Why the UK needs a scholarship
International students pay international tuition at UK universities, often well above £20,000 a year for a master's, and more for laboratory subjects. UK master's degrees are usually just one year, though, so a single award can fund a complete degree, which is exactly what the major scholarships do.
The big full awards compared
| Scholarship | Level | Who | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevening | One-year master's | 160+ countries, 2 years' work experience | 2027–28 closed 6 Oct 2026; next round not announced |
| Commonwealth Master's | One-year master's | Eligible Commonwealth countries, via national nominating agency | 2027–28 closed 20 Oct 2026; next round not announced |
| Commonwealth Shared | Selected master's | Lower-income Commonwealth countries, via UK universities | 10 Nov – 8 Dec 2026 |
| Gates Cambridge | Any Cambridge postgraduate degree | Any country outside the UK | 8 Dec 2026 or 6 Jan 2027 |
| Clarendon (Oxford) | Any Oxford master's or DPhil | Any country; no separate application | Your course's December or January deadline |
| Weidenfeld-Hoffmann (Oxford) | 40 Oxford master's courses | 188 countries, mainly developing and emerging economies | Your course's December or January deadline |
| Rhodes | Oxford postgraduate | By constituency | 2028 entry not yet announced |
| Mastercard Foundation at Cambridge | One-year master's | Young Africans | 8 Dec 2026 or 6 Jan 2027, by course |
Application fees and waivers
Undergraduates apply through UCAS: for 2027 entry, one fee of £34.50 covers up to five choices. For a master's or PhD you apply to each university, and each sets its own fee.
| University | Application fee | Waivers |
|---|---|---|
| Oxford | £75 for taught courses; £20 for research courses | Residents of listed low-income countries, and refugees and displaced people |
| Cambridge | £85 per master's application; £20 for doctoral courses, covering up to 7 applications | Automatic for nationals of listed countries who have lived there since birth; African applicants to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program can ask by 20 November 2026 |
| Imperial College London | £90 for most master's; £125 for Business School MSc courses | On request, if you are in financial difficulty |
| UCL | £90; £160 for some business master's | Only for hardship caused by conflict or displacement |
At the University of Manchester, only eight Business School MSc courses charge a fee (£60); the school's other courses are free to apply to.
The Oxford and Cambridge lists are mostly the world's poorest countries, such as Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Uganda and Zambia. Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya are not on either list. Always ask for a waiver before you pay: neither Cambridge nor Imperial can waive a fee that has already been paid.
Compare other countries in our guide to universities with no application fee.
Visa costs and proof of funds
A UK Student visa requires you to show money for living costs for up to nine months: £1,570 a month in London or £1,203 a month elsewhere for applications made from 30 November 2026 (£1,529 and £1,171 for applications made before then). You also pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (£776 a year for students) and the visa fee. Full scholarships such as Chevening and Commonwealth normally cover these or count as your financial evidence. Check your award letter.
Return commitments
Chevening and Commonwealth scholars must return to their home country after the award (two years for Chevening), and Commonwealth scholars cannot switch to the Graduate visa. If staying to work in the UK matters to you, Gates Cambridge and Rhodes have no such rule. Read each award's terms before applying.
Working while you study
On a Student visa for a degree-level course at a university, you may work up to 20 hours a week in term time, counting every job together, and full time outside term. Courses below degree level allow 10 hours a week. Your university may set lower limits.
After you graduate: the Graduate visa
The Graduate visa lets you stay and work, or look for work, after a UK degree. For bachelor's and master's graduates it lasts two years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026, and 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027. After a PhD it lasts three years. Remember that Chevening and Commonwealth scholars must go home after their award.
Common questions
How much does it cost to apply to a UK university?
Undergraduate applications through UCAS cost £34.50 for up to five choices for 2027 entry. Postgraduate fees are set by each university: £75 at Oxford for taught courses, £85 at Cambridge for a master's, and £90 at Imperial and UCL.
Can I get my UK application fee waived?
Oxford waives it for residents of listed low-income countries, and Cambridge for nationals of listed countries who have lived there since birth; Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya are not on either list. Imperial considers waivers for financial difficulty. Ask before you pay.
How much money do I need for a UK Student visa?
For applications made from 30 November 2026, £1,570 a month for up to nine months in London, or £1,203 a month elsewhere (£1,529 and £1,171 before then), on top of any unpaid tuition. A full scholarship often counts as your evidence.
Can I work while studying in the UK?
At degree level, up to 20 hours a week in term and full time in the holidays.
How long is the UK Graduate visa?
Two years if you apply by 31 December 2026 and 18 months from 1 January 2027, for bachelor's and master's graduates; three years after a PhD.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Applications open for 2027 to 2028 Chevening Scholarships
- Commonwealth Scholarship Commission: Commonwealth Master's Scholarships
- Gates Cambridge: Application timeline
- UKCISA: Changes to the Student and Graduate rules
- GOV.UK: Student visa: money you need
- GOV.UK: Statement of changes to the Immigration Rules HC 584 (new Student maintenance amounts from 30 November 2026)
- GOV.UK: Graduate visa
- UKCISA: Working as an international student
- UCAS: Application fee for the 2027 cycle
- University of Oxford: Graduate application fee
- University of Oxford: Application fee waivers
- University of Cambridge: Application fee
- University of Cambridge: Application fee waiver
- Imperial College London: Application fee
- UCL: Application fees
- Alliance Manchester Business School: Help with your application