With its famous Big Ben and Buckingham Palace, you’ll surely love London, the capital of England. This historical city is the home of political figures, scientists, and celebrities. It has been considered one of the oldest cities for centuries and has significantly influenced Europe and globally.
Being the heart of England, London is an excellent place to study. This claim is not only because of its historical background but also because it has the best-ranking universities that offer quality education and extensive career opportunities. Plus, you can experience a diverse population, visit world-renowned museums, and enjoy libraries!
Studying in the UK’s capital is an excellent choice for broadening your education, but it can cost a lot. However, here’s the good news: Universities in London provide scholarships for incoming and current international students. These scholarships can support non-local students from other parts of the world as they choose to study in London, so make sure to read the article below!
Top Scholarships in London
1. Brunel’s Vice-Chancellor Excellence Award for International Students
- Scholarship Page
- Scholarship Value: £6,000 tuition fee reduction applied to the first year of study only
- Eligible Degree/s: Master’s
Founded in 1966, Brunel University London is a public university in the Uxbridge area of London. It’s one of the best and most well-established research universities in the United Kingdom. The school offers a variety of programs open to international students. Today, it also provides prestigious scholarships to assist these international students financially.
The International Excellence Award is one of the London scholarships given to postgraduate-taught international students based on academic performance. Tuition fee waivers are available only in the first year of studies. The institution must first accept you to start your scholarship application, and applicants should be enrolled in a full-time study program.
The scholarship application form will be given after the admission process, and you should submit these forms by the given deadline. Except for the 2% quick payment discount, the Excellence Award cannot be coupled with any other scholarship, bursary, discount, or award from the university.
2. Ravensbourne University’s Undergraduate International Scholarships
- Scholarship Page
- Scholarship Value: A tuition fee discount of £3,500
- Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s
Ravensbourne University London is known for its digital media and design program. It offers various undergraduate and graduate degrees in fashion, digital film, and other multimedia-related fields. The institution takes pride in teaching its students the skills they need for global opportunities.
Moreover, this university is the home of globally famous fashion designers, artists, and more. Since international students are growing, they provide scholarships to assist them. It offers a tuition fee discount for international undergraduate students who are in their first year of studies. Applicants should be studying full-time in their respective programs.
To apply for this London scholarship, you can check the application process using the scholarship link. Please inquire and register early, as these scholarships are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
3. Birbeck International Excellence Scholarship
- Scholarship Page
- Scholarship Value: £1,000 – £3,000
- Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Ph.D.
London’s only university that offers and specializes in evening higher education, Birbeck University of London, is one of the leading public research institutions in the country. For years, it has continued to provide world-class research and teaching to every student. Additionally, it provides broad learning opportunities to local and international students.
Since the university has a growing population of international students, they provide scholarships to acknowledge their achievements. The Birbeck International Excellence Scholarships are given to selected international undergraduate and postgraduate students. This London scholarship award is presented as a scholarship discount.
The scholarship application forms vary depending on your home country. The scholarship link will show the application form needed per continent. If chosen as a Birbeck scholar, you must attend some events and represent the university.
4. President’s Ph.D. Scholarships
- Scholarship Page Ph.D.
- Scholarship Value: Full tuition coverage, an annual stipend of £25,150, and a £2,000 consumables budget for three years
- Eligible Degree/s: Ph.D.
As a world-class institution, Imperial College London continues to deliver quality education, giving every learner the best experience. This university has an outstanding educational reputation in programs such as business, science, engineering, and education. It is also home to local and foreign students.
Since this prestigious UK school offers doctoral studies, it gives financial support to assist them—the President’s Ph.D. Scholarships are open to incoming doctoral research students at the university. Local and international students are welcome to apply, but not all departments can accept applicants from outside the country.
Since the institution is looking for the best recipients, one of the qualifications needed for this London scholarship is academic achievement. Applicants should have high grades and distinctions. While there are no separate scholarship forms, you must indicate that you wish to apply for this award during your online admission process. Moreover, your respective departments may also require other documents, so make sure to check them out.
5. UCL Global Undergraduate Scholarship
- Scholarship Page
- Scholarship Value: Full tuition and living stipend coverage
- Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s
University College London, or UCL, is a public institute in London founded in 1826 as one of the first three British schools and is still among the most prestigious universities in the country. UCL has many schools, which include social sciences, law, medicine, dentistry and health sciences, business and economics, humanities, and languages. There are also over 100 departments covering everything from astrophysics to zoology.
The institution is well-known for its research excellence, with six Nobel laureates among its alumni and faculty members. In addition, QS University World Rankings 2024 ranked it the ninth-best university in the world. Furthermore, some of the top scholarships in London for international students with full tuition coverage are available at UCL.
To apply, you must have a low-income background and be pursuing full-time undergraduate studies at UCL. Log in to Portico with your standard details to begin the application process. Then, select the ‘View’ button for the ‘Active Application’ where you want to apply for funding. Next, on the application screen, click on the ‘Funding’ menu at the top of the page. Finally, click on the scholarship name of the scheme you wish to apply for.
6. International Students House and London Met Postgraduate Scholarship
- Scholarship Page
- Scholarship Value: Full tuition waiver, free return flights to and from London, and free full-equipped house accommodation at the International Students House (ISH)
- Eligible Degree/s: Master’s, Ph.D.
London Metropolitan University is a public university in London, England. It was established in 2002 as the University of North London by the London Higher Education Act 2001. In 2016, the university was granted permission to change its name to the University of Westminster. In 2017, the university’s name was changed to its current title. London Met is primarily located in Central London, with several academic sites throughout Greater London and one in Oxfordshire.
The main campus is on the edge of Regent’s Park in Inner London and occupies 33 acres of land near St John’s Wood Underground station. The International Students House and London Met Postgraduate Scholarship is for students studying for their master’s or Ph.D. It’s open to international applicants from the United States, Africa, Latin America, and India. To apply, you must submit a form on their website here and get the university’s stamp of approval before you become eligible for this scholarship.
7. University of West London’s International Ambassador Scholarship
- Scholarship Page
- Scholarship Value: Up to £1,000 tuition fee discount on their application
- Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Ph.D.
The University of West London is another public institute in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1975 in Ealing, London Borough of Ealing. The institution has two campuses: one in Ealing and another in Heathrow, also known as the Brooklands campus. It has over 20,000 students from more than 100 countries.
Moreover, the university primarily focuses on business and law but offers engineering, media, and arts courses. The main campus has 13 buildings that house classrooms, lecture halls, auditoriums, and offices for administrative staff and faculty members who teach at this institution.
Its International Ambassador Scholarship is offered to full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students. Suppose you are accepted for this award. In that case, you will have to meet other international students on the scheme and be asked to help showcase UWL to prospective international students.
To apply for this London scholarship, you must submit an online application with your academic transcripts and references. You must also demonstrate excellent presentation skills. If accepted, you would be helping out at Open Days and participating in interviews, videos, and photo shoots with the marketing department.
8. University of East London’s International Scholarships
- Scholarship Page
- Scholarship Value: £500 to £5,000 tuition fee reduction in the first year
- Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Ph.D.
The University of East London is in the UK’s capital city, London. It has a long history of serving students worldwide and offers many programs, including undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate degrees. The institution is a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, which includes only the best in the world. The ACU ranks its members based on teaching quality, research excellence, and international outlook.
Its International Scholarships are available for undergraduate, master’s, and Ph.D. students. This financial aid reduces first-year tuition fees between £500 and £5,000. However, you must submit an online application and a personal statement to apply for this award.
9. Middlesex University’s Student Starter Kit
- Scholarship Page
- Scholarship Value: £1,000 grant and a tech package
- Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s
Middlesex University is an institution in London, England. It was established in 1966 as Middlesex Polytechnic and awarded university status in 1992. It has campuses in London and Waltham Forest and operates a school of art and design, a school of education, and a business school. It is one of the largest universities in the UK by enrollment. The institution had a total student population of over 25,000, including more than 8,500 international students from 150 countries worldwide.
The Student Starter Kit is given to UK undergraduate students and rewards up to £1,000 cash grant with a new laptop or iPad as tech essentials. In addition, while you’re getting ready to start at Middlesex, you may apply for a kit and gain access to exclusive activities and benefits.
International students can take advantage of tuition-free higher education in London’s best institutions if they apply for one of the many scholarships mentioned above. These financial aids can help them reduce their worries about the cost of studying and living in the UK, which will help them focus academically.
We hope this article on the best scholarships in London for international students was helpful. Feel free to check out our Study in the UK Page and the Available Programs in the United Kingdom for more information on the programs that are available for international students!