Aston University Scholarships for International Students 2026

Some discounts and scholarships can apply to online study, but many of Aston’s core international scholarship schemes are designed for full-time, on-campus study in Birmingham.

Aston scholarships often apply broadly across many taught degrees (depending on the specific scheme), with some programme exclusions. Edmiro Domingos studied business (MSc Business and Management) and said the opportunity “opened doors to world-class education and a global network.”

Business: Aston Business School scholarships (including MBA scholarships) are commonly available, and some schemes specifically exclude the MBA while others are MBA-focused.

STEM (including engineering and computing): Many university-wide international scholarships are not tied to a single department, so engineering, computer science/digital, biosciences, and related STEM programmes are typically included unless a scheme lists exclusions.

Humanities & social sciences: Aston also has programmes across law and social sciences, and broad scholarships usually cover these taught degrees too (again, check exclusions).

Medicine: Aston does offer an MBChB Medicine programme and welcomes international students, but several major Aston scholarships explicitly exclude MBChB Medicine (so medicine applicants should expect fewer university-managed scholarship options, and may need to rely more on external funding).

Aston has scholarships open to a wide range of nationalities, plus some that are targeted.

There are also nationality-specific schemes. A clear example is GREAT Scholarships, where Aston lists eligibility for specific countries (e.g., Bangladesh, India, Egypt, and science/technology-related master’s support for Pakistan, depending on the year’s scheme).

From the recipient side, Edmiro Domingos is Angolan and won Chevening, which is restricted to applicants from Chevening-eligible countries/territories and is designed for international scholars coming to the UK.

Often yes, especially if your previous education wasn’t taught in English or you don’t meet an exemption, but it depends on your course and your academic background. Aston’s postgraduate application guidance asks applicants to prepare “copies of your English language qualifications (if necessary)” and points applicants to English language requirements for exemptions and accepted tests.

Edmiro Domingos shared how real this can be in practice: “I ended up taking the IELTS test twice, which delayed my application.” He also noted, “I applied without a passport,” so timing and documentation can matter just as much as test scores.

Yes, but the “minimum grade” depends heavily on what you’re applying for. Each course sets its own entry requirements, and competitive programmes can require much higher scores than the minimum.

As a concrete example from an Aston scholarship recipient, Edmiro Domingos reported graduating with an “overall score of 70%” in his bachelor’s degree before completing his MSc at Aston.

It varies by scholarship, but strong academics plus clear motivation and evidence of impact usually matter most. Aston’s major scholarships commonly require that you first apply for (and receive) an offer, and some require a supporting statement assessed by a panel.

Edmiro Domingos explained what helped him stand out for his fully funded Chevening route: “My essays showcased my leadership skills, academic excellence, work experience, and career aspirations.” He also shared that he sought feedback from others, which is a practical strategy for scholarship writing.

If you are considering external full funding like Chevening, minimum eligibility typically includes being a citizen of an eligible country/territory and meeting a work-experience threshold (roughly equivalent to two years full-time), alongside meeting the academic standard for a UK master’s.

For postgraduate applications, Aston’s own checklist commonly includes: university transcripts (each year of study), English translations if needed, English language qualifications (if required), one or two references (academic and/or employer depending on your situation), and a personal statement (with a word limit).

Scholarships can add extra paperwork. For example, some Aston scholarships require a supporting statement, while external funding like Chevening is essay-heavy and may require references and identity documents.

From Edmiro Domingos’ experience, documentation and timing mattered: “I ended up taking the IELTS test twice, which delayed my application,” and “I applied without a passport.” His biggest advice was to treat your written materials seriously: “My essays showcased my leadership skills, academic excellence, work experience, and career aspirations.”

Undergraduate: If you apply through UCAS (the standard route for UK undergraduate applications), you pay the UCAS application fee before submission.

Postgraduate (direct to Aston): Aston’s postgraduate application process is run through Aston’s own application forms on course pages, and there’s no application fee to submit your application.