British Council
The University of St Andrews has collaborative agreements with the British Council to offer a range of scholarships including GREAT Scholarships and Scholarships for Women in STEM for postgraduate taught degrees.
St Andrews also works with the British Council to support the Higher Education Scholarships for Palestinians (HESPAL) programme.
-
The Higher Education Scholarships for Palestinians (HESPAL) is a UK scholarship programme developed in partnership with Palestinian universities to strengthen the Palestinian higher education (HE) sector, responding to its needs and priorities.
Given the challenging circumstances in Palestine, particularly in Gaza, the need for support for Palestinian academics is more critical than ever. This scholarship initiative aims to foster enduring collaborations between the University of St Andrews and Palestinian universities, further contributing to academic advancement and cooperation.
Full details can be found on the British Council website.
The purpose of the Project is to develop:
- Palestine’s next generation of senior academics, expert professionals and thought leaders
- sustainable institutional links between Palestinian and UK universities
- a vibrant HESPAL alumni network, to sustain scholars’ longer-term careers.
The British Council Palestine and the University of St Andrews have an agreement to jointly support up to two postgraduate taught degree HESPAL scholarships per year for three years starting from 2024.
The HESPAL Scholarship is centred on building capacity in Palestinian universities by providing young Palestinian academics with an English Masters in a subject that will benefit their home institution and surrounding Palestinian Territories.
Funding
Two postgraduate taught degrees awards will be offered, effective from the 2024-2025 academic year.
The University of St Andrews will cover: the cost of tuition fees for programme.
The British Council will cover:
- Arrival allowances.
- Thesis allowances.
- Bench fees if required.
- Monthly allowance to cover living expenses
The Scholarship does not cover visa fees, English language testing costs and airfare ticket to and from the UK. Full details can be found on the British Council website.
Eiligibility
To be eligible for this scholarship, students must:
- be a resident citizen of the Palestinian Territories.
- be currently employed by a Palestinian university and nominated by this university.
- hold a Bachelor’s degree from a Palestinian university with a minimum grade of very good (and equivalent to at least a 2:1 Bachelor’s degree from the UK).
- sign a written undertaking to return to Palestine and work in their university on completion of their degree.
Full details of the eligibility criteria can be found on the British Council website.
How to apply
Students should apply for both a full-time masters degree at St Andrews and a HESPAL Scholarship. Candidates for a Scholarship at the University of St Andrews should complete the university's application form for postgraduate taught course, and provide the necessary additional documentation. Please see our Postgraduate Taught Programmes webpage for further information.
Applicants must complete the HESPAL application form in collaboration with their Palestinian university. Palestinian universities will then nominate their selected candidates and send all nominee applications to the British Council Palestine. The British Council Palestine will check applications for eligibility and co-ordinate the selection of applications with the University of St Andrews. They will also be responsible for the final placement of scholars.
For full details of how to apply, please visit the British Council website.
-
In partnership with the British Council and the GREAT Britain Campaign, University of St Andrews is offering five scholarships to students from Ghana, Mexico, Thailand, India, Malaysia, Greece, applying for one-year Masters programmes.
The GREAT Scholarship programme supports postgraduate students to access world class UK higher education opportunities. The scholarship programme offers financial support to students pursuing one-year postgraduate study in the UK.
For more information on the GREAT Scholarships, please visit Study UK and our funding pages.
-
The British Council and the University of St Andrews are jointly offering five full scholarships for applicants from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, Uzbekistan a chance to pursue their postgraduate taught in the UK.
According to data from the UN Scientific Education and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), less than 30% of the world’s researchers are women and only 30% of female students select STEM-related fields in higher education.
Globally, female students’ enrolment is particularly low in Information and Communications Technology (3%), natural science, mathematics and statistics (5%), and engineering, manufacturing and construction (8%).
Educating, training, and hiring more women in STEM can lead to better scientific and financial outcomes, increasing diversity in the workforce, bringing variety in perspectives and ideas and giving organizations a competitive edge.
Further information can be found on the British Council Women In Stem webpage.
-
Pursuing a Masters degree at the University of St Andrews has been a truly enchanting experience. Nestled in the serene Scottish countryside, St Andrews is not just historic but breathtakingly beautiful, offering an ideal setting for academic pursuits. The university has brought together an incredible community of students from around the globe, enriching my education with diverse perspectives and cultivating my sense of global citizenship. Moreover, the warmth and support of the staff have been remarkable. I am immensely thankful for this unforgettable journey at St Andrews, a chapter of my life I will always cherish.
Nathanael Christianto, GREAT Scholar, MSc Finance and Management
I am grateful for the opportunity to study as a GREAT Scholar in the MLitt in Systematic and Historical Theology at the University of St Andrews. Coming from Mexico, where I studied Philosophy and Theology and worked in academic teaching, I was drawn to St Andrews for its long-standing academic excellence and intellectual community.
The University upholds high academic standards, and my intellectual curiosity was reignited by the theological rigour of the programme. I particularly appreciated its openness to dialogue with other disciplines such as philosophy, psychology, history, and the arts. Conversations with professors and fellow students were both stimulating and enriching—planting seeds of thought that I hope will continue to grow and bear fruit over time.
One of the highlights of my academic experience was attending weekly seminars, where we either engaged with papers nearing publication or explored major historical thinkers in depth. The School of Divinity offers a rich variety of seminars across disciplines: Biblical Studies (both Hebrew Bible/Old Testament and New Testament), Theology, Theology, Imagination and the Arts (ITIA), Analytical and Exegetical Theology (Logos Institute), and Religion and Politics (CSRP). These spaces fostered critical thinking, interdisciplinary dialogue, and a strong sense of academic community.
My current research focuses on "The Work of the Holy Spirit in Deification according to St Augustine", a topic that reflects my long-standing interest in Augustine’s thought and the mystery of divine-human communion. It has been challenging and inspiring to explore this theme in an environment that values theological depth and historical consciousness.
Studying in the beautiful and welcoming town of St Andrews added a warm dimension to the experience. I especially enjoyed the town concerts and long walks along the beach—perfect for clearing the mind, reading a good book, or simply enjoying nature. The people are warm and friendly, and the town offers an environment that naturally fosters friendship and a strong sense of belonging.
I was also fortunate to live this academic opportunity alongside my family—accompanied by my husband and our newborn baby. The School of Divinity was consistently supportive, and the town itself made it possible to maintain a healthy study-life balance. Combining professional growth with family life was both a challenge and a gift.
María José Bravo Vargas, GREAT Scholar, MLitt Systematic and Historical Theology
