Queen Mary University of London Scholarships for International Students 2026

QMUL does offer some distance-learning/online study options, but many university bursaries/scholarships are aimed at on-campus programmes and can exclude Distance Learning students (so always check each award’s eligibility).

QMUL funding spans many subjects (it’s not limited to one department), and the recipient stories show scholarships in business and STEM in particular: Dayne Perdomo studied an MSc in Management, Jeziel Mateus de Abreu studied Data Science & AI, and Olayemi Stephen Bakare pursued Bioinformatics, saying his “interdisciplinary background reflects my passion for applying computational approaches to biological challenges.”

It depends on the scholarship. Some QMUL awards explicitly state they are open “regardless of nationality” (often tied to being assessed as an overseas-fee student), while other funding is nationality-specific. The recipient stories themselves show a wide spread of nationalities studying at QMUL: Dayne Perdomo is from Cuba, Jeziel Mateus de Abreu is Brazilian, and Olayemi Stephen Bakare is from Nigeria.

You’ll also find scholarships restricted to particular countries, so the best approach is to shortlist scholarships by (1) fee status (Home/Overseas), (2) subject/department, and (3) nationality rules.

Often yes, especially if you’re from a non-English-speaking country or your prior education doesn’t meet QMUL’s English-language criteria. In his QMUL story, Jeziel Mateus de Abreu says, “if you’re from a non-English-speaking country, you’ll also need… an English proficiency test,” and adds that “the most widely accepted tests are IELTS and TOEFL,” noting that some programmes may not accept online versions (that was the case for him).

QMUL also publicly states it accepts a range of English tests/qualifications organised into English “bands,” so you’ll want to match your course’s band to the test/score you plan to submit.

There isn’t one single minimum grade across all programmes; entry requirements vary by course and level. That said, many postgraduate taught programmes list a typical expectation around a UK upper second-class (2:1) or an overseas equivalent, and QMUL publishes country-by-country equivalents (including GPA guidance for some systems).

From the QMUL scholarship recipient stories, successful applicants often had strong grades: Dayne Perdomo reports a 4.12 GPA in his bachelor’s degree, and Olayemi Stephen Bakare reports GPAs of 4.48/5 (BSc) and 4.44/5 (PGD).

Scholarship thresholds vary a lot, but you’ll commonly see requirements like a minimum 2:1 (or overseas equivalent) for competitive postgraduate awards, and sometimes a 1st-class-equivalent for higher-value schemes. Beyond grades, the recipient stories repeatedly highlight fit, evidence, and impact: Jeziel Mateus de Abreu emphasizes that universities “usually consider both your academic background and work experience,” and Dayne Perdomo advises that what stands out is “your uniqueness and authenticity.”

A practical “minimum eligibility checklist” many applicants use is: meet the course entry requirement first, secure an offer (where required by the scholarship), meet any fee-status requirement (Home/Overseas), then tailor your scholarship case around academic merit + leadership/research/work evidence + clear goals.

Exact documents vary by course, but commonly requested items include: academic transcripts and degree certificates, CV/resume (especially for many master’s programmes), personal statement, references/letters of recommendation, passport ID page, and English-language test results if applicable. In the recipient stories, Jeziel Mateus de Abreu explicitly recommends to “update your CV” and notes that universities “often require letters of recommendation,” and that you may need your academic documents “translated into English,” alongside an English proficiency test.

For scholarship applications specifically, it’s common to add extra essays and evidence of impact; Jeziel mentions putting his scholarship responses into essays using the “STAR methodology,” and Dayne Perdomo highlights dedicating time to “crafting a strong personal statement” so his motivation came through clearly.

For postgraduate applications submitted directly to QMUL, QMUL’s own guidance states that there is no application fee. For undergraduate applications, you normally apply via UCAS and pay the UCAS application fee (for 2026 entry, UCAS lists it as £28.95 for up to five choices).