University of Leeds Scholarships for International Students 2026

Yes, there are scholarships that can fund fully online study at Leeds, but they’re usually specific schemes rather than “any course, any mode.” For example, Leeds has offered Commonwealth Distance Learning scholarships for fully online Master’s programmes (the University has highlighted this route for online study funding).

Scholarships at Leeds span a wide range of subjects across the University (and can be university-wide or school-specific), including STEM, humanities, business, engineering, and medicine/health, plus many interdisciplinary areas. GlobalScholarships recipients at Leeds show that range in real life: Amiya Kumar Sur pursued an MSc in Advanced Computer Science (Data Analytics) and highlighted research ecosystems like “LIDA (Leeds Institute for Data Analytics)” as a reason Leeds fit his goals; Usman Memon focused on wireless communications research (engineering); and Victory Ojating pursued Food Science and Nutrition (STEM/health).

Medicine/health: Leeds offers medicine programmes where international students can apply (programme entry rules and funding restrictions can be stricter than many other subjects, so always check the specific course + scholarship terms). A Leeds example from GlobalScholarships is Dr. Reem Alazawi, who pursued a Master’s in Oral Surgery and said she chose Leeds for its “strong clinical training” and “research focus.”

Business: Leeds University Business School lists its own scholarship options (including MBA scholarships and other awards). Humanities and social sciences are also represented in recipient stories; for example, Vaibhav Sonone completed an MSc in Environment and Development and described modules tied to “climate adaptation” and “political ecology,” showing scholarships aren’t limited to lab-based subjects.

It depends on the scholarship: some are open to “all countries,” some are UK-only, and some are international-only or region-specific. Leeds University Business School, for instance, separates awards by eligibility group (e.g., UK, international-only, and all countries), and some schemes (like Commonwealth-linked funding) inherently depend on nationality rules set by the funder.

From the GlobalScholarships Leeds recipient stories, you can see nationality diversity in practice: Dr. Reem Alazawi is from Iraq, Vaibhav Sonone and Amiya Kumar Sur are from India, Victory Ojating is from Nigeria, and Usman Memon is from Pakistan; each funded via different routes (e.g., Chevening/Commonwealth-style pathways).

Often yes, but not always. For Master’s applications, Leeds asks for “evidence of English language proficiency,” and you can sometimes apply first and provide proof later (depending on your situation and course). In the GlobalScholarships stories, several Leeds recipients took IELTS: Vaibhav Sonone said, “I took the IELTS exam and scored an overall 6.5 band,” and Amiya Kumar Sur said he “scored 7.5” on his first attempt.

But waivers can happen: Victory Ojating explained that for some UK universities “IELTS was not required” if you had certain prior English results (he referenced meeting requirements via WASSCE English). And even when IELTS is required, scores can vary by course: Dr. Reem Alazawi said her chosen university had a “higher score requirement,” so she “had to sit the exam twice.”

Yes, but the minimum depends heavily on the level (undergraduate vs Master’s vs PhD) and the exact programme. As a broad postgraduate guideline, Leeds states applicants to taught postgraduate courses “should normally have…at least a UK second class (or equivalent) or higher,” with some programmes requiring more. The recipient stories reflect that competitiveness: Dr. Reem Alazawi graduated with an “Upper Second Class,” Amiya Kumar Sur finished his bachelor’s with “First Class honors,” and Usman Memon emphasized maintaining a “GPA (approx 3.5/4.0 and above)” when targeting competitive funding and admissions.

“Minimum eligibility” varies by scholarship, but strong academics plus evidence of impact/potential are common themes. Leeds University Business School explicitly frames scholarships around “outstanding academic and personal achievements,” and many major external funders (e.g., Chevening/Commonwealth-style awards) look for leadership, clarity of goals, and fit with the programme.

The GlobalScholarships Leeds recipients show what “good background” looks like in different ways: Usman Memon pointed to consistently strong grades (“3.5/4.0 and above”), and Vaibhav Sonone combined strong academics (CGPA 7.49; 75.8%) with real development work and intense essay iteration (he wrote “8–9 versions” of one essay).

For Master’s applications, Leeds says you must upload (1) your official degree certificate and academic transcripts (or interim transcripts if still studying) and (2) evidence of English language proficiency (you may be allowed to provide it later). Depending on the course, you may also need extra items like a CV or references, and documents must be in English or include certified translations.

Recipient stories line up closely with that: Amiya Kumar Sur said UK applications “typically include academic transcripts, degree certificates, Recommendation Letters, and a Statement of Purpose,” and Usman Memon mentioned he “prepared my documents” alongside test prep (IELTS/GRE) when applying.

Sometimes. Leeds notes that “some courses may charge a non-refundable application fee,” and if a fee applies it should be shown on the relevant course listing; other courses may not charge one. If you are applying for undergraduate study via UCAS, UCAS charges its own application fee (separate from Leeds).