Scholarships

Awarding scholarships that unlock potential

For 90 years, the British Council has been a beacon of educational opportunity, connecting individuals from across the world with life-changing scholarships.

International students and scholars enrich UK universities, bringing diverse perspectives and expertise that enhance the learning environment. They have become integral to the UK academic community, establishing networks that support long-term global, cultural, academic and business links – and, occasionally, even love stories.

The global scholarships we offer with our partners have empowered thousands to pursue academic excellence, fostered international collaboration, and strengthened cultural ties.

Dr Lies Parede, a research scientist from Indonesia, came to the UK in 1985 to study the identification and treatment of poultry diseases.

Known for his work in several Indian and international film productions, such as The Reluctant Fundamentalist and Life of Pi (both 2012), Adil Hussain studied at the Drama Studio London on a Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarship.

Since the late 1930s, scholarships have played a vital role in discovering and nurturing young, unknown talents across a wide range of disciplines.

Through our support, individuals like the then young Brazilian songwriter Vinicius de Moraes, future politicians like George Odlum from Saint Lucia, and emerging poets and performers like Jamaica’s Lou Bennett were given the opportunity to shine.

Thanks to our scholarships, they blossomed into the celebrated figures we know today.

Jose Antonio Guzman Bravo, a British Council Scholar from Mexico, at Fenton House in London in the 1970s.

In 1959, we started administering the Commonwealth Scholarships.

Commonwealth Scholarships are aimed at students from across the Commonwealth who would not otherwise be able to afford to study in the UK. The scheme helps to support future innovators and leaders.

We welcomed students on arrival, assisting them with housing, social and education support, and English language classes.

Princess Alexandra meets a Ghanaian student and their family in the UK in 1966.

Chevening Scholarships are the UK government’s global scholarships programme.

Established in 1983, they support study at UK universities for students with potential to become future leaders, decision-makers and opinion formers.

Since the programme was created, over 50,000 outstanding individuals have had the opportunity to develop in the UK through Chevening.

Bernardo Ivo Cruz is the current Portuguese Secretary of State for International Trade and Foreign Investment.

A Chevening Scholar and alumnus of Bristol University, Bernardo credits the British Council with playing a vital role in his journey. Without the scholarship, he would never have been able to complete his doctoral studies.

Bernardo has been honoured with a number of awards for his work, including a Business Internationalisation Award by the UK government in 2015.

Bernardo Ivo Cruz addressing the United Nations General Assembly

‘The impact of the scholarship has honestly been invaluable. Studying literature in London, meeting so many different people from all walks of life, and diving into such rich cultural experiences have opened up my world in ways that wouldn’t otherwise have been possible.

It gave me the space to discover and explore, cultivating an empathy and curiosity that also left me with the certainty of who I am. I would not be the journalist and writer that I am had I not become a Chevening Scholar.’

Marga Ortigas

In 1996, Marga travelled from the Philippines to study literature at the University of Greenwich, in London, on a Chevening Scholarship.

After her studies, she worked for two decades as a correspondent for international news organisations such as CNN and Al Jazeera. She was recognised by the International Committee of the Red Cross for Humanitarian Reporting.

Marga now hosts a podcast and has published three books.

‘Studying at Nuffield College Oxford for the Chevening Fellowship was a great experience. It’s not just about being in a prestigious place of learning, but it’s a chance to better understand the United Kingdom and its institutions and what makes that such a special place to be.

I made a lot of good friends. And I also learned a lot. And what I learned was helpful in subsequent roles as a member of parliament, a cabinet minister, and then as Mayor of Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, and now as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.’

Phil Goff, High Commissioner of New Zealand to the United Kingdom

‘The impact of the scholarship has honestly been invaluable. Studying literature in London, meeting so many different people from all walks of life, and diving into such rich cultural experiences have opened up my world in ways that wouldn’t otherwise have been possible.

It gave me the space to discover and explore, cultivating an empathy and curiosity that also left me with the certainty of who I am. I would not be the journalist and writer that I am had I not become a Chevening Scholar.’

Marga Ortigas

In 1996, Marga travelled from the Philippines to study literature at the University of Greenwich, in London, on a Chevening Scholarship.

After her studies, she worked for two decades as a correspondent for international news organisations such as CNN and Al Jazeera. She was recognised by the International Committee of the Red Cross for Humanitarian Reporting.

Marga now hosts a podcast and has published three books.

‘Studying at Nuffield College Oxford for the Chevening Fellowship was a great experience. It’s not just about being in a prestigious place of learning, but it’s a chance to better understand the United Kingdom and its institutions and what makes that such a special place to be.

I made a lot of good friends. And I also learned a lot. And what I learned was helpful in subsequent roles as a member of parliament, a cabinet minister, and then as Mayor of Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, and now as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.’

Phil Goff, High Commissioner of New Zealand to the United Kingdom

Chevening Scholars continue to use the knowledge, skills, and networks they gain in the UK to influence positive change in their own communities, addressing issues including climate change, women's rights and new technologies

Cainã Perri grew up in a small town in Brazil, longing to explore the world. Learning English was the gateway to achieving that dream. He set his sights on becoming an English teacher, determined to give other people the same opportunities he had had.

After some time teaching in Turkey and Peru, Cainã returned to Brazil where he was invited to work as a teacher trainer. The difference he made inspired him to pursue a formal qualification in teaching education, taking him first to Leeds University, UK and later to the non-profit teacher education organisation Nova Escola.

There, he began working on the UK-Brazil Skills for Prosperity programme. Funded by the UK government, the programme was delivered by Nova Escola, the Lemann Foundation, Reúna Institute and the British Council. It aimed to support sustainable economic development in Brazil by improving English language learning and teaching in public schools in five states.

This was a pivotal moment in Cainã’s career. He played a key role, working with the five secretariats of education to deliver training in each state. One of his main responsibilities was the design of a self-paced online course helping English teachers to build their own language skills. Over 10,000 teachers registered on the platform. Cainã also worked on a train the trainer project helping each state to provide a locally relevant and achievable professional development offer for teachers. In total, Cainã created professional development opportunities for over 20,000 English language teachers working at public schools.

For this work, Cainã was chosen as a global finalist in the British Council’s 2022 Study UK Alumni Awards. This achievement recognises his exceptional contribution and commitment to creating positive social change and improving the lives of others.

The Skills for Prosperity programme also sparked Cainã’s interest in technology as both a teaching tool and a gateway to more accessible education. With the support of a Chevening Scholarship, he is now pursuing a Master’s in Education and Technology at University College London. Cainã proudly follows in the footsteps of Brazil’s very first UK government scholar, bossa nova legend Vinicius de Moraes who studied at the University of Oxford in 1938.

The AS Hornby Scholarships are awarded to exceptional English teachers from outside the UK.

The AS Hornby Trust was set up by AS Hornby in 1961 to support English language teaching worldwide.

Thanks to the scholarships, hundreds of teachers have been able to develop their expertise through summer schools and postgraduate courses in Linguistics and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages at British universities.

Boping Yuan

Boping Yuan's early life was marked by the tumultuous Cultural Revolution in China in the late 1960s.

A group of young people sent to the countryside to be re-educated

He was among millions of young people sent to rural areas as part of a national programme of re-education of Chinese youth. There, he worked in the fields and, upon returning to his home city, Yuan became an apprentice carpenter to make a living.

In 1977, after the end of the Cultural Revolution and the reopening of universities in China, Boping could go back to his studies and joined a British Council-run postgraduate programme at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

In 1988, he was awarded a Hornby Scholarship from the British Council to study at the University of Edinburgh. The following year he was awarded a Foreign and Commonwealth Office Scholarship for a PhD in Theoretical and Applied Linguistics at the same university. While there he was taught by some of the most influential linguists of the time. Shortly after completing his PhD, he was offered a job of teaching and directing the modern Chinese programme at the University of Cambridge.

Today, Professor Yuan supervises doctoral students and young researchers, continues to pursue academic excellence in his subject and has become an admired scholar and a key contributor to Chinese-British academic relations.

Professor Boping Yuan with some of his Cambridge undergraduate students

He credits the British Council for being instrumental in his journey:

‘Looking back on my over 30-year academic career, I can confidently say that without the invaluable support of the British Council, I would not be where I am today. I owe a great deal to the British Council. Thank you for all you have given to me and created for me.’

May May Win

‘I’m proud to have won the Hornby Scholarship and had the opportunity to study at Lancaster University. It is really a socially engaging, academically enriching and professionally empowering experience. Thank you very much to all who have made this happen to me!’

May May Win first connected with the British Council as a university student in Myanmar during the 1980s. Through our support, she was awarded the prestigious Hornby Scholarship.

She went on to earn an MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from Lancaster University, which launched her career as a teacher and trainer. She later joined the British Council’s Teacher Training team, collaborating with educators in the Philippines on professional development programmes, including the flagship EfECT project (English for Education College Trainers). Currently, May May Win is an independent education consultant and a dedicated member of the Myanmar TESOL Association.

The GREAT Scholarships programme is managed by the British Council together with UK universities.

The programme offers financial support to students pursuing one-year postgraduate study in the UK. Students can apply for courses in a range of subjects at 72 institutions across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

‘Getting the GREAT Scholarship was the start of a new chapter. I can’t shake the feeling that this year will be the most impactful of my life and I know that the scholarship is a huge part of that.

It’s been an affirmation that there are people who saw my potential and have given me a chance to explore it. All of the GREAT scholars are forming networks together. In the future, we’ll be calling each other from different countries. It’s a great stepping stone for us, wherever we may end up.’

Ashley Yaro from Kenya, 2022–23 GREAT Scholar, LLM Commercial Law, University of Edinburgh

‘It’s not just about the money. The money was a lot for us but the esteem and the prestige that came with it was also a big thing.

When you tell someone you are a GREAT scholar, the impact is huge. For me, it’s been about stepping outside of my comfort zone and meeting new people. It will make me better able to contribute to my own country as well.’

Nikita Bokil from India, 2022–23 GREAT Scholar, LLM Intellectual Property Law, University of Manchester

‘Getting the GREAT Scholarship was the start of a new chapter. I can’t shake the feeling that this year will be the most impactful of my life and I know that the scholarship is a huge part of that.

It’s been an affirmation that there are people who saw my potential and have given me a chance to explore it. All of the GREAT scholars are forming networks together. In the future, we’ll be calling each other from different countries. It’s a great stepping stone for us, wherever we may end up.’

Ashley Yaro from Kenya, 2022–23 GREAT Scholar, LLM Commercial Law, University of Edinburgh

‘It’s not just about the money. The money was a lot for us but the esteem and the prestige that came with it was also a big thing.

When you tell someone you are a GREAT scholar, the impact is huge. For me, it’s been about stepping outside of my comfort zone and meeting new people. It will make me better able to contribute to my own country as well.’

Nikita Bokil from India, 2022–23 GREAT Scholar, LLM Intellectual Property Law, University of Manchester

In 1994, with the Inter-Church Committee on Northern Ireland and in partnership with the Northern Ireland Department of Economy, we established the Study USA programme.

Designed to assist with the Peace Process, endorsed by the White House, for 30 years Study USA has given undergraduate students from Northern Ireland the opportunity to study at universities and colleges in the USA.

Mark Owens shares his journey from studying at John Carroll University to becoming Ireland’s first Honorary Consul in Ohio.

In 2001, in response to 9/11 terrorist attacks in the USA, we launched the 9/11 Scholarship Fund for dependants of the victims.

‘I was introduced to the British Council through America’s Camp, a camp for children who had been affected by 9/11. Almost all of us had lost a family member in the attacks. I was eligible to apply for the 9/11 Scholarship.

I had no idea the impact that the scholarship would have on my life when I moved to study in Wales 11 years ago. I met my now husband, Ben, at Cardiff Metropolitan University where I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in public health nutrition. I then stayed on to do a master’s in Swansea before getting married and now Ben and I have a child together. I am forever grateful for this scholarship, because without it my life would look completely different. I think of Wales as my second home now.’

Samantha Stevens (née Gordenstein), 9/11 scholar, 2013–17, Cardiff Metropolitan University, BSc Public Health Nutrition

Sumaiya Tabassum, 2021–22 British Council Women in STEM scholar, MSc Environmental Engineering, Newcastle University

The British Council Women in STEM Scholarships aim to increase female representation in science, technology, engineering and maths.

Women in STEM Scholarships have supported over 300 women globally, enabling them to access world-class UK universities and promoting gender equality in STEM fields.

After completing her undergraduate degree in Ocean Sciences at a local university in Brazil, Lisandra Matos was keen to continue her education in the UK. Our Women in STEM Scholarships were the perfect opportunity: Lisandra was awarded the scholarship and completed an MSc in Marine Environmental Protection at Bangor University in Wales, where she gained hands-on experience and presented her research on climate change and the UK fishing fleet.

After graduating, she began working in Scotland, helping to create sustainable practices between offshore developers and local fishing communities. Lisandra aspires to support Brazil’s marine economy and inspire young people in STEM.

‘Few scholarships are as inclusive as the British Council’s Women in STEM Scholarship. The opportunity changed my professional life.’

Lisandra Mantos