We at Blue Sky Study appreciate that studying in the UK, although offering exceptional value for money when considering the benefits students can gain from it, does require a substantial amount of funding. Therefore, we have provided this introduction to UK scholarships, explaining how they work, which students might be eligible and how they can be applied for. Also in this section we have compiled an up to date list of scholarship opportunities available to Chinese students taking undergraduate or postgraduate courses in the UK.
· Introduction to UK scholarships
A scholarship is a form of financial assistance awarded to students. They can range from a small allowance towards the cost of tuition fees, books or equipment all the way up to full scholarships, covering a student’s entire tuition fees, accommodation costs and general living expenses plus possibly even air tickets for overseas students.
In the UK, scholarships are generally only awarded to very talented and/or underprivileged students taking academic or vocational courses at universities as well as further and higher education colleges. They are available from a variety of sources, including the education institutions themselves plus charitable, professional, commercial, governmental and other organisations in the UK.
At this point, it is worth pointing out that the UK is very different to the USA in terms of higher education funding and scholarships. Universities in the USA do not receive significant government funding. Every student in the USA, whether from the USA or overseas, is obliged to pay the full cost of their higher education. In order to address the problem of only students from wealthy families being able to afford to go to university and largely excluding students coming from poorer backgrounds; a wide range of scholarship opportunities are available to students studying in the USA. In contrast, students from the UK and other EU (European Union) member states studying at UK universities do not have to pay full tuition fees, as universities in the UK still receive a certain level of government funding. Hence the number and value of available UK scholarships is significantly lower than in the USA.
Prior to 1997, UK students studying in the UK did not have to pay for higher education. In 1997 the UK government introduced partial payment of tuition fees for UK students. Since then the level of these fees has increased but is still limited to a fixed amount, set by the government and National Assemblies of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. For many years now there has been much debate about whether UK universities should be allowed to set their own level of tuition fees for all students. Some people speculate that in the near future the UK will steadily phase out higher education government funding, moving towards a system similar to the USA. However for now, scholarships for students studying in the UK, although becoming increasingly more widespread and available, are still fairly few and far between. Therefore there is much competition for UK scholarships and consequently they are very hard to obtain.
· What UK scholarships are available to Chinese students?
Not all UK scholarships are available to overseas students. However, the UK has a long history and tradition of educating many of today’s and yesteryear’s world leaders in business, politics, science, technology and many other industries and professions. The natural desire to continue this tradition drives the need for scholarship awarding bodies to offer incentives that can help the UK to attract high quality students from around the world with the potential to be the leaders of tomorrow.
UK universities, colleges and other organisations offer financial assistance to students that may have or are having difficulties funding their studies. Such awards are commonly referred to as “bursaries”. Bursaries can be offered to all students, including overseas (non-EU) students. However, bursaries of this type are often only available to students that have already begun their degree course otherwise only available once a student has at least accepted an offer of a place on a course. Because all overseas (non-EU) students need to prove that they can fully fund themselves for their full length of study in the UK, covering tuition fees and all costs of living, when applying for a student visa; overseas (non-EU) students will have greater difficulty proving they are struggling to finance their studies.
Alternatively, overseas (non-EU) students holding student visas who need additional funding are permitted to work part-time, up to 20 hours/week, during term time and full-time during holiday periods. However, when applying for a student visa, before traveling to the UK, these students must be able to prove they can fund their studies without having to work.
Consequently, overseas (non-EU) students normally only apply for scholarships awarded on the basis of high academic performance. Note that in place of or in addition to high academic achievement, high personal achievement in areas such as sport, music, contribution to society, etc. is also commonly used to measure students’ eligibility for certain scholarships. However, because of the limited number of scholarships for students in the UK, only students with exceptional academic backgrounds and/or outstanding records of achievement in other areas stand a good chance of being successful.
Scholarships are often offered only to students within a certain demographic group, i.e. only female students, only students aged below 25 or only students from a certain country. Furthermore, scholarships are commonly restricted by the chosen subject of study, level of study (note that the majority of UK scholarships are only available to postgraduate students) and regional location within the UK, i.e. only students studying in Scotland.
This website provides a list of scholarships available to Chinese students studying in the UK, giving details of their value, awarding body, eligibility criteria and application dates and procedures. To view click here:
· Applying for UK scholarships
The process of applying to study in the UK at undergraduate or postgraduate level may seem rather daunting and complicated to many overseas students. However, applying for scholarships to study in the UK is probably even more demanding. This should not, however, deter any student from making an application if they feel they meet the necessary requirements.
The application process varies between scholarships. The process usually involves an application form the student must complete and sometimes an interview. Students will be required to prove that they are both eligible for and worthy of the scholarship being applied for. This involves providing proof of academic qualifications and other achievements as well as giving reasons for the application and why the student believes they should be considered for the scholarship.
Application dates are of particular importance. Some scholarships can be applied for before a student has been accepted onto a course, whilst others are only for students that have already begun their course, with some only available to students in their final year of a course. Either way, late applications, received after the application deadline stand little or no chance of being successful.
This website provides a list of scholarships available to Chinese students studying in the UK, giving details of application dates and procedures. To view click here:
For information about student visas:
For information about the general cost of living in the UK:
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