To find university scholarships in 2026, start with the official funding page of each UK university you are considering. Then use a trusted funding search, check every compulsory rule and compare the award with the amount you still need.
This guide helps undergraduate and postgraduate applicants, including international students, complete that process. It does not repeat long lists of scholarships that may close or change. Instead, it shows you how to find current funding that fits your course, background and budget.
Work out how much funding you need
Start with your complete study cost, not the value of a scholarship advert.
Use this calculation:
Tuition fees + living costs + travel and study costs − confirmed funding = funding gap
For example, if your expected cost is £24,000 and you have £15,000 in confirmed funding, your gap is £9,000.
Include accommodation deposits, food, local travel, equipment, visa related costs and flights where they apply to you. Use current figures from the university and relevant official services.
Your result gives you a clear target. A £3,000 tuition discount can help, but it does not solve a £9,000 gap. You still need a realistic plan for the remaining £6,000.
Understand the main funding names
Scholarship, bursary and grant do not have completely fixed meanings. The UCAS guide to scholarships, grants and bursaries says the terms can be used interchangeably and gives the following rough distinctions.
| Funding type | Usually based on | May help with |
|---|---|---|
| Scholarship | Academic, sporting, musical or another achievement | Tuition fees or living costs |
| Bursary | Income, background or personal circumstances | Living costs or a stated need |
| Grant | Financial need, background or a particular purpose | Living costs, travel or another named expense |
These forms of funding generally do not need to be repaid. However, the provider may set conditions about payment, permitted use, academic progress or other responsibilities. Read the actual terms before accepting an award.
Where should you search first?
Use the route that fits your situation.
| Your situation | Best place to begin |
| UK undergraduate applicant | University funding page and UCAS funding search |
| International undergraduate applicant | University international funding page and country specific awards |
| UK postgraduate applicant | University department and postgraduate funding page |
| International postgraduate applicant | University international funding page, national schemes and trusted international guidance |
| Applicant with personal circumstances | University support pages and circumstance specific funding |
| Applicant in a specialist subject | University department and relevant professional body |
Search each university properly
Check more than the main scholarship page. Look at:
- Fees and funding;
- International students;
- Your school or academic department;
- Widening participation or student support; and
- The page for your exact course.
Useful searches include:
- University name + undergraduate scholarship
- University name + international master’s funding
- Course name + bursary
- Nationality + UK scholarship
- Subject + professional body scholarship
Check whether the university considers you automatically or expects a separate form. An application for admission does not always count as an application for funding.
Search by your circumstances
Funding may be linked to income, disability, care experience, refugee status, family responsibilities or another personal situation. Universities may call this support a bursary, grant, hardship fund, access fund or sanctuary scholarship.
Our guide to scholarships based on personal circumstances explains the categories and possible evidence. Use that article for the detailed guidance so this page stays focused on the wider funding search.
Use trusted services to find leads
UCAS provides a funding search for UK study. International applicants can also read UKCISA’s funding guidance for international students. UKCISA explains that awards can have strict criteria and may be limited to particular courses or groups.
These services help you discover funding. The provider’s current page must still be your final source for eligibility, value and deadline.
Use a five minute suitability check
Before adding an award to your shortlist, answer these questions:
- Is it open for your intended study year?
- Does it support your degree level and exact course?
- Are your nationality, residence and fee status eligible?
- Do you meet the academic or personal criteria?
- Do you need a university offer before applying?
- Is the application automatic, direct or made through a nominating body?
- Is the closing date still in the future?
If one compulsory rule excludes you, remove the award. A good application cannot correct an eligibility problem.
If a rule is unclear, contact the provider using the details on its official website. Keep the award marked as unclear until you receive an answer.
Check the application year and study year
The year in a scholarship advert can be misleading. An application that opens in 2026 may fund study beginning in 2027.
Chevening is a current example. Its official application timeline for 2027/28 study says applications opened on 4 August 2026 and close at 11:00 UTC on 6 October 2026. Successful scholars begin their UK studies in September or October 2027.
Therefore, it is open for applications in 2026, but it is not funding for a course starting in 2026. Applicants must also check Chevening’s full country, eligibility and course rules.
Record these details separately for every award:
- Opening date;
- Deadline, including the time zone; and
- Course start year.
Compare what each award actually provides
Do not compare awards using the headline amount alone. Check:
- The total value.
- Whether it is cash or a tuition fee reduction.
- The costs it can cover.
- When and how it is paid.
- Whether it lasts for the full course.
- Any renewal or academic progress conditions.
- Whether it can be combined with other funding.
- Any duties attached to the award.
- The amount you must still pay yourself.
An award described as £12,000 over three years is not worth £12,000 each year. Likewise, money paid after enrolment may not help with a deposit or travel cost due earlier.
Do not describe an award as fully funded unless the provider clearly states what it covers. Even then, check whether you will have personal costs outside the funding package.
Build a shortlist you can use
A spreadsheet is more useful than a folder of saved adverts. Give each award one row.
| Field | What to record |
| Award and provider | Exact official names |
| Course and level | Eligible subject and qualification |
| Applicant rules | Nationality, residence, fee status and circumstances |
| Value | Amount, permitted use and payment method |
| Offer required | Yes, no or unclear |
| Application route | Automatic, direct form or nomination |
| Deadline | Date, time and time zone |
| Study start | Correct academic year |
| Source checked | Official page and date checked |
| Decision | Suitable, unclear or unsuitable |
Rank suitable awards by fit, not only by value. A smaller award with clear rules that match you may deserve attention before a large award for which you only meet the minimum conditions.
Extra checks for international students
Do not treat international students as one eligibility group. Check nationality, country of residence, course level and fee status separately.
UKCISA says international scholarships often target particular groups or courses. It also explains that applicants commonly need an offer from a UK institution before applying, although the exact requirement depends on the award.
Before relying on any funding, confirm:
- Whether your country is eligible;
- Whether you need a conditional or unconditional offer;
- Whether the award is full or partial;
- When the first payment will arrive; and
- How you will cover every remaining cost.
Compare costs and funding in the same currency. Leave room for exchange rate changes if your money will come from another country.
If you are an EU applicant, fee status and funding rules can differ from those for other international students. Read our Scholarships for EU Students in the UK: A Practical 2026 Guide for the funding routes and checks that apply specifically to EU students.
Check that the opportunity is genuine
Before sharing personal documents:
- Find the award on the provider’s official website;
- Confirm that the form and deadline are current;
- Check that the contact address belongs to the provider;
- Read the privacy information before uploading documents; and
- Contact the provider through published details if anything is unclear.
Pause if someone promises guaranteed selection, asks you to pay for the scholarship or sends you to an unrelated form. A blog or social media post may help you discover an opportunity, but it should not be your final source.
What happens after your shortlist?
This article ends when you have a verified shortlist. The next stage is preparing and submitting each application.
Use our winning scholarship application guide for the full application process. If the provider requests a written statement, the scholarship personal statement guide explains how to structure it. Keeping those stages in separate articles avoids repeating the same advice here.
University scholarships 2026: final checklist
Before you spend time on an application, confirm that:
- The award is open;
- You meet every compulsory rule;
- It supports your course and study year;
- The value and payment method are clear;
- You know whether a university offer is required;
- The application route belongs to the real provider;
- The deadline includes the correct time zone; and
- You can cover the remaining funding gap.
The aim is not to collect the longest scholarship list. It is to find a small number of current awards that match your course, circumstances and real financial need. Always check the final details on the provider’s official page because funding values, rules and deadlines can change.