Where to start
Most international students who come to study in the UK pay for their courses privately and many need to apply for scholarships or grants to help them cover the costs. There are a number of national schemes run by the British government and other UK organisations which provide scholarships to help international students and the larger of these are listed in the sections on undergraduate and graduate funding.
International students should also contact the Ministry of Education or Education Department in their own country for information on national aid schemes. In some countries, students are able to apply for a student loan from the Department of Education. US students should look at the US Department of Education site. Indian students should look at the Indian Department of Education site. International applicants should also contact the British Council Office in their own country for advice on opportunities and funding for studying overseas.
The International Office also administers a wide range of Oxford schemes offering financial support to international students. Most of these are for students intending to read for a postgraduate degree (scholarships for postgraduate study) although there are a limited number available for international applicants to undergraduate courses (scholarships for undergraduate study). Please note that this information is currently being updated for 2008/09 - visit again soon for an update!
The competition for scholarships and grants to study in the UK is extremely strong and there are usually strict requirements. You should check carefully that you are eligible to apply for a particular scholarship before making an application as most of the schemes are restricted to certain nationalities and/or courses.
Applying for a Scholarship
In all cases, you must complete the relevant undergraduate or graduate application form to be considered for entry to a course at Oxford.
You can apply for some postgraduate scholarships by completing the funding section of the Application Form for Graduate Studies 2008-9. These are listed in Section M of the paper application form and Step 2 Page 7 of the online application form. There is no separate scholarship application form for these awards: Clarendon Fund, China Oxford Scholarship Fund (plus additional application form), Dulverton, Hill Foundation, Jenkins Memorial, Karim Rida Said, K C Wong, Noon Oppenheimer Fund, Oxford Australia, Oxford Kobe, Raffy Manoukian, Sasakawa, Scatcherd European and Weidenfeld.
You should read the scholarship information carefully, decide which schemes you are eligible to apply for, and then download the appropriate application form(s) or complete the relevant section of your Oxford application form. You must ensure that you apply within the deadline set for your particular course as well as by any deadline set for the scholarship(s) you want to apply for. The application forms for other schemes administered by the University can be downloaded. A link to these forms will be placed on this page as soon as they become available for 2008/09 applicants.
Applicants for scholarships administered by external agencies should follow the instructions for each particular scheme.
More funding ideas - useful links
Oxford University Research Services
The RSO offers a number of web-based resources for those looking for external research funding (some services may only be accessed by current Oxford students). For further information on the main source of funding information, www.researchresearch.com, and other funding resources, please see the Find Funding section of the Research Services website.
Education UK scholarship search
This British Council website allows you to search for scholarships by subject, level of study, type of award and country of residence.
British Federation of Women Graduates Charitable Foundation
This foundation offers grants/bursaries/emergency grants to women graduates from the UK and overseas who are studying in the UK.
Community of Science (COS)
Oxford subscribes to the 'Funding Opportunities' searchable database service offered by COS. Only members of the University with an ox.ac.uk email account can gain access to this particular service but the main site may be useful for prospective students too. Social Sciences and Humanities are included despite its name!
Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU)
The ACU administer a number of scholarships for Commonwealth citizens (and those permanently resident in a Commonwealth country) to study in the UK.
Wingate Scholarships
Wingate Scholarships aim to award funding for projects that may not fit into any of the conventional funding categories. They welcome applications from mature students and those from non-traditional academic backgrounds. Awards are designed to help with the costs of a specific project which may last up to three years.
Finding out more about Postgraduate Study and Funding
This is a Lancaster University website but has general information on postgraduate study in the UK and a large section on current scholarships / funding offered by external agencies and other UK universities.
Study Abroad (UNESCO)
This is an online book (also available in print) published by UNESCO which covers higher-education study opportunities and scholarships offered by universities, specialized schools and international organizations in 124 countries.
Advice for International Students (UKCISA)
UKCISA provides advice to international students about fees, funding, immigation and working in the UK during and after your studies.
Scholarship Search
Offers a search facility aimed primarily at UK undergraduates but there is some information for international students (EU and overseas).
Homepage for European Union Students
This is a Department of Education and Skills website for students and provides information for EU undergraduate students (non UK) about applying for assitance with tuition fees.
Scholarships for Singaporean Science & Technology Graduates
The National Science and Technology Board of Singpore offer a number of scholarships for studying at selected universities overseas, including Oxford.
The Croucher Foundation
This foundation offers scholarships to permanent residents of Hong Kong for new postgraduate study in Natural Science, Medicine or Technology in approved academic institutions.
The Grants Register 2008
Published by Palgrave Macmillan in print only (￡125), the Grant Register includes information on over 4,000 awards from 62 countries. There is a copy in the International Office that is available for reference use (it may not be removed from the office). The British Council Office in your city / country may also keep a copy, or you can contact www.palgrave.com, email grants.register@palgrave.com or write to The Grants Register, Palgrave Macmillan, Houndmills, Basingstoke, RG21 6XS, UK