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    Top UK University Scholarships for Indian Students (2026)

    By Lightning Enrolment Editorial TeamPublished Updated 9 min read

    Reviewed against official UK university and UKVI sources. See oureditorial policy.

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    UK Scholarships for Indian Students in 2026

    Indian students are eligible for more UK scholarships than any other nationality in 2026. This guide covers every major government, foundation and university award open to Indian applicants for September 2026 and January 2027 entry.

    Government and foundation scholarships

    1. Chevening Scholarship (India)

  1. What: Full Master's funding (tuition + return flights + GBP 1,400 monthly stipend)
  2. Eligibility: Indian citizen, 2+ years work experience, Bachelor's degree, willing to return to India for 2 years
  3. Deadline: 5 November 2025 for September 2026 entry
  4. Apply at: chevening.org/india

    5. 2. Commonwealth Shared Scholarship

  5. What: Full Master's funding (tuition + flights + stipend)
  6. Eligibility: Indian national, financial need, applying to selected courses
  7. Deadline: October 2025
  8. Apply at: cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk

    9. 3. GREAT Scholarships India

  9. What: GBP 10,000 toward Master's tuition
  10. 2026 partner universities: Bristol, Cardiff, Coventry, Exeter, Lincoln, Liverpool, Northumbria, Sheffield, Strathclyde, Sussex
  11. Deadline: Varies, April-June 2026
  12. Apply at: study-uk.britishcouncil.org

    13. 4. Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation

  13. What: Up to USD 100,000 for outstanding Indian students
  14. Eligibility: Indian citizen under 30, top-10 percent academic record, admission to a globally top university
  15. Deadline: March 2026
  16. Apply at: inlaksfoundation.org

    17. 5. Charles Wallace India Trust

  17. What: GBP 6,000 for Master's, research and short stays in arts, heritage, humanities
  18. Deadline: October 2025

    19. 6. Felix Scholarship (SOAS, Reading, Oxford)

  19. What: Full funding for Indian students (Master's or PhD) — tuition + stipend + flights
  20. Deadline: January 2026

    21. University-specific scholarships for Indian students

    UniversityScholarshipAward (2026)Notes

    |---|---|---|---|

    University of WarwickChancellor's InternationalFull tuitionPhD and selected PGUniversity of EdinburghGlobal Online LearningGBP 5,000PG online and on-campusUniversity of ManchesterGlobal Futures ScholarshipGBP 3,000-5,000UG and PG, automaticUniversity of BristolThink Big ScholarshipGBP 6,500-13,000UG and PG, application requiredUniversity of BirminghamGlobal Masters ScholarshipGBP 2,000-10,000PG onlyUniversity of LeedsIndia ScholarshipGBP 2,000-3,000Auto on offerUniversity of SheffieldInternational MeritGBP 5,000-10,000Auto on offerUniversity of GlasgowInternational LeadershipGBP 10,000High-grade PG applicantsQueen Mary University of LondonInternational ExcellenceGBP 5,000UG and PGKing's College LondonInternational Hardship FundUp to GBP 3,000PG, financial needLSEMaster's Awards (India)Partial tuitionApplication requiredUniversity of SouthamptonPresidential InternationalGBP 3,000Auto on offerUniversity of NottinghamDeveloping Solutions India50-100 percent tuitionPG, application requiredUniversity of LiverpoolInternational AdvancementGBP 2,500-5,000Auto on offerLancaster UniversityIndia ScholarshipGBP 4,000-5,000PG, Indian nationals onlyUniversity of SussexChancellor's InternationalGBP 5,000-10,000High-grade applicantsUniversity of SurreyChancellor's InternationalGBP 5,000UG and PGUniversity of ReadingIndia ScholarshipGBP 3,000Auto on offerUniversity of YorkInternational Master'sGBP 4,000-5,000PG, auto on offerCardiff UniversityVice-Chancellor's India ScholarshipGBP 4,000PG, auto on offerUniversity of ExeterGlobal Excellence IndiaGBP 5,000-7,000UG and PGAston UniversityIndia ExcellenceGBP 4,000-5,000One per courseCoventry UniversityIndia Country ScholarshipGBP 2,000-3,000Auto on offerUniversity of HertfordshireChancellor's IndiaGBP 2,500-5,000Top CBSE/ISC gradesDe Montfort UniversityIndia ScholarshipGBP 2,000-3,000Auto on offerBrunel University LondonVice-Chancellor'sGBP 5,000-6,000High-grade applicantsNottingham Trent UniversityInternational ScholarshipGBP 2,000-3,000Auto on offer

    How to maximise your funding

  21. Stack scholarships: Most university awards combine with Chevening, GREAT or Inlaks — confirm with the funding office.
  22. Apply by April 2026: Many automatic awards are capped and run out before the September intake.
  23. Pay early deposit: Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Coventry give 5-10 percent fee discounts for early deposits.
  24. Apply for India-specific awards first: Smaller applicant pools mean better odds than open international scholarships.

    25. How Lightning Enrolment helps you find scholarships

  25. India-filtered scholarship feed: Only awards open to Indian nationals for your level and field
  26. Eligibility-matched scholarships: Our checker only shows awards where your Class 12, CGPA and IELTS actually qualify
  27. Deadline reminders: Automatic notifications for the universities on your shortlist
  28. Free document review: Our admissions team reviews your personal statement and CV before submission

    29. Find scholarships for your profile → — free, results in 60 seconds.

    *Sources: chevening.org/india page (April 2026), cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk eligibility table, study-uk.britishcouncil.org GREAT 2026, inlaksfoundation.org applications page, individual university scholarship pages (verified May 2026).*

    Need help checking your eligibility?

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    📍 Entry Requirements by Country

    Check country-specific UK university entry requirements:

    🇮🇳 India🇳🇬 Nigeria🇵🇰 Pakistan🇧🇩 Bangladesh🇨🇳 China🇬🇭 Ghana🇰🇪 Kenya🇦🇪 UAEView all countries →

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What are the biggest UK scholarships for Indian students in 2026?+

    Chevening India (full Master's funding), Commonwealth Shared Scholarship (full funding for selected courses), GREAT Scholarships India (GBP 10,000 at 10 partner universities) and Inlaks Shivdasani (up to USD 100,000) are the four biggest external awards open to Indian nationals. Most UK universities also offer GBP 2,000-10,000 automatic merit scholarships.

    When is the Chevening India deadline for 2026 entry?+

    Chevening applications for September 2026 entry closed on 5 November 2025. The next cycle (for September 2027) will open in August 2026.

    Which UK universities give the best scholarships to Indian students?+

    Warwick (full Chancellor's tuition), Nottingham (50-100 percent Developing Solutions India), Bristol (GBP 6,500-13,000 Think Big), Glasgow (GBP 10,000 International Leadership) and Sheffield (GBP 5,000-10,000 International Merit) are among the most generous for 2026 Indian applicants.

    Can Indian Bachelor's graduates apply for Chevening?+

    Yes. Chevening requires a Bachelor's degree (3 or 4-year accepted), at least 2 years of work experience and intent to return to India for 2 years after the Master's. There is no age limit.

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