St Andrews - GREAT Scholarship

Application period opens
Tuesday 4 November 2025
Application period closes
Sunday 24 May 2026
Notification date
The week commencing Monday 22 June 2026
Entry
2026

This exciting scholarship opportunity is open to citizens of France, Greece, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico and Spain. The scheme awards students who aspire to become influential leaders in their future careers, have wide-ranging interests outside their studies, and desire to broaden their personal and academic experience at the University of St Andrews.

Awards of £10,000 are available for full-time postgraduate taught Masters programmes (MSc, MRes, MLitt, MPP) across all subject areas.

GREAT Scholarships - British Council. A group of students are sitting and laughing around a circular bench.

Please note that other postgraduate programmes, including the Graduate Diploma, are not eligible for this scholarship. Online, distance learning and courses delivered at a Scottish university campus overseas are not eligible for the scholarship.

The Selection Committee seeks applicants who are academically excellent and gifted students. Be sure to include details of academic achievements which you believe would make you a good candidate for this scholarship.

The successful scholar will be expected to engage with our Student Ambassadors Scheme and the British Council.

 

Value of award (per year)

Seven scholarships of £10,000 towards tuition fees. One award will be allocated per eligible country.

Duration of award

This award is available for 1 year of postgraduate study.

At what stage of my course application can I apply for this scholarship?

Please apply for the award after you have submitted your application for a place at St Andrews. You do not need to wait until you have received an offer of a place before applying for the award.

Application restrictions

Study level

Available to students studying at:

Postgraduate

Subjects

Available to students studying:

You must have applied for a taught postgraduate Masters course: MLitt, MRes, MSc, MPP.

Domicile for fee status

Overseas

Schools

Available to students in the following Schools and Departments:

Art History, Biology, Chemistry, Classics, Computer Science, Divinity, Earth and Environmental Sciences, English, Film Studies, Graduate School, History, International Relations, Mathematics and Statistics, Modern Languages, Philosophy, Physics and Astronomy, Psychology and Neuroscience, Social Anthropology, University of St Andrews Business School, International Education and Lifelong Learning Institute

Application assessment

Academic merit

Available to

Prospective students

Mode of study

Full time

Geographical criteria

France (EU), Greece (EU), Italy (EU), Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Spain (EU)

Additional criteria

  • You must have applied for a taught postgraduate Masters course: MLitt, MRes, MSc, MPP.
  • Non-Masters postgraduate programmes, including the Graduate Diploma, are not eligible for this scholarship. Online, distance learning and courses delivered at a Scottish university campus overseas are not eligible for the scholarship.
  • When completing the application, you should include your reasons for applying for the scholarship, explaining how you would expect to benefit from the opportunities the award provides, and describing how you think you might contribute to the community while studying at the University of St Andrews. 
  • Applicants must meet the English language requirement of their course or have started a 10-week pre-sessional English course by 30 June 2026.

In support of your application you will be asked to upload the following supporting documents:

  • One academic reference 
  • University transcript(s), including interim transcripts for any degrees pending.

References

You are required to provide one academic reference.

The academic reference may be the same as one of the academic references submitted with your study application. If you do not have access to those references, instead please upload a holding document, such as a Word document, with the name of the referee. The reference will then be uploaded by us after you have submitted the scholarship application.

If your referee would prefer to send the reference directly to us, please ask them to email the reference to pgscholarships@st-andrews.ac.uk, and to include your name and the name of the scholarship for which it is intended, before the scholarship deadline date. When you apply for the scholarship, in place of the reference, please upload a holding document with the referee's name, and a note that the reference will be sent directly by them. The document will then be added after you have submitted the application, as long as we receive it by the application deadline.

How to apply

  1. Apply for your chosen course at the University St Andrews: Masters. Your course should meet the eligibility criteria for this scholarship (see above). After submitting your course application, you must allow up to two working days to receive login details for the My Application portal.
  2. When you have received your login details, apply for the scholarship by logging into My Application, follow the links to Scholarships and Funding and then search for British Council GREAT Scholarship in the Scholarships and funding catalogue.

Scholarship application form guidance

Terms and conditions

Please read the University of St Andrews scholarships terms and conditions.

If applying to this scholarship, please be aware of the following requirements:

  • The successful scholars will be expected to fulfil an ambassadorial role and represent the University at a number of events.
  • Recipients of the scholarship will be expected to engage with the British Council as well as our Student Ambassadors Scheme. Work through the scheme is varied, but will likely entail engaging in outreach activities and assisting our Admissions staff with events aimed at prospective students and offer holders to help share your experience of being a student at St Andrews.

It is extremely important that you apply to us for funding giving complete and accurate information. Your course and funding application are not linked and applying for funding in no way impedes your course application.

When will I know the outcome?

The outcome of your scholarship application will be in the My Application by late June 2026. Follow the links to Scholarships and Funding and go to View or continue my funding applications to see your application status.

If you are successful, you will also receive an award letter.