notably, is not on the 2026-27 GREAT country list — Nepali students should focus on Chevening and university scholarships instead, and recheck the list each cycle, because country lists change.

Head-to-Head: Which Government Scholarship Fits You?

Many strong applicants are eligible for more than one scheme in the same year, and nothing stops you applying to Chevening and Commonwealth simultaneously, or holding a GREAT application alongside both as a partial-funding fallback. What you cannot do is hold two full UK government awards for the same degree — if fortune smiles twice, you choose one and release the other promptly so it can be offered to a reserve candidate.

Eligibility Checklist Before You Write a Single Essay

Work through this list honestly. Citizenship: are you a citizen of an eligible country for the scheme, and not disqualified by dual British citizenship or a previous UK government scholarship (Chevening)? Degree: does your qualification meet the stated standard, and can you obtain transcripts and certificates in the format required? Experience: for Chevening, can you document 2,800 hours of post-degree work experience with dates and employers that referees can corroborate? Courses: can you name three eligible UK master’s courses (Chevening) or a development-aligned programme (Commonwealth) and show why each fits your plan? Home commitment: can you write credibly about returning and applying the degree — Chevening requires a two-year return, and the CSC scores development impact? Finance: for GREAT, can you evidence the remaining tuition and full living costs for your visa? If any answer is no, fix that first; panels detect unexamined applications quickly.

Students weighing university choices for these schemes can compare departments at the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Manchester and King’s College London — all frequent destinations for government scholars — and use our test preparation hub if your chosen university requires an English test score with your course application.

How to Apply, Step by Step

For Chevening: (1) Check eligibility on chevening.org, including your country page for any country-specific rules. (2) Research and choose three eligible one-year master’s courses; apply to the universities in parallel — you will need one unconditional offer by Chevening’s July deadline. (3) Complete the Chevening online application when it opens, including the four essays on leadership, networking, career plan and course choice. (4) Upload your passport, degree documents and transcripts as instructed. (5) If longlisted, attend the interview at your embassy or high commission with your documents. (6) Receive results, secure your unconditional offer, complete Chevening’s pre-departure and visa steps.

For Commonwealth: (1) Find your route — Master’s, PhD or Shared — on cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk and confirm your country is eligible and which nominating agency handles your category. (2) Apply for admission to your UK university or universities in parallel. (3) Complete the CSC Central application, including your study/research plan and development impact statements, and obtain references through the system. (4) Submit any nominating agency application by its own, often earlier, deadline. (5) Await nomination and Commission selection; results are communicated by the CSC, typically in the summer before entry.

For GREAT: (1) Open the Study UK country page for your nationality and list the universities offering GREAT to your country this year. (2) Apply for a one-year taught postgraduate course at your chosen university and secure an offer. (3) Submit the university’s GREAT Scholarship application by its stated deadline, usually with a short statement. (4) If awarded, the £10,000 is applied to your tuition; arrange the balance and your maintenance funds for your CAS and visa.

Required Documents

Across the three schemes you will need: a valid passport; degree certificates and full transcripts (with certified English translations where the originals are not in English); two references — academic and/or professional depending on the scheme, and for Chevening, referees who can evidence your leadership claims; a current CV; your university offer letter(s) at the stage the scheme requires them; and for Commonwealth applications, evidence supporting your statements about financial circumstances and development impact where requested. Chevening additionally requires you to list your work experience with hours that sum to at least 2,800 — build that calculation carefully from employment letters, contracts or payslips before you type it into the form, because discrepancies between your essays, your CV and your documents are a common reason for rejection at the eligibility sift.

Deadlines and Timeline for the 2026 Cycle

Cycle dates are set annually by each scheme and were confirmed against the schemes’ published patterns at the time of writing; the 2027-cycle dates for some routes had not all been published yet. The exact closing date and time on the official page for your scheme and country is the only deadline that counts — diarise it, and submit at least 48 hours early.

How to Improve Your Chances

For Chevening, write essays that a sceptical reader can verify: name the project you led, the team size, the budget or reach, the measurable outcome, and what you learned when something failed. Choose courses that form a ladder — each of your three choices should teach a named skill your career plan needs, at universities whose strengths match that skill, whether that is the University of Manchester for development policy or King’s College London for global health. For Commonwealth, make the development impact arithmetic explicit: who benefits, how many, through what mechanism, within what timeframe after you return, and which home institution or policy your work connects to. For GREAT, apply to universities where your grades comfortably exceed the course requirement — GREAT panels reward applicants the university most wants to enrol — and write the ambassador statement as seriously as the academic one, because willingness to represent the programme is a stated criterion. Across all three: ask referees early, give them your essays and a deadline a week before the real one, and proofread against the scheme’s own vocabulary — leadership and influence for Chevening, development impact for the CSC, engagement and ambassadorship for GREAT.

Common Mistakes

Applying to Chevening with fewer than 2,800 documented hours of work experience, or counting experience gained before your undergraduate degree where the rules exclude it. Choosing three Chevening courses that are ineligible — part-time, distance-learning, longer than one year, or below master’s level. Missing a Commonwealth nominating agency deadline while meeting the CSC’s own deadline, and so never being nominated at all. Writing a Commonwealth study plan with no development impact section that a scorer can reward. Assuming a GREAT Scholarship covers living costs, and arriving at the visa application without maintenance funds. Applying for GREAT at a university that is not offering it to your country this year. And the universal mistake: starting the essays in the final week. Every one of these schemes can be researched months before applications open — the winners almost always did.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Chevening fully funded, and what exactly does it pay for?

Yes. Chevening covers full master’s tuition fees (subject to a cap for certain courses such as MBAs), a monthly living stipend with a higher London rate, economy return airfare, arrival and departure allowances, your Student visa fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge. Confirm the current fee-cap rules on chevening.org if your course is unusually expensive.

Can I apply for Chevening without work experience if my grades are excellent?

No. A minimum of two years’ work experience — 2,800 hours — is an eligibility requirement, not a preference. It can include part-time work, volunteering and internships undertaken after your undergraduate degree, but it must be documented. If you do not yet meet it, build the experience and apply in a later cycle; Chevening has no upper age limit.

What is the difference between Commonwealth Master’s and Commonwealth Shared Scholarships?

Both are fully funded master’s awards from the CSC. The Master’s Scholarships are open across eligible courses and universities and usually route through a nominating agency. Shared Scholarships are offered jointly with participating universities for a specific approved list of courses, aimed at students from eligible less-developed Commonwealth countries, and you apply for the approved course and scholarship together.

Does the GREAT Scholarship cover living expenses?

No. A GREAT Scholarship is £10,000 towards tuition fees for a one-year taught postgraduate course. You must fund the remaining tuition and all living costs yourself and evidence those funds for your Student visa. Many students combine GREAT with a university’s own international scholarship to reduce the tuition balance further — check whether your university allows the two to be held together.

Can I apply for Chevening and Commonwealth in the same year?

Yes. The schemes are separate, with separate applications, and many candidates apply to both. You cannot hold two full UK government awards for the same programme of study, so if you are selected for both you must choose one and decline the other promptly.

Is Nepal eligible for all three UK government scholarships?

Nepal is a Chevening-eligible country and a Commonwealth member, so Nepali citizens can apply for Chevening and, subject to the CSC’s country list for the cycle, Commonwealth awards. Nepal was not among the 18 countries listed for GREAT Scholarships in 2026-27, so Nepali applicants should not plan around a GREAT award unless a future cycle adds Nepal — always check the current Study UK list.

Do these scholarships require IELTS?

The schemes themselves do not set a universal IELTS requirement — Chevening explicitly does not require a test score with its application — but your university course almost certainly has an English language condition that you must meet for your offer to become unconditional. Meet the university’s requirement by its deadline using a test or alternative the university accepts.

When will I hear the result of my application?

Chevening interviews run roughly February to April with final results in June. Commonwealth results follow nomination and Commission selection, typically communicated in the summer before September entry. GREAT decisions are made by each university, usually within a few weeks of its own scholarship deadline. All dates are per-cycle; the official pages carry the current timetable.

Sources & Verification

Prepared from official sources checked at the time of writing: Chevening — scholarships, eligibility and application guidance; Commonwealth Scholarship Commission — scholarship pages for Master’s, PhD and Shared Scholarships; British Council Study UK — GREAT Scholarships, including the 2026-27 country list, the figure of over 140 scholarships at over 60 universities, and the £10,000 tuition contribution; UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office programme descriptions.

Disclaimer: Scholarship amounts, deadlines, eligible country lists and eligibility rules change every year. Always confirm the current deadlines, amounts and conditions on the official website — chevening.org, cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk or study-uk.britishcouncil.org — before applying. StudyGraduate is an information portal, not an agency, university or government body: we never promise selection, admission or visa approval, and no scholarship outcome can be guaranteed.