University of Essex Scholarships for International Students 2026

Yes. University of Essex Online publishes discounts/scholarships specifically for online study.

It depends on the scholarship scheme, but there are scholarships that can apply across a wide range of subjects. For example, the British Council lists GREAT Scholarships at Essex as available for “all full-time postgraduate taught master’s programmes,” which can include business, STEM, engineering, humanities, and social sciences (as long as your course is eligible).

• Business: University of Essex Online’s course scholarship list includes MSc Business with Finance and MSc Global Digital Marketing.
• STEM & tech: Examples from the online scholarship list include MSc Computer Science, MSc Cyber Security, and MSc Information Technology Management.
• Humanities & education: In the Global Scholarships winners’ stories, Vanessa Méndez Brun studied TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages).
• Social sciences: In the winners’ stories, Willis Onyango Obanda studied “MSc in Organized Crime, Terrorism and Security.”
• Medicine & health: The online scholarship list includes Master of Public Health and MSc Global Mental Health and Wellbeing (health-related degrees rather than a clinical MBBS/MD).
• Engineering: Many scholarship schemes at Essex can be programme-wide at master’s level (so engineering may be eligible where offered), but always confirm eligibility on the specific scholarship page for your department/programme.

Medicine note (international eligibility): If you mean a clinical medicine degree (MBBS/MD), availability and eligibility rules (including international eligibility and placement requirements) can differ from typical one-year master’s scholarships; the Essex examples above are health-related master’s programmes (e.g., Public Health) rather than clinical medicine.

Nationality eligibility varies by scholarship. The University of Essex category page on Global Scholarships includes winners from Kenya and Bolivia (Chevening-funded master’s students), showing that international applicants from different regions can win major funding: Willis Onyango Obanda (Kenya) and Vanessa Méndez Brun (Bolivia).

Some awards target specific nationalities: GREAT Scholarships at Essex are listed for students from certain countries. Other options are region-based also.

Sometimes yes, but not always, and it depends on your programme and whether you qualify for a waiver. In Willis Onyango Obanda’s story, he says Essex gave him an unconditional offer “even waiving the English language requirement” because he completed his education in English.

In Vanessa Méndez Brun’s case, an English test was central: she shared, “I took the TOEFL test five times” and “Eventually, I scored 100/120,” which helped her apply for scholarships.

Minimum grades vary by course, but the scholarship-winner stories show the kind of academic outcomes that can be competitive. Willis Onyango Obanda entered with “Second Class Honors” in his bachelor’s degree and later said, “In April 2025, I proudly graduated with a Distinction.”

For scholarships like Chevening, applicants are commonly expected to show a strong academic record; Vanessa Méndez Brun also highlights that the programme is competitive and typically expects academic strength plus experience.

A “good academic background” depends on the scholarship, but the Essex winners’ stories show a pattern: strong academics plus clear goals and leadership. Vanessa Méndez Brun describes a substantial profile: “For the last nine years, I have focused my studies on political science and media communication,” and Chevening guidance in her story notes applicants are typically required to have “Relevant work experience (typically two years or more).”

Willis Onyango Obanda points to planning and fit: “Chevening requires applicants to apply to three UK universities,” and he emphasized aligning essays and goals with what the scholarship values (leadership, networking, and career planning).

Exact documents vary by course/scholarship, but the Essex scholarship-winner stories give a practical checklist. In Vanessa Méndez Brun’s Chevening preparation, she wrote: “I made a list of all the requirements, letters of reference, essays, a personal statement, and the English test.”

In addition to those scholarship documents, most Essex applications commonly require proof of prior qualifications (degree certificates/transcripts) and identity details; and for Chevening-style routes, you may also be juggling multiple university applications at once (as Willis Onyango Obanda noted when applying to three UK universities).

For online courses via University of Essex Online, their admissions FAQ states: “No, there is no fee for submitting your application.”

For undergraduate on-campus applications in the UK, you typically apply through UCAS, which charges an application fee (UCAS states £28.95 for up to five choices for 2026 entry).

For other routes (certain postgraduate applications or special programmes), always confirm the fee policy on the application portal you’re using.