External Worldwide Student Scholarships
External scholarships are managed by external organisations and not by a part of the University
of Oxford. They have their own application processes and the closing dates are often different
from the university's application deadlines. You should therefore contact the relevant
organisation directly to make enquiries about submitting an application for such awards. Some of
the major sources of funding provided by external organisations are shown below; click on the
region you are from to find tailored opportunities.
Not restricted by region
UK and Europe
Africa
Asia
Australasia
North America
South America
Not restricted by region
The Aga Khan Foundation provides a number of scholarships for
Aga Khan
graduate study (mainly Masters, but DPhil's are also considered) to
Foundation
students from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Pakistan,
Tajikistan, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Madagascar, Mozambique, Syria,
France, Portugal, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada.
Association of
Commonwealth The ACU administer a number of scholarships for Commonwealth
Universities (ACU) citizens (and those permanently resident in a Commonwealth country)
to study in the UK.
Oxford has subscribed to the Alternative Guide to Postgraduate Funding
2011-12, which all applicants and current students can download from
the section on the right-hand side of this page. This award-winning
guide was written by two UK based PhD students who between them
Alternative Guide to
have won over £45,000 from 52 different charity awards. It will show
Postgraduate
you where to find charities, how to approach them, and how to complete
Funding
strong applications in the correct manner. It contains model personal
and financial statements, and over 100 links to voluntary sector funding
sources. The Alternative Guide is independently published by
GradFunding.
The Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds is a public foundation based in
Boehringer Germany that promotes basic research in biomedicine. It offers two to
Ingelheim Fonds three year PhD Fellowships to outstanding young scientists (aged 27 or
under) to nationals of all countries to undertake research in a leading
PhD Fellowships laboratory in Europe. The fellowships comprise a monthly stipend and
the foundation also provides support for participation in scientific
conferences as well as non-monetary support (e.g. peronal support
networks). Apply by 1 February, 1 June or 1 October of each year.
The Chevening scholarship scheme is funded by the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office (FCO) in the United Kingdom. Significant
contributions are also made by UK higher education institutions, the
British Chevening private sector, other government departments and devolved
Scholarships administrations. The scheme is administered by the British Council, on
behalf of the FCO, both in the UK and overseas. The Scholarships are
offered in over 130 countries. They enable talented graduates and young
professionals whom we identify as the potential leaders of tomorrow to
develop strong links with the UK and with each other in a global
network, at the same time as becoming familiar with the UK.
British Federation of
Women Graduates
Charitable This foundation offers grants/bursaries/emergency grants to women
Foundation graduates from the UK and overseas who are studying in the UK.
Candidates must: be a female student entering her final year of a BSc, or
enrolled in an MSc or PhD programme (or equivalent); be enrolled in
Google Anita Borg
full-time study at a University in Europe. Citizens, permanent residents,
Scholarship
and international students are eligible to apply; be studying Computer
Science, Computer Engineering, Informatics, or a related technical
field; maintain an excellent academic record (e.g. a First Class Honours
degree). Apply by 01 February of each year.
The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) offers 3-year fully funded DPhil
scholarships in science and technology to applicants from IDB member
Islamic Development
countries. Applicants must be currently attached to a scientific,
Bank Merit
academic and/or research institution in their home country and meet the
Scholarship
IDB's eligibility criteria (published on their website). Application forms
Programme
must be submitted to your home country's Office of the IDB
Governor/IDB designated office by December 31 of the year before you
wish to start graduate study at Oxford. Successful candidates must
commit to returning to their home country on completion of their DPhil.
Oxford University
The RSO offers a number of web-based resources for those looking for
Research Services
external research funding (some services may only be accessed by
current Oxford students).
ResearchResearch Oxford subscribes to the 'ResearchResearch' database service which
shows funding opportunities for research students. Only members of the
University with an ox.ac.uk email account can gain access to this
particular service.
Two-year full scholarships for graduate courses at Oxford. Students
from the following countries may apply: Australia, Bermuda, Canada,
Rhodes Scholarship
Germany, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica and Commonwealth Caribbean,
Kenya, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa and neighbours
(Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland), USA, Zambia,
Zimbabwe.
Scholarships for studying in Oxford and abroad, funded by Rotary
Rotary Foundation International in order to further international understanding and friendly
Ambassadorial relations among people of different countries and geographical areas.
Scholarship The scholarship provides a flat grant of USD26,000 to study in another
country. The award is intended to help defray costs associated with
round-trip transportation, tuition and other fees, room and board, and
some educational supplies. Deadlines vary: see website.
Scholarship Search
(Not the same as
University of Oxford
Offers a search facility aimed primarily at UK undergraduates but there
Funding Search
is some information for international students (EU and overseas).
Database)
Sources of Funding
for International Provides general advice about searching for funding and also has a list
Students (UKCISA) of trusts and charities that offer small grants. UKCISA also offer
downloadable guidance notes on funding.
Study Abroad This is an online book (also available in print) published by UNESCO
(UNESCO) which covers higher-education study opportunities and scholarships
offered by universities, specialized schools and international
organizations in 145 countries.
The Anglo-Jewish Provides financial assistant to Jewish students in financial need to enter
Association further education or studying for full-time degrees at universitites in the
United Kingdom, who could not otherwise afford to enter university in
the UK.
Published by Macmillan in print only (£220), this includes information
on a variety of scholarships, fellowships and research grants,
The Grants Register professional and vocational grants. Available from Macmillan
2012 Reference Limited, 25 Eccleston Place, London SW1W 9NF. There is a
copy at the University of Oxford in the University's Admissions
Information Centre (admissions i), and the British Council Office in
your city/country may also keep a copy for reference.
Up to two years of support for graduates of Penn to pursue any graduate
The Thouron Award
course in the UK. Four to six awards are usually available each year.
Wingate Scholarships aim to award funding for projects that may not fit
Wingate
into any of the conventional funding categories. They welcome
Scholarships
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.
Erasmus Mundus is a cooperation and mobility programme in the field
of higher education that aims to enhance the quality of European higher
education and to promote dialogue and understanding between people
Erasmus Mundus and cultures through cooperation with Third-Countries. In addition, it
contributes to the development of human resources and the international
cooperation capacity of Higher education institutions in Third Countries
by increasing mobility between the European Union and these countries.
The Dan David Prize laureates annually donate twenty scholarships of
US$15,000 each to outstanding doctoral and postdoctoral students of
Dan David Prize exceptional promise in the chosen fields for the current year. The Dan
David Prize is granted according to merit, without discrimination based
on gender, race, religion, nationality, or political affiliation.
Funding available from the City Council's trust fund to advance the
education of graduate level or post graduate level to overseas students
Lord Mayor's
who have refugee status at institutions in the city of Oxford. The Board
Educational Trust
of Trustees usually meet early in the year to consider applications
Fund for Refugee
received, a cheque for those who qualify to receive the funding is
Scholars
usually presented in March time. For further information please
contact: APARMAR@oxford.gov.uk
UK and Europe
Lanekassen
Norwegian student loans and grants awarding body which supports
Norwegian students to study overseas.
Arts and Humanities
The AHRC supports world-class research that furthers our
Research Council
understanding of human culture and creativity and offers studentships to
(AHRC)
UK and EU graduate students in the arts and humanities. See also the
University of Oxford's Humanities Division website.
Biotechnology and The UK's principal funder of basic and strategic biological research
Biological Sciences offering studentships to UK and EU graduate students in the
Research Council biosciences.
(BBSRC)
Engineering and
Physical Sciences
The main UK government agency for funding research and training in
Research Council
engineering and the physical sciences. Offers studentships to UK and
(EPSRC)
EU graduate students in these areas.
Economic and Social
The UK's largest funding agency for research and graduate training
Research Council
relating to social and economic issues, offering studentships to UK and
(ESRC)
EU graduate students. See also the University of Oxford's Social
Sciences Division website.
The MRC promotes research into all areas of medical and related
Medical Research science with the aims of improving the health and quality of life of the
Council (MRC) UK public and contributing to the wealth of the nation, and offers
studentships to UK and EU graduate students in the Medical Sciences
Division. See also the University of Oxford's Medical Sciences Division
website.
Natural
Environment NERC's mission is to gather and apply knowledge, improve
Research Council understanding and predict the behaviour of the natural environment and
(NERC) its resources. It offers studentships to UK and EU graduate students in
atmospheric, earth, terrestrial and aquatic sciences.
Science and
The STFC, formed from a merger of Particle Physics & Astronomy
Technology Facilities
Research Council and the Council for the Central Laboratory of the
Council (STFC)
Research Councils, offers studentships to UK and EU graduate students
in astronomy and nuclear and particle physics.
The Trust offers a range of awards to candidates who are alumni of fifty
Schools Competition
independent schools in the UK. For the 2011/12 academic year, three
Act Settlement Trust
graduate research scholarships of £16,500 tenable for up to three years
were offered to new or continuing students, and up to 65 graduate
bursaries of £2,500.
World Wide Studies The Victor Pinchuk Foundation has launched a new project that will
Scholarships fund Ukrainian students to study for a Master's course in a range of
fields at the University of Oxford. Scholarships will fund up to 60% of
the total cost of study (up to a maximum of $50,000) in the areas of
environmental and ecology studies, law and public administration.
The society offers awards of £4,000 to nationals of the United Kingdom
and Spain engaged in postgraduate studies relating to links between
Anglo-Spanish
those two countries. Closing date for applications will be 31st January
Society
in the year for which the grant is sought. Awards will be presented in
April or May at the Spanish Embassy in London.
Scholarships from the Cusanuswerk consist of financial support for
studies as well as an interdisciplinary education programme that
Cusanuswerk encourages discussion about science and faith, society and church.
Scholarships Enrolment or authorisation to study at PhD level at a state-approved
university within the European Union is a requirement to be eligible for
this scholarship.
TALENTIA Fellowship Program is an initiative by the Ministry for
Innovation, Science and Enterprise in Andalusia, Spain (at present the
Becas Talentia Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Science) that provides
postgraduate scholarships to students from Andalusia allowing them to
study abroad in selected institutions.
Africa
Africa Educational
Trust Various memorial scholarships and emergency grants for students of
African descent.
Beit Trust The Beit Trust offers annually a small number of Scholarships for
Scholarships graduate studies or research to graduates who are domiciled in Malawi,
Zambia or Zimbabwe (the beneficial area). The duration of the
Scholarships is normally for up to three years.
Canon Collins Trust provides scholarships to students from South
Canon Collins Trust Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Zambia,
Malawi, Angola and Mozambique who wish to pursue a graduate
degree (mainly Master's degrees of one or two years) in either the
United Kingdom or South Africa.
Gordon Memorial The purpose of the Fund is to promote educational development in
College Trust Fund Sudan. The Trust supports individual Sudanese students studying for a
graduate course in the UK, but who intend to return to Sudan at the end
of their studies.
Mohamedali Grants to African students for study in the UK. Write to Karimjee
Karimjee Trust Jivanjee & Co UK, 21 Whitefriars Street, London EC4Y 8JJ.
Asia
Arab British
Chamber of
The Foundation provides partial grants of around £2,000 to support
Commerce
graduate students whose own available funds fall short of their total
Charitable
requirements and who need additional contributions to cover the
Foundation
balance of their fees, living expenses and related study costs.
The British Lebanese
The Fund awards scholarships to Lebanese graduate students and civil
Association
servants who wish to pursue post-graduate studies, research and training
in the UK, that are unavailable in Lebanon.
The Charles Wallace The Charles Wallace Trusts for Pakistan, Bangladesh and
Trusts Burma/Myanmar (c/o The British Council), were set up with the central
purpose of assisting the nationals of those countries to obtain education
and professional development in the United Kingdom.
The Charles Wallace India Trust (c/o The British Council). There are
The Charles Wallace
four types of grant that the Trust awards: fully-funded awards in the arts
India Trust (c/o The
and heritage conservation; visiting fellowships of 2-3 months' duration,
British Council)
fully-funded; grants towards the costs of short research or professional
visits; grants towards the cost of the penultimate or final year or
Doctoral study at a UK university.
Following the earthquake and tsunami in the Tohoku region of Japan in
Daiwa Foundation March 2011, the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation and the British
Tohoku Scholarships Council in Japan are funding scholarships beginning in 2011, 2012 or
2013 for students from the Tohoku region to study in the UK.
EDAAD
Scholarships Postgraduate scholarships in culture and the arts for students from the
United Arab Emirates.
Since 2003, the Europe-Korea Foundation (EKF), charity arm of the
EKF Scholarship
European Union Chamber of Commerce in Korea (EUCCK), has been
Programme for
awarding a number of scholarships to Korean students wishing to
Korean Students
undertake graduate courses at universities in Europe. The programme,
which covers living expenses, is being supported by European
companies with operations in Korea.
Great Britain China
Educational Trust Awards of up to £3,000 for Chinese students studying in the UK.
Candidates must be in at least the second year of a doctorate.
Indian Department
of Education site.
Listings for Indian students seeking funding for their studies abroad.
The Joint Japan/ World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program covers
Japan/World Bank
costs for up to two years of study toward a master's degree in a field
Graduate
related to development. To be eligible, students must be a national of a
Scholarship
Bank member-country, have been accepted at a university outside their
country, be under 45 years of age and have at least two years of
professional experience.
Scholarships for
Graduates from The National Science and Technology Board of Singpore offer a
Singapore number of scholarships for studying at selected universities overseas,
including Oxford.
Bolashak -
International The Bolashk International Scholarship was established to give young
Scholarship of the and talented people a chance to study at the leading universities of the
President of the world. The Presidential Scholarship covers all fees, book allowance and
Republic of living expenses.
Kazakhstan
The King Abdullah Scholarship Program provides opportunities for
King Abdullah Saudi citizens to pursue their undergraduate and graduate university
Foreign Scholarship education abroad in many academic disciplines needed by most
government and private sectors.
Australasia
Joint Academic
JASON is a comprehensive search engine that contains information
Scholarship Online
about graduate scholarships available to Australian students wishing to
Network (JASON)
study at home or abroad, and to international students wishing to study
in Australia.
The General Sir The General Sir John Monash Foundation offers up to eight
John Monash Scholarships per year for postgraduate study at a non-Australian
Awards university. Only Australian citizens graduating from Australian
universities are eligible to apply. The Scholarships provide funding of
AUD $50,000 per year for a maximum of three years.
The Menzies Foundation provides funding for post-graduate
The Sir Robert
scholarships for Australian citizens in the fields of law and engineering
Menzies Memorial
for study in the United Kingdom.
Foundation
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North America
Benjamin A Gilman
International This scholarship (sponsored by the U.S. Department of Educational and
Scholarships for US Cultural Affairs) provides awards for U.S. undergraduate students who
students are receiving federal Pell Grant funding at a 2-year or 4-year college or
university to participate in study abroad programs worldwide.
Canadian Bureau for
International
Various scholarship opportunities for Canadian citizens and residents
Education
who wish to study abroad.
Canadian Centennial
Scholarship Fund Awards of £500 to £3,000 for Canadian citizens enrolled in
postgraduate programmes in the UK.
Canadian High The support offered consists principally of funding for Canadian Studies
Commission in activities, by means of awards to enable individual academics to
London undertake research leading to publication or to develop courses about
Canada; and grants to institutions both to carry out research projects on
Canada and to develop the study of Canada within their institution.
Fulbright Awards
Awards of up to £20,000 for US graduate students.
Mackenzie King
Scholarships (McGill
Open to graduates of any Canadian university for full-time graduate
University)
studies in Canada or elsewhere, in any field.
Marshall Scholarships finance young Americans of high ability to study
Marshall
for a degree in the United Kingdom. At least forty Scholars are selected
Scholarships
each year to study either at graduate or occasionally at undergraduate
level at a UK institution in any field of study. Each scholarship is held
for two years.
The National Society of High School Scholars offers several academic
NSHSS Scholarships scholarships and academic competitions annually to members only. Five
$1,000 USD Abercrombie & Fitch Global Diversity & Leadership
Scholar Awards will be awarded to NSHSS members residing in
England to enrol at a university in England.
Natural Sciences and
Engineering
Each year NSERC approves a limited number of graduate scholarships
Research Council of
and postdoctoral fellowships on a competitive basis for tenure at
Canada (NSERC)
universities outside Canada.
Social Sciences and
Humanities Research Graduate scholarships for citizens and permanent residents of Canada
Council of Canada who wish to undertake study in the field of Humanities or Social
Sciences.
The Law Foundation of British Columbia provides up to five Graduate
The Law Foundation Fellowships to the amount of approximately $13,750 CAD on an annual
of British Columbia basis to students pursuing full time graduate studies in law or a law-
related area. In order to be eligible, applicants must either be residents
of British Columbia; graduates of a British Columbia law school; or
members of the British Columbia Bar.
US Department of
Veterans Affairs Funding available for US veterans. Please contact
us.loans@admin.ox.ac.uk for more information.
Magdalena O Vda de
Brockmann Scholarships for Mexican students to study a Masters in the UK in all
areas except management
Mexican Embassy Information on scholarships open to Mexican students including
scholarships offered by SEP, Mexican Academy of Science, Royal
Society and Wellcome Trust.
CONACyT
Scholarships for Mexican students wishing to study abroad.
FIDERH
Scholarship opportunities for Mexican students wishing to undertake
graduate study abroad.
Fundacon Bancomer British Council Mexico website offering funding ideas for Mexican
BBVA-British students wishing to study in the UK.
Council
Fundacion Beca
Advice and some funding opportunities for students from Mexico
wishing to undertake graduate study abroad.
Funded offers grants to Mexican students for studies in areassuch as:
FUNED Business Administration and Financing, Economics, Law, International
Trade and Political Science, Engineering, Architecture, International
Relations, etc. It is not authorised to cover areas of Health, Arts and
Humanities, nor doctoral studies of any kind.
South America
Between 2003 and 2007, a total of 3319 applicants from 18 Latin American
Program
countries were selected to receive an Alban scholarship to conduct Master,
Alban
Doctorate or advanced Specialisation training in 17 European Union member
states.
Programme Alban ended in 2010.