Well-known scholarships like Commonwealth and Chevening get most of the attention, but they’re far from the only options for Indian students heading to the UK. This guide covers six worth knowing, including two (Leeds IFY and Oxford-Indira Gandhi) that are genuinely less commonly covered.
For a broader list including Rhodes and additional detail on Commonwealth and Chevening specifically, see our companion guide: 6 Scholarships for Indian Students to Study in UK.
Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan
Awarded by the UK government to candidates from Commonwealth nations, with several distinct scholarship and fellowship tracks (Master’s, PhD, split-site, and distance learning among them), most of which are fully funded.
Eligibility
- Be a permanent resident of an eligible Commonwealth country
- Have completed the required degree with a strong academic record
- Generally need to demonstrate you couldn’t otherwise afford to study in the UK
Deadlines vary by specific track and cycle; check the current Commonwealth Scholarship Commission page for the applicable dates rather than assuming a fixed annual date, since these are reviewed each cycle.
Inlaks Scholarships
Established by the Inlaks Foundation, this scholarship supports Indian students pursuing full-time Master’s, MPhil, or PhD programs at top-ranked institutions in the US, Europe, or the UK.
Important: Inlaks explicitly excludes several fields, including management (MBA), engineering, computer science, and medicine, from eligibility; it’s primarily for humanities, social sciences, fine arts, law, architecture, and pure sciences. Confirm your specific field is eligible before applying.
Eligibility
- Applicants generally shouldn’t be over 30 years old
- A minimum academic average is expected (historically cited around 65% for humanities/social sciences/law, and around 70% for science/mathematics fields), though confirm the current threshold directly
- You need an acceptance letter from your university before applying
- Applicants should have lived in India for a meaningful period prior to applying; confirm the exact current residency requirement directly
The scholarship has historically been described with an upper funding limit; if your expected costs exceed that, you may need to show proof of an additional funding source. Confirm the current cap directly on Inlaks’ official page.
Chevening Scholarships
A fully funded, merit- and need-based scholarship from the UK government for a one-year Master’s degree.
Eligibility
- Citizenship of a Chevening-eligible country
- A completed undergraduate degree with a strong academic record
- At least 2 years (2,800 hours) of work experience, which can be accumulated across multiple employers or roles
- An unconditional offer from at least one of your three chosen Chevening-eligible courses, by a deadline set each cycle; check the current date directly rather than relying on an older cited date
Applying to three similar courses is a deliberate part of the process, meant to improve your odds of securing at least one unconditional offer in time.
Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships
Aimed at early- or mid-career professionals, this is one of the few scholarships specifically supporting performance and visual arts, as well as heritage conservation, for a one-year UK Master’s program.
Correction: this scholarship is offered by the Charles Wallace India Trust, not the British Council (a common mix-up). The grant covers accommodation and living expenses, plus a contribution toward airfare, historically cited around GBP 600, though confirm the current amount directly.
Eligibility
- Indian citizen living in India; age range has been reported differently across sources (some cite late-20s to late-30s, others up to 45), so confirm the current age criteria directly on the Trust’s official page
- A first degree or professional qualification in your specialization
- Relevant work experience is preferred
- IELTS qualification
- An unconditional offer from a UK university
Leeds International Foundation Year (IFY) Scholarship
The University of Leeds is one of the UK’s largest higher education institutions, with programs across business, science, law, and more. This scholarship is specifically for students completing their International Foundation Year (IFY) at Leeds, a program designed to prepare international students for UK-style higher education before progressing into a Bachelor’s degree, making the total program commonly 4-6 years depending on your specific pathway.
What it covers
GBP 3,000 toward your first year of tuition specifically; you’re expected to self-fund the remainder of your studies.
Eligibility
- An offer letter for a relevant Bachelor’s degree
- Progressing from Leeds IFY into a Leeds University Business School program (or a relevant eligible program)
- Self-funding your IFY course at the full international rate, with no other scholarship source
- Having firmly committed to Leeds for your Bachelor’s program
All students undertaking the IFY course are automatically considered for this scholarship; there’s no separate application. Results are typically confirmed by the start of the following academic year; confirm the current exact timeline directly with Leeds.
Oxford-Indira Gandhi Graduate Scholarship
Established by Somerville College and the University of Oxford, this scholarship funds course and living costs for two successful Indian students a year.
Eligible programs
A specific list of programs at Somerville College, historically including MSc Biodiversity Conservation and Management, MSc Modern South Asian Studies, MPhil Development Studies, Master of Public Policy (MPP), and Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL), alongside DPhil programs at Oxford broadly, provided the research area relates to sustainable development, law, governance, or human rights in relation to India. Confirm the current eligible-program list directly, since this can be revised.
Eligibility
- Indian residency, or having studied at an Indian higher education institution
- All graduate program applicants to Oxford are automatically considered; successful Indian candidates are then transferred to Somerville College for this specific scholarship
There’s no separate application start date; the process begins when you apply to your chosen eligible program. Shortlisted candidates typically attend a video interview, with results announced around May; confirm the current timeline directly.
Financing what a scholarship doesn’t cover
Depending on whether your scholarship is fully funded or tuition-only, you may still need an education loan to cover the rest, particularly living costs, travel, and any gap between your scholarship and total program cost.
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Sources
- Inlaks Foundation field-of-study exclusions (MBA, management, engineering, computer science, medicine excluded): confirmed via multiple current sources referencing the Foundation’s own eligibility criteria, consistent with findings applied elsewhere on this site.
- Charles Wallace India Trust as the scholarship’s administering body (not the British Council): confirmed via the Trust’s own official materials.
Disclaimer: scholarship eligibility, benefit amounts, and deadlines referenced in this guide are illustrative and reviewed periodically by each awarding body. This article is for general information only and is not financial advice. Verify current details directly on each scholarship’s official page before applying.
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