When applying to the UK for an undergraduate degree, there are two major ways in which students can receive monetary support: Scholarships and Bursaries. Here’s a quick overview of what they are:

Scholarships

Scholarships are grants or payments made to students as a reward for their academic merit or need for financial assistance on their college tuition. Universities in the UK offer various scholarships for domestic as well as international students. Most universities automatically consider all students for the merit-based scholarship and no separate application is required to be filled. On the other hand, some universities may ask students to fill out a form to apply for scholarships. Details about scholarships and its criteria for international students can be found on each university’s respective website. 

The scholarship criterion may include the following:

• Nationality
• The course the student will be pursuing
• Academic and extracurricular merit
• Ethnicity, and other similar factors

For example, some universities offer scholarships only to Music students, or only to students from a particular country. Therefore, before applying to any university, students should thoroughly research and understand their eligibility for the scholarships offered. 

Bursaries

Bursaries are grants made to students who have financial constraints and cannot afford to pay their tuition fees. Similar to scholarships, many universities offer numerous bursaries to domestic and international students alike. Bursaries can range from small portions of the tuition to the entire amount. They may also cover living expenses and other academic expenses. To apply for these bursaries, students will have to submit their financial documents so the universities can assess the student’s eligibility.

Apart from universities, numerous private institutions offer scholarships to students for their undergraduate studies in the UK. For example, the British council in India and other such organisations offer such scholarships. Students should make sure they explore these options before applying.

If you have any questions about funding, reach out to our counselors at UniRely. For more information about the application process to universities in the UK for an undergraduate degree, please visit unirely.com.