Scotland is a UK constituent country that boasts of beautiful sceneries and world-class universities. It is home to more than 31,000 international students – 91% of which are more than satisfied with their education in the Kingdom of the Gaels.
While Scottish tuition is comparably affordable, starting at about £22,000/year, some students may find this expensive. If you’re one of them, you’ll be glad to know that there are Scotland Government provides several scholarships for international students – such as the Saltire Scholarship – that may cover a certain amount of your studies.
Saltire Scholarships
The Saltire Scholarship was created to facilitate the education of certain foreigners in Scottish universities. About 50 applicants who wish to take a 1-year, full-time master’s degree in science, creative industry, technology, energy, and medical/health science are entitled to an award amounting to £8,000.
| SALTIRE SCHOLARSHIP |
| Eligible Degree/s |
Master’s |
| Eligible Countries |
citizens and permanent residents of Canada, China (with Hong Kong), India, Japan, Pakistan, and the United States |
| Application Deadline |
the Scottish Government will not offer the Saltire Scholarship for 2024-2025 |
Eligibility Requirements
| ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS |
- must be citizens or permanent residents of Canada, China (including Hong Kong), India, Japan, Pakistan, and the US.
- applicants must have received a conditional or unconditional offer from a Scottish university.
- must meet the language requirements of the university.
- candidates must also demonstrate the capacity to finance the remaining study costs – plus the cost of living in Scotland.
- potential scholars must be interested in studying in Scotland – and have an aspiration to succeed in their chosen fields.
- must possess good interpersonal and communication skills
|
Applicants who have received a conditional or unconditional offer from a Scottish university should be enrolling in any of the following fields:
| FIELD OF STUDY |
BRANCH OF STUDY |
| Science |
Animals/Zoology, Botany/Plants, Climate/Weather, Earth Science, Environment, Geology |
| Creative Industry |
Animation, Broadcasting, Communications, Computer Games/Arts, Culture, Design, Fashion, Graphics, Industrial or Interior Design, Journalism, Publishing |
| Technology |
Bioinformatics, Computers, Engineering, Information, Multimedia, Software, Systems |
| Medical and Health Science |
Astronomy, Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Health Science, Physical Science, Physics |
| Energy |
Biomass/Biofuels, Renewable Energy, Sustainable Engineering |
Students who have previously studied in Scotland – or have won the Saltire Scholarship previously – are considered ineligible for this program.
Application Process
Step 1: Apply to Partner Universities
As mentioned, only students with university offers may apply for the Scotland Government Scholarship. That said, the process of applying starts with gaining admission to your university of choice. In most universities, students who apply for a master’s degree must meet the minimum requirement of a bachelor’s degree. In some programs, however, a related degree at Honors or second-class level is required.
For example, an American student who wishes to study an MSc in Analytical Chemistry at the University of Aberdeen will need to have a GPA of at least 3.3 to 3.5. This range is considered the equivalent of a UK 2.1 degree.
Step 2: Submit the Necessary Documents
As you apply for universities, you need to submit entry requirements such as academic transcripts, a personal statement, a copy of the passport page, a curriculum vitae, and reference letters.
Proof of English proficiency is also required from applicants whose first language is not English.
Step 3: Start Your Online Application for the Saltire Scholarship
After gaining admission from your university, you may start your online application for the Saltire Scholarship. For this part, you will need to provide personal information like full name, nationality, name of Scottish institution you got accepted, offer status, etc.
Apart from these vital data, applicants are also required to answer several questions and each question should be answered in a maximum of 250 words.
Step 4: Wait for the Results and Comply with being a Saltire Scholar
Once you have been awarded the Saltire Scholarship, Saltire scholars are required to maintain a standard of conduct, uphold the reputation of the program in their respective universities, participate in extra-curricular events, and attend the welcome reception and the end-of-year conference.
After successfully obtaining a degree with the support of the Saltire scholarship, scholars are expected to promote Scotland and Scottish higher education. They may do this by posting on social media about their experience in Scotland. These (images, blogs, videos, etc.) may be used for marketing purposes. Scholars also need to participate in an on-camera interview, the footage of which will be used by the Scottish government and university as needed.
**Depending on the university, Saltire Scholarship, may be combined with another scholarship award.**
If you come from any of the countries stated above, the Saltire Scholarship is a good way to cover a significant amount of your master’s studies. To further ease the financial burden, you may apply for additional scholarships should your university permit it.
We hope that this article was helpful. Make sure to also check out the Study in the UK and Available Programs in Europe sections!
