How I Secured a Partially Funded Bachelor's at the University of Leicester, United Kingdom Through the International Undergraduate Merit Scholarship

Harsha Vardhan is my name. I hail from Thiruvananthapuram, India. I am a first-generation international student who completed his bachelor’s degree in ‘Software Engineering with a Year in Industry’ (3 Years + 1 Year Student Paid-Internship) at the University of Leicester in the year 2026 (with First Class Honours). I started my journey in 2022, at age 17, arriving in the UK (for the first time in a Western country) alone, with just two medium-sized suitcases. I have been fascinated by the changing landscape of Information Technology ever since my teenage years, and I started learning coding when I was 13 years old in Java. Furthermore, having a great grasp of mathematical concepts helped me in understanding Data Structures and Algorithms. These factors led me to choose Software Engineering as a career path.

International Undergraduate Merit Scholarship, University of Leicester Details

I was offered the scholarship called “International Undergraduate Merit Scholarship”, which is a merit-based scholarship from the university, worth £5,000 per academic year.

Were You Offered Any Other Scholarships?

N/A. I was not offered any other scholarships apart from the one above.

Educational Background

I was fortunate to get this scholarship, given that I have secured 96% in the Indian School Certificate (ISC) (UK A-Level AAA* equivalent). I also got 95.6% in the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) (UK GCSE Grade 9 equivalent). Having all of these credentials also helped me to prepare to apply for this course. Also, before thinking of doing my education abroad, I prepared for the Indian Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) examination (dubbed the world's second hardest examination) to get into the Indian Institutes of Technology (The Tech Ivy League of India). I was in the Top 8% of the 2 million Applicants. Still, I was just shy to get into IIT.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to the University of Leicester?

I started early, as I finished high school in June 2022, and soon I started my bachelor's in September that year (Most people in India would take a gap year, but it wasn’t in my case). I had to go through the list of prestigious universities and was also welcomed. I was fortunate enough to receive an unconditional offer from the University of Leicester with this scholarship.

How Did You Find Information About International Undergraduate Merit Scholarship, University of Leicester and University of Leicester?

I found this information through the university website when I applied to the university.

Did You Take Any Standardized Tests? If So, How Did You Prepare for Them?

I did prepare for IELTS and got the grand total of 7.5 out of 9, but it was not mandatory as I scored above 90% in my English Language and Literature in high school. I prepared for IELTS by self-studying.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the International Undergraduate Merit Scholarship, University of Leicester?

There was no separate application process for this scholarship. It is merit-based, so I automatically qualified based on meeting the criteria when applying for my course.

How is Your Experience at the University of Leicester?

It is a rollercoaster in a good way, and I look back and see that I have changed a lot. I used to be a shy, introverted person before I joined the university, and now I am quite energetic and prolific in every aspect. I had the opportunity to meet with people from all of walks of life, and I learned a lot from them. I had the opportunity to serve myself as the Secretary of Leicester Computer Science Society, where I co-organised hackathons and tech-talks, which was beneficial for the university (Grateful enough to be a part of the winning committee of the Best Student Group 2023-2024 out of 200 societies). Also did a Year in Industry at a well-known tech company based in Stafford, England, which helped me to apply practical skills in real-life situations.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

A strong personal statement that detailed my life, my interests, and how they defined me as a person, along with achieving more than the equivalent of three A* grades in my Indian A Levels.

What Would You Have Done Differently if You Were Going Through the Process Again?

I would have also applied for the International Citizens of Change Scholarship, which awards a £10,000 tuition fee discount in the first year. For that, I had to create a short video (no more than two minutes) which answers these three questions:

• What do you want to achieve after university?
• How will your chosen degree help you achieve this?
• How will you contribute to the University community while you’re here?

What Advice Would You Give Those Looking to Apply for a Similar Scholarship?

Be a chameleon, try to go to the unexplored and learn from the mistakes. It only takes one success after multiple failures.

Focus on good grades in high school and have a stand-out Personal Statement. You will do great :)

Fun Facts About Me?

I have a guilty pleasure of reading random Wikipedia articles every day.I could guess almost any Beatles song within 1 second of that song playing.I play the ukulele and love to sing in my spare time.