The UK is a dream educational destination for many of us. However, the academic costs may be far out of our reach hampering our dream to study in the country of our choice. But with the help of GREAT Scholarships initiated by the British Council, you don’t need to worry anymore about your study costs while studying in the UK.
The GREAT Scholarships are offered to students willing to undertake their postgraduate studies in UK universities.
There are 200 scholarships for the session 2023/24 for students from 14 countries across 49 UK universities.
So if you are looking to know more about the GREAT Scholarship, its benefits, eligibility criteria, required documents, application procedure, acceptance rate, etc., you don’t want to miss out on this article!
Check our ultimate UK study visa guide.
Great Scholarships Uk
1. Benefits of Great Scholarships
2. Eligibility Criteria of GREAT Scholarship
3. Documents Required for GREAT Scholarship
4. How to Apply for GREAT Scholarships
5. Subject Areas of GREAT Scholarships
6. Great scholarship method of selection
7. Deadlines for Great Scholarships
8. Tips & techniques for Great Scholarships Uk
1. Benefits of GREAT Scholarships
The GREAT Scholarship for international students carries various financial and social benefits which include:
A: Most of the GREAT Scholarships provide £10,000 toward the tuition fee of the selected students in one-year postgraduate courses. This amount is often considered to be the full tuition fee coverage for students pursuing their postgraduate degree in the UK.
B: The GREAT Scholars get lucrative social experiences where they can network in professional circles. It greatly helps these GREAT Scholars to grow professionally and gain exposure in practical environments.
C: The chosen GREAT Scholars get to participate in the welcome event in the first semester and a networking event in the second semester helping them to engage with the community.
If you want to study in Italy for free, find out our detailed guides about DSU and EDISU scholarships.
2. Eligibility Criteria of GREAT Scholarships
Only those students can apply for the GREAT Scholarship who are meeting the following eligibility criteria.
A: The students applying for the GREAT Scholarships must have an undergraduate degree. It is because the GREAT Scholarship is only offered to students undertaking postgraduate studies in the UK.
The undergraduate degrees must align with the program that you choose on the Master’s level. For example, if you are applying for a GREAT Scholarship for Justice and Law, you must have an undergraduate degree in that given field.
B: The GREAT Scholarships are only awarded if you can meet the minimum academic performance requirements set by your university. These may differ according to the university and program that you are applying to. Some of the top universities that work collaboratively with the British Council GREAT Scholarship include the University of Bristol, the University of Oxford, the University of Wolverhampton, Robert Gordon University, etc.
C: The students will also be required to prove their prior work experience to be eligible for GREAT Scholarships UK. Work experience may be required in certain programs while it may not be required in others. However, if you are applying for a Master’s program in a top UK university, you must have internships and prior work experience.
D: The English Language Proficiency requirements must be met to qualify for the GREAT Scholarship UK.
The universities set their requirements for English Language Proficiency Tests.
Universities accept IELTS, TOEFL, CAE, etc. However, you must meet the minimum performance standards of these tests to be accepted at these universities.
E: The GREAT Scholarship is available only to the national of these following 14 countries for 49 Uk universities.
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Thailand, Egypt, Vietnam, Kenya, Ghana, Indonesia
Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Turkey
3. Documents Required for GREAT Scholarships
You need to submit numerous documents required in the application form for the GREAT Scholarship and by the university that you are applying to.
The list of documents required to be eligible for the GREAT Scholarship includes:
3.2. Passport & National ID card
3.3. University admission letter
3.4. Statement of Purpose or Motivational Letter
3.6. Proof of Previous Work Experience
3.7. Letters of Recommendation
3.8. English Language Proficiency Test results i.e IELTS, TOEFL, etc.
3.1. Academic documents
This includes all your certificates & academic record like
A: Bachelor’s transcript & certificate
B: Master’s transcript & certificate (if the student is applying for 2nd Masters or fellowship)
C: Metric & FSC transcripts (10-12th Grade) (A level) (DMCs) and certificates (Supporting academic documents)
D: Course summary (to explain your courses & how your previous courses & studies resemble your future studies in which you are applying)
NOTE:
All of the above documents should be attested by respective boards.
Also, attest them from issuing authority of home countries. The respective university must attest university documents.
In the case of Pakistan, The above-mentioned documents must be attested by IBCC, HEC, and MOFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
IBCC authority is only responsible for the attestation of metric and inter documents.
Dear offices are present in Peshawar, Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, and also in other cities of Pakistan.
HEC office attests bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. documents.
3.2. Valid passport & NIC
The passport of the applicant must contain at least one full blank page on both sides.
The passport must be valid at the time of visa application and on arrival to the UK.
A birth certificate or national ID card is also important to attach.
3.3. University admission letter
Applicants must pick their eligible universities before applying for the Great scholarship Uk.
They can find universities according to their countries in the list below.
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Thailand, Egypt, Vietnam, Kenya, Ghana, Indonesia
Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Turkey
The university admission letter comprises all information about the course and duration.
It may also include financial proof.
Remember students are only eligible for Great scholarships uk after getting admission.
3.4 Statement of purpose or Letter of Motivation for Great Scholarship Uk
Remember, SOP or LOM can be asked during university admission or applying for a Great scholarship.
Technically SOP or LOM are the same things.
It’s a Short biography to tell the panelist about yourself:
Letter of motivation or SOP could be a tricky part while selecting your course in UK universities.
In this letter, you are asked to write about your personal and professional reasons why are you applying for a course & scholarship.
The maximum length of this letter is three pages, But it is advised to make it short & concise to one page.
How to write a perfect letter of Motivation
If you are interested in writing your LOM on one page concisely, then follow this exact method.
LOM consists of three parts.
3.4.1. Introduction (one paragraph)
3.4.2. Body (3 paragraph)
3.4.3. Conclusion (1 paragraph)
Let’s explain these three things one by one.
3.4.1. Introduction
Introduction is the gateway to the rest of the letter. Try to capture their interest in first few sentences. Be original & creative.
Make it personal & full of enthusiasm.
TIP: Try to initiate a story about yourself relevant to the scholarship you are applying & then expand it to the first paragraph of the body.
3.4.2. Body
In the first paragraph of the body, try to tell about your relevant academic & experienced background to the course.
And your professional goals attached to the UK & university. Share your expectations of the scholarship.
In the 2nd paragraph be more precise & focus on the specific achievement related to the scholarship & course.
In the 3rd paragraph expand on what you are currently doing & the interesting things you look forward to.
3.4.3. Conclusion
Tell them why you are the best candidate for this scholarship. Don’t sound needy or use pompous language instead focus on why you deserve it.
Tell them how this scholarship will help you or the future of your community.
3.5. Europass CV
Europass CV can be easily made here.
The Cv must contain all the latest & relevant information about your occupation & interests.
A perfect CV must be hand signed.
3.6. Experience letter for Great scholarship
Applicant must provide an Experience letter of the previous jobs & Internships.
Try to customize the work experience letter with future studies.
Mention your job descriptions, work projects & the skills you learned through time.
The letter must be signed & verified by the Head or CEO of the company.
The work experience could be Paid,
Unpaid,
full time,
part-time or voluntary.
It could be done before, during, or after graduation.
If you want to study in Germany for free, find out our detailed guide about DAAD scholarship.
3.7. Letter of References/ Recommendations
The applicants must provide 2-3 letters of recommendation from the previous university, (Depending upon courses).
It is advised to provide a letter of recommendation from the HOD (Head of the department or Relevant course head) who should be a PhD.
The referees need to write their contact details (Email, phone number) at the end of the letter.
The letter must include an official letterhead, signature, and official stamp and must be of the current date.
The letter should be addressed to British Council or university. (The referees may be contacted later by these two institutions.)
Ask your Referees to write about your academic achievements & discuss their confidence in you that you are fully compatible with the project or course you wish to pursue.
The referees must also mention how long they know the applicant & when was the last time they came in contact with the applicant.
3.8. English language proficiency test
It is not the requirement of Great scholarship per se, but to get admission in any Uk university, or even for a UK study visa, the applicant must fulfill the criteria of English language proficiency.
It could be done by scoring good in IELTS, TOFEL or PTE.
IELTS certificate with a minimum Band 6, or TOEFL (minimum score: 550 paper-based, 213 computer-based, 80 internet-based) is good.
However, Some courses or universities may expect a different level. For detailed information please see the requirements of your relevant courses in your desired universities.
Before taking the TOFEL test make sure you check whether TOFEL is aligned with the course or not.
3.9. Great Scholarship essay questions
Every university (Which is eligible for Great scholarship) has given a list of 3-4 essay questions in their scholarship form.
The word limit for these essay questions could be between 150-500 words, depend upon the university & its application form.
Students are advised to never exceed the mentioned word limit.
These essay questions are used to determine your potential and standing.
Therefore, you must look to exhibit your thoughts and opinions, and introduce creativity in the essay questions to make a strong case for your selection.
The expected essay questions are given below. However it could be changed or vary a little per university.
These questions include:
Q.1: Explain why you would like to be considered for this scholarship.
Q.2: Tell us of any personal or professional experiences which demonstrate your enthusiasm for your chosen subject matter.
Q.3: Tell us what your future career ambitions are and how this scholarship would support them.
Q.4: Why do you wish to study at this university & the Master’s course that you have applied for?
Pro Tip: This is your chance to impress! So you must shape your answers confidently, concisely, and impactfully to show that you are the right person for the scholarship.
3.10. Portfolios or workshop
It’s optional. But students can attach portfolios or workshops to support their cases for university admission or scholarship.
4. How to Apply for GREAT Scholarships?
The British Council Great Scholarship for international students is a brilliant opportunity and you don’t want to mess up the application procedure.
And we won’t let you do that until we are here. So you just follow these simple four steps given below and successfully complete your application for a GREAT Scholarship.
4.1. Go according to your country list and find Universities
4.2. Recheck the university requirement
4.3. Prepare the documents & Get university admission
4.4. Prepare the essay questions & Apply for the Scholarship
4.1. Go according to your country list and find Universities
A: Students can find universities according to their countries in the list below.
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Thailand, Egypt, Vietnam, Kenya, Ghana, Indonesia
Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Turkey
B: After choosing your country, you will land upon a list of universities.
C: Choose your desired university. (Applicant can also check how many Great scholarships are available for their country.)
Below is the three step screenshot of “Goldsmith, University of London” is given.
check it for further clarity.
Note: if you are already enrolled in a UK university, then your university might already have sent you an email link to a Great scholarship.
Students can also look for “Great scholarship” on their university page, click on External Scholarships and browse GREAT Scholarships or directly search for GREAT Scholarship in the search bar given at the top right.
4.2. Recheck the university requirement
Some UK universities may have specific eligibility criteria for Great scholarships. Make sure you go through all the important details given on the page.
This important information includes the eligibility criteria, official deadline, quantity of awards, award value, etc.
4.3. Prepare the documents & Get university admission
Prepare the important documents which we discussed above in detail.
The next step that you have on your hands is to fill out the application form for the university that you are applying for.
The application form will require you to fill in numerous personal details like your contact, name, etc. It will require you to answer questions about the reason for your choice of the university and the program.
You will also have to attach the required documents to the application form.
Remember In order to get Great scholarship, Students must get admission first.
4.4. Prepare the essay questions & Apply for the Scholarship
After getting admission, the university will automatically send you a link to apply for the GREAT scholarship.
If not, you can browse for it on the university website. Just ensure that you are applying (Communicating) through the right channel.
Before applying for a Great scholarship, Carefully prepare & rehearse the essay questions.
The possible essay questions for Great scholarship Uk are given in detail above.
The application form for the GREAT Scholarship is as simple as it can get.
The application form requires you to fill in fields about your personal information including your email ID, name, university’s student ID, and the course you are attending.
5. Great scholarships UK method of selection
The method of selection is pretty straightforward,
1. It normally starts with selecting a course & getting admission in an eligible university.
2. Later the applicant is needed to apply for the great scholarship by filling out an extra form.
Which is awarded completely merit-based.
However, the criteria could be changed a little, but as a whole the general selection method is above.
6. Subject Areas of GREAT Scholarships
You must be wondering whether there is a GREAT Scholarship available in your area of study.
That’s why we present to you the table that contains all the categories where GREAT Scholarships are applicable.
Subject areas for Great Scholarships UK
|
Biological Sciences/ Life sciences |
Math, Statistics, and Data Sciences |
|
Social Sciences and Development Studies Climate change, |
Public Administration, Urban planning and infrastructure development |
|
Human rights, Humanities |
Engineering and Technology |
|
Natural and Physical Sciences Public Health and Behavioural science Conflict Resolution/Peace Studies |
Art – Visual and creative Gender Studies and Ageing Education |
The details about the two subject areas “Justice & law” & “climate change” are given below. Students must read the details below to find out the options or categories near to it.
1) Justice and Law
The British Council GREAT Scholarship is offered in the category of Justice and Law.
The students can apply for one-year full-time postgraduate courses in this study area to be eligible for this scholarship.
At the moment, 20 higher education institutions are participating in the GREAT Scholarships for Justice and Law.
You can apply for courses in different areas of Justice and Law while still being eligible for the scholarship. Some of the options that you have include human rights, criminal justice,
commercial law, corporate law, banking law, etc.
Not only can this provide you with a career potentially in the courtroom but you can also continue in the field of journalism or criminology.
The scholarships offered under this category offer £10,000 toward the tuition fees of students. These scholarships are offered by the British Council collaboratively with the Ministry of Justice.
A total of 20 scholarships are available in this category for students from 10 countries.
Please click on your country below to find out about the Eligible Uk universities.
2) Climate Change
The GREAT Scholarship is also offered to students undertaking full-time Master’s courses in the UK from universities collaborative with the scheme.
There are different options for students to apply in the field of climate change. These options include marine biology, environmental engineering, sustainability and green technology, and climate change.
The Climate Change Scholarships carry the same value as the Justice and Law Scholarships which is £10,000 toward the tuition fees. There are a total of 14 scholarships available for students undertaking studies in this field. The countries eligible for these scholarships are as follows:
Please visit your country page below to see the universities taking part and to get more information:
Here is a detailed guide about KAIST Graduate Scholarship & Undergraduate scholarship.
7. Deadlines for GREAT Scholarship
The deadlines for GREAT Scholarship differ from university to university. For instance, the application deadline for a GREAT Scholarship at the University of Westminster is 19th June 2023 while it is set for 31st May 2023 at Cardiff University.
Therefore, you must check or confirm the application deadline from your university.
8. Tips for Great Scholarships UK
- Try to contact the alumni members of the Great scholarships Uk, Contact them, & ask them if they can review your essay or can give you any helpful feedback. Try to contact as many as you can.
- Don’t write unrealistic details about your work experience.
While answering the essay questions. Apply an appropriate style of writing. It could be a little informal but factual. Somewhere between academic & informal, but avoid flattery, verbose & bombast language & phrases. And Do not campaign for your beliefs. - Any kind of repetition or plagiarism in the essay questions or Chevening scholarship application can make applicants unqualified.
Remember the selection committee use plagiarism software, so any kind of copying can be spotted very quickly. - Properly researched the course at university before applying. Check the research potential & job market of your course. Think about this scholarship as a stepping stone in your future.
- In essay questions Focus on the part where they ask “How this scholarship will impact your life or the lives of people in your home country.”
9. Frequently asked questions about Great scholarships UK
Q. Am I eligible for the GREAT Scholarship if I am already studying in the UK?
Yes, you can apply for the GREAT Scholarship if you are already studying in the UK. However, it is important for you to be a citizen of one of the countries where GREAT Scholarships are available.
Q. Will the GREAT Scholarship cover my full tuition fees?
Ans. It is not guaranteed since it depends on the number of tuition fees being charged by your university. Usually, the GREAT Scholarship awards £10,000 that goes toward your tuition fees. However, that amount can differ in some cases.
Q. Is it possible to apply for GREAT Scholarships through different universities?
Ans. Yes, you can apply for a GREAT Scholarship through different universities. However, you will only be considered for the university which accepts you.
Q. Can my GREAT Scholarship be reversed during my program?
Ans. It is highly unlikely that your scholarship will be revoked. The GREAT Scholarship is a reliable scheme that can only be revoked in the case of any suspicious activity or a change in your major. Otherwise, the scholarship is not revoked and thus, you should not worry about it.
Q. Can I get an extension on my Great scholarship after a year?
Ans. No, the GREAT Scholarship is only offered to students for one year of their Master’s studies. Therefore, your scholarship cannot be extended after one year and you should plan your finances for the next year.
Q: How many countries can apply for GREAT scholarship UK?
Below is the list of 14 countries, where 200 scholarships are offered in 49 UK universities.
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Thailand, Egypt, Vietnam, Kenya, Ghana, Indonesia
Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Turkey
10. Summary of the whole Blog:
- Check whether your country is eligible for the Great scholarship or not.
- fulfill your university eligibility criteria, like we discussed above & get admission.
- Answer the essay questions carefully, & the set of documents we discussed above in detail.
- Apply for Great scholarship & wait for the result.
We try to cover each & everything, but if you still have any questions, please dont hesitate to ask.
