GREAT Scholarships: A Complete Guide for Prospective Applicants

Which Countries Are Eligible for GREAT Scholarships?

Based on official British Council and participating university documentation, confirmed eligible countries include:

• Bangladesh
• China (mainland only)
• Egypt
• Ghana
• India
• Indonesia
• Kenya
• Malaysia
• Mexico
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Spain
• Thailand
• Türkiye
• Vietnam

The British Council's official programme page states 18 countries participate worldwide for 2026-27. I was able to directly confirm 15 of those from official and university sources; a small number of additional country-specific pages may exist that weren't captured in this research. If your country isn't listed above, check the official Study UK GREAT Scholarships page directly before assuming you're ineligible, since the complete list is maintained there and updated each cycle.

Notably absent from any confirmed list: the UAE. If you're a UAE national, this specific scholarship isn't available to you regardless of where you studied or currently live. Eligibility is based on nationality and passport, not country of residence, so a citizen of an eligible country living elsewhere remains eligible, while a UAE national living anywhere else would not be.

What Are GREAT Scholarships?

GREAT Scholarships exist to strengthen educational ties between the UK and a specific set of partner countries, chosen as part of the UK government's broader GREAT Britain Campaign. Rather than one centralised award, GREAT operates as a distributed network, individual UK universities each offer a set number of scholarships to students from specific eligible countries, meaning availability, exact terms, and even which countries a given university supports vary by institution.

What Do GREAT Scholarships Cover?

Each scholarship is worth a minimum of £10,000 toward tuition fees for a one-year postgraduate course. This is applied as a fee deduction directly against your tuition, generally cannot be combined with other scholarships or early payment discounts offered by the same university, and is issued by the individual university after you register, not paid to you directly in cash. Some universities offer more than the £10,000 minimum, so it's worth checking each participating institution's specific offer rather than assuming a flat amount everywhere.

Which Universities Participate?

Participating universities and available scholarship counts change each year and vary by eligible country, some universities offer scholarships to students from a wide range of countries, others focus on just one or two specific nationalities. Institutions that have participated in recent cycles include Anglia Ruskin University, University of Manchester, Imperial College London, University of Glasgow, University of St Andrews, Durham University, and Teesside University, though the exact list, country allocations, and number of scholarships per university differs each year. Always check the official British Council country-specific page for the current, complete list rather than relying on a previous year's participants.

Who Is Eligible for a GREAT Scholarship?

Beyond holding citizenship of an eligible country, common conditions across participating universities include:

Hold a conditional or unconditional offer from the participating UK university for a one-year, full-time taught postgraduate programme, generally excluding MBA and certain professional or research-based courses depending on the specific university

Meet the offer deadline set by your specific university, since this varies by institution and is generally earlier than the general course application deadline

Willingness to attend a networking event for UK-based GREAT scholars, to share experiences and represent the programme

Willingness to maintain contact with the British Council and your university, acting as an informal ambassador for the scholarship after you've received it

How Do I Apply for a GREAT Scholarship?

1. Check the official British Council Study UK GREAT Scholarships page for the current list of eligible countries and participating universities
2. Find which universities currently offer scholarships to citizens of your specific country, since this varies significantly and not every university supports every eligible country
3. Apply for admission to your chosen university's eligible postgraduate course, since holding an offer is generally a prerequisite for the scholarship application itself
4. Submit the university's specific GREAT Scholarship application form, typically sent directly to eligible offer-holders by that university's international office once you've received your offer
5. Meet the university's specific scholarship deadline, which varies by institution, commonly falling between February and April for a September start
6. Await notification, typically communicated by the university, often by late spring for a September start that same year

Because each university runs its own process and deadline rather than one centralised GREAT application, applying broadly to multiple participating universities offering scholarships to your country meaningfully improves your overall chances.

FAQs About GREAT Scholarships

Which countries are eligible for GREAT Scholarships?

Confirmed eligible countries include Bangladesh, China (mainland only), Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Spain, Thailand, Türkiye, and Vietnam, out of 18 countries total according to the British Council. Check the official Study UK page for the complete current list.

Is the UAE on the eligible countries list?

No, based on all sources checked for this guide.

How much is the GREAT Scholarship worth?

A minimum of £10,000 toward tuition fees for a one-year postgraduate course, applied as a fee deduction by the university, with some institutions offering more.

Is there one central application for GREAT Scholarships?

No. Each participating university runs its own application process and deadline for the scholarship, on top of its own standard admissions process.

Can I combine a GREAT Scholarship with another scholarship from the same university?

Generally no. Most universities state the GREAT Scholarship cannot be combined with other scholarships or early payment discounts they separately offer.

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Sources: Official British Council Study UK GREAT Scholarships page, and university-specific GREAT Scholarship pages from the University of Manchester, Anglia Ruskin University, Teesside University, and the University of Edinburgh.