Fully-Funded PhD in UK for International Students

Many international students want to complete their PhD education in the United Kingdom. However, most of them fail to pursue their higher education due to expense-related problems as tuition fees at reputed universities in the UK are undoubtedly super expensive. According to the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA), international students are required to pay anywhere from GBP 10,000 to GBP 50,000 per year in tuition fees, depending on the university and course. This is where the fully funded PhD opportunities come into the picture. There are numerous fully funded scholarships for PhD available in the UK for international students so that they don’t face tremendous financial issues. In this blog, we will discuss some important pieces of information regarding fully funded PhD in the UK for international students. 

What Do You Need to Know about PhD Scholarships in the UK?

Meritorious students who want to complete their higher education such as PhD at a reputed university in the UK should consider these scholarship programs as they will undoubtedly prove extremely beneficial for them. 

Numerous UK universities offer different types of scholarships as well as some corporate and non-profit organizations. The overall value of the scholarships will depend on the specific scholarship you’re choosing. Most of the time, international students who are pursuing PhD programs are eligible for scholarships worth GBP 20,000. (INR 20 Lakh). 

Which Course Will be Eligible for the Scholarship?

This is one of the most important things you need to know while applying for fully funded in the UK for international students. Students from different parts of Europe as well as Asia who want to complete their PhD in the UK will be eligible to obtain the benefits of the scholarships. But keep in mind that the courses required for the fully funded PhD scholarships will depend on the program as well as the scholarship you choose. 

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Level of Scholarships in UK for International Students

The fully-funded PhD in the UK for international students is best for those who have plans to pursue their PhD programs from reputed UK universities or have plans to pursue them. Make sure you have a master’s or bachelor’s coursework if you want to apply for the same. 

Review and Selection Process for Scholarships

Available Scholarships

A total of 50 scholarship places are available.

Selection Process

The selection involves two stages:

1. Departmental Review:
   • Applications from eligible candidates are reviewed by the department they applied to.
   • Departments shortlist candidates for consideration by the College Selection Panel.
2. College Selection Panel Review:
   • The panel includes the Vice-Provost (Research), Director of the Graduate School, and Faculty Vice-Deans for Research.
   • Faculty Allocation Stage: Faculty Vice-Deans score and rank departmental shortlists, making initial offers to the strongest candidates and presenting justifications to the panel.
   • College Allocation Stage: The panel makes additional offers to candidates who align with widening participation or strategic goals.

Assessment Criteria

Candidates are evaluated based on:

• Academic Excellence:
  • Academic results, transcripts, class ranking, awards, and distinctions.
• Research Potential:
  • Previous research experience, enthusiasm for discovery, research proposal quality, and its potential contribution.
  • Departmental feedback, including interview performance.

Outcome

• Successful candidates will receive written confirmation of their scholarship. Scholarship offers are conditional on meeting predicted qualifications.
• Candidates not selected for the scholarship will automatically be considered for a standard PhD place.

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Best PhD Scholarships in UK for International Students

This is another important piece of information you need to know about fully funded PhD in UK for international students. Some of the most popular, as well as beneficial scholarships that you can obtain, are:

	S.No.	Fully Funded PhD Scholarships in the UK for International Students	Eligibility Criteria for Fully-Funded PhD Scholarships in UK
	1.	President’s PhD. Scholarships at Imperial College London	Provided by Imperial College London to 50 research students
	2.	Lancaster PhD. Scholarships for Students from Developing Countries	Provided by Lancaster University
	3.	Krebs Memorial Scholarship	Provided to students from all nationalities
	4.	Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Program	Nationalities from countries like  Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, Kenya, Syria, Mozambique, France, Pakistan, Portugal, Tanzania, India, Madagascar, Egypt
	5.	Aberystwyth University Scholarship	Provided to European students who want  to complete their PhD in the Department of Mathematics
	6.	Kamran Djam Scholarships	–
	7.	British Council Newton PhD Program	Open to students from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, France, Madagascar, India, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Syria, Tajikistan, Egypt, Madagascar, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique, Portugal, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada
	8.	Leeds Doctoral Scholarships	Available for International students or British/European Union student
	9.	UCL Critical Histories of Art Scholarship	Available for the UK and EU students only Provided by University College London
	10.	Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Program	Open to students from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, France, Madagascar, India, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Syria, Tajikistan, Egypt, Madagascar, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique,, Portugal, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada

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Which UK Universities Provide Fully Funded PhD Scholarships to the International Students?

This is one of the most important things you need to know. If you want to leverage the benefits of PhD scholarships in the UK, you need to know about the universities that are capable of providing such scholarships to international students. Here’s a list that you need to know:

• University of Leeds
• University College London
• Imperial College London
• Aberystwyth University
• University of Nottingham
• Lancaster University
• University of St Andrews
• Kings College London
• University of Liverpool
• University of St Andrews
• London Business School

Application Duration 

Remember that the starting date, as well as the deadline of each scholarship for PhD programs in the UK, will be different. If you don’t want to miss the deadline, you need to pay close attention to the official websites of the universities. If you’re looking for a student loan to complete your PhD education in the UK, Fly Finance is there to help you. 

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Here are some of the important things you need to keep in mind:

Name of the Scholarship	Deadline of the Application
President’s PhD Scholarships at Imperial College London	5th November/ 11th January
Kamran Djam Scholarships	1st May
Lancaster PhD. Scholarships for Students from Developing Countries	31st March
Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Program	21st March
Aberystwyth University Scholarship	End of January
British Council Newton PhD. Program	Not indicated
Leeds Doctoral Scholarships	1st April
UCL Critical Histories of Art Scholarship	27th April

Eligibility Criteria 

Apart from the application deadline, the eligibility criteria are something that also needs your utmost attention. Make sure you consider the eligibility criteria properly so that you can choose the perfect type of scholarship for a fully funded PhD in the UK for international students as per your needs. 

• Students from different parts of the world will be eligible for the scholarship. However, some specific scholarships are only available for UK students. 
• If you’re planning to pursue PhD programs, you will be able to obtain the scholarship. 
• The applicants should have an honours degree in similar fields. 

FAQs

This is everything you need to know about fully funded PhD scholarships in the UK for international students. If you have plans to pursue your study abroad dream, make sure you contact Leverage Edu. Call us on 1800 57 2000 for 30-minute free counselling.