Top Scholarships for Indian Students in the UK for 2025

🎓 The 2025 Opportunity Landscape

As of mid‑2025, the UK has reaffirmed its position as a premier destination for Indian students seeking master’s or doctoral studies. It has been backed by a robust expansion of scholarship programs. For example:

• GREAT Scholarships— It will offer over £10,000 each to more than 200 Indian postgraduates. This feature is available across 70+ UK institutions for the 2025–26 academic year.

• The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission— It is in collaboration with UK universities. It awards around 700 fully funded scholarships annually. This program covers fees, living costs, travel, and more.

• Gates Cambridge, Clarendon Fund, Rhodes, and Weidenfeld-Hoffmann – It stands out as a hallmark and full-fledged scholarship scheme. It is renowned for academic excellence, leadership talent, and generous coverage.

With recent funding increases and emphasis on subjects like STEM, justice, and global development, 2025 brings unprecedented opportunity. Let’s break down the most impactful scholarships and how to access them.

Top 5 Platforms to Learn Anything in 2025

Top 15 Scholarships for Indian Students in the UK for 2025

1. Chevening Scholarship

• Provider: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

• Coverage: Full tuition, monthly stipend (~£1,400), airfare, visa, and allowances

• Eligibility: Indian citizen, undergraduate degree, 2+ years of professional experience, demonstrated leadership potential

• Application Window: Opens August; closes November 2025

Why It Matters

It is rich in prestige and network. Chevening equips scholars with more than just a degree. Further, it offers access to global peers, leadership training, and lifelong British Council connections.

2. Commonwealth/Commonwealth Shared Scholarships

• Provider: Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, UK FCDO, UK universities

• Coverage: Full tuition, living stipend (~£1,347/month), travel, thesis and travel grants, initial allowances 

• Eligibility: Indian nationals with outstanding academic merit and commitment to development

• 2025 Schedule:

  • Opens September

  • Closes ~15 October 2025 

Why It Matters

It is filled with around 700 spots each year. This is among the most accessible full-fee funding opportunities for India–UK studies. It has mission-oriented themes like health, governance, inclusion, and climate.

How to Choose the Right EdTech Platform in 2025

3. GREAT Scholarships

• Provider: British Council & UK universities

• Coverage: Minimum of £10,000 toward tuition 

• Eligibility: Indian postgraduate applicants to one-year master’s at participating universities

• Availability: Over 200 awards for the 2025–26 intake 

Why It Matters

This program offers broad access: partial funding. But across many disciplines and institutions, ideal for students strong in academics but short of full funding.

4. Rhodes Scholarship (University of Oxford)

• Provider: Rhodes Trust, University of Oxford

• Coverage: Full tuition, generous annual stipend (~£18,000), airfare, private health insurance  

• Eligibility: Indians aged ≤28 (some flexibility), first-class or strong upper second degree, outstanding leadership, and character

• 2025 Timelines: Opens June 2025; deadline ~23 July 2025  

Why It Matters

It is one of the most prestigious global scholarships. This program is combined with intellectual prowess and moral leadership. Only a handful of Indians receive it each year, but selection is rigorous and rewarding.

Top 15 Career Courses for Indian Students

5. Gates Cambridge Scholarship

• Provider: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

• Coverage: Full tuition, living stipend (~£20,800/year), airfare, visa, family allowance 

• Eligibility: Exceptional academic record, leadership, strong postgraduate programme fit

• Scale: ~1.2% acceptance rate; ~2000 awardees from 112+ countries to date 

Why It Matters

It is a top-tier, full-capacity, award-enabling transformational study at Cambridge.

6. Clarendon Fund (University of Oxford)

• Provider: University of Oxford

• Coverage: Tuition + generous living stipend (~£17,668/year) 

• Eligibility: Automatically considered when applying to Oxford graduate courses; selection based on academic excellence

• Scale: 200+ Clarendon Scholars annually 

Why It Matters

No separate application—ideal for students already Oxford-bound and aiming for full funding without much extra effort.

Top 20 Online Learning Platforms in India 2025

7. Weidenfeld‑Hoffmann Scholarships & Leadership Programme

• Provider: Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust & Oxford University

• Coverage: Full tuition, living costs, leadership training, programme costs 

• Eligibility: Graduates from developing/emerging countries; leadership potential; likely to return home

• Scale: ~35 awarded per year; >400 total thus far 

Why It Matters

It combines academic excellence and a strong leadership component.

8. Jardine Scholarship (Oxford & Cambridge)

• Provider: Jardine Matheson via Jardine Foundation

• Coverage: Full tuition, college fees, annual stipend, insurance, return airfare (~US$200,000 total)  

• Eligibility: Students from specific Asian countries (India included); leadership, extracurricular excellence

• Scale: ~300 awarded since 1982 

Why It Matters

Globally prestigious, high-award scholarships with a strong focus on leadership and giving back to Asian communities.

Side Hustles for American Students: Earn While You Learn

9. Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s

• Provider: EU-funded consortiums (incl. UK universities)

• Coverage: Tuition, living allowance, travel, insurance

• Eligibility: Indian students in dual/multi-country master’s consortium programmes

• Timelines: Apply Oct–Jan for programmes starting following 

Why It Matters

Offers a unique cross-country study experience, exposure to global academic networks, and full funding spanning tuition and living costs.

10. University-Specific Scholarships

Many UK universities also run generous, India-focused scholarships:

11. Scotland-Specific Awards

• Saltire Scholarships: Up to £8,000 for master’s degrees in STEM, creative industries, health, and renewable energy at Scottish universities.

Why It Matters

A niche but valuable opportunity for students drawn to Scotland—funding hope for those pursuing regionally focused disciplines.

12. Charles Wallace India Trust

• Purpose: Grants for Indian professionals in arts, heritage, humanities

• Coverage:

  • Long-term MA/PhD: tuition, living, £600 travel  Short-term arts residencies: £1,500 one-time grants 

• Timeline: Opens January; closes February 2025  

Why It Matters

Ideal for those in the arts, conservation, or creative professionals seeking UK exposure through structured support.

Top Scholarships for Indian Students in 2025: Complete Guide

13. Specialist Awards

• Dr. Manmohan Singh Scholarship (Cambridge): Full funding for PhDs in science, tech, economics, and social sciences—highly competitive.

• Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation: Up to $100k for top-tier master’s/MPhil/PhD in arts, humanities, social sciences 

• Felix Scholarships: For Oxbridge, Reading, SOAS; full funding for outstanding postgraduates 

💡 Applying Successfully: Strategies for 2025

1. Plan early—many deadlines fall between Aug 2025 and Feb 2026.

2. Tailor each application—showcase academic strength and leadership or public purpose.

3. Leverage automatic consideration—scholarships like Chevening, Commonwealth, and Clarendon require no separate essay.

4. Network and guidance—Connect with past scholars via LinkedIn or scholarship platforms to refine essays/interviews.

5. Document readiness—early prep of CV, SOP, recommendation letters, research proposals, finance plans, and English test scores strengthens your candidacy.

👉 What’s Next?

• Shortlist 3–5 scholarships aligned with your profile

• Align applications with different deadlines (e.g., Chevening in Nov., Commonwealth in Oct., and Charles Wallace in Feb.).

• Begin documentation early: essays, CV, references, test scores

• Seek support: alumni mentors, official webpages, university funding guides

📘 Conclusion: Top Scholarships for Indian Students in the UK for 2025—Shaping Your Path

The UK academic ecosystem in 2025 offers a wide spectrum of scholarship possibilities. It is tailored for Indian students—from comprehensive, globally prestigious awards like Rhodes, Gates Cambridge, and Clarendon.

By mapping your academic interests, eligibility, and timelines, you can build a strong, multi-tiered strategy. That’s aiming for flagship scholarships while maximizing chances via institutional or regional schemes.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Name

First

Last

Email

Comments or Suggestions

Submit