University of Sheffield Scholarships for International Students 2026

Most major University of Sheffield tuition-discount scholarships are designed for in-person study, and commonly exclude online/distance-learning routes.

Sheffield offers scholarships across a wide range of subjects (including business, engineering, STEM, humanities/arts, and social sciences), and GlobalScholarships also lists multiple University of Sheffield scholarships spanning undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Recipient stories show this variety too: Ronke studied Law, while Yue Chern Lim completed Biomedical Science and noted her degree covered broad life-science areas: “My undergraduate degree introduced me to diverse areas, including molecular biology, anatomy, physiology, and genetics.”

Medicine note (international eligibility + scholarships): Sheffield does accept some international students for the five-year MBChB (A100), but places are capped; however, some core undergraduate scholarships explicitly exclude Medicine and Dentistry. So, international applicants can apply for Medicine, but you should expect fewer scholarship options and more restrictions for clinical-fee programmes.

Many Sheffield scholarships are aimed at “overseas/international” fee-paying students rather than a single nationality, while some awards can be targeted by region or circumstance (for example, scholarships specifically described for certain groups). In the recipient stories, you can see this international reach: Ronke begins, “My name is Ronke, I am from Nigeria,” and Yue Chern Lim shares, “I am from Johor, Malaysia.”

Often yes for international applicants, especially if your prior education wasn’t taught in English (or doesn’t meet Sheffield’s exemption rules). Sheffield commonly asks for IELTS/TOEFL (or an equivalent qualification), though conditional offers and exemptions can apply (for example, if you completed a degree taught in English in certain countries).

In the stories, students still highlighted real-world “English as a second language” preparation: Yue Chern Lim explained, “I also asked a relative to proofread my writing since English is my second language.”

There isn’t one single minimum grade for the entire university—requirements depend on the course (and competitive programmes can be much higher). For scholarship retention/renewal, Sheffield scholarships often require strong academic progress (for example, maintaining a specified average and credit completion).

Recipient profiles show what “competitive” looked like for them: Ronke reported A grades across multiple foundation subjects and said she “got the highest marks in all the subjects,” while Yue Chern Lim wrote that she “achieved eight A1 grades in the UEC” and maintained “above 60% throughout my degree to retain the award.”

Minimum eligibility varies by scholarship, but a common baseline is: (1) hold an offer (or be applying) for an eligible Sheffield programme, (2) be classified as an overseas/international fee payer for scholarships targeting international students, and (3) meet any academic thresholds and progression rules.

From recipients, strong academics plus a clear motivation mattered. Yue Chern Lim said, “To secure the Sheffield International Undergraduate Merit Scholarship, I submitted an application statement highlighting my academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and long-term ambitions.” Ronke also emphasized purpose in scholarship writing: “Your why needs to have an external purpose.”

Documents depend on your level (undergraduate vs postgraduate) and course, but commonly include your academic transcripts/certificates, English-language evidence (if required), and course-specific materials. For postgraduate applications, Sheffield may request a supporting statement (and for research degrees, a research proposal), and sometimes references; you may also submit a CV and examples of work/portfolio if your course asks for it.

In recipient experiences, written statements were central: Yue Chern Lim specifically credited her scholarship statement, saying she “submitted an application statement highlighting my academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and long-term ambitions.”

It depends on what you’re applying for. Undergraduate applications are typically submitted through UCAS, which charges an application fee. For postgraduate taught programmes, Sheffield states there is no application fee to apply.