British Council announces 20 postgraduate scholarships for Indian students

Attention all Indian students and teachers: a new set of British Council scholarships have been announced for eligible candidates to pursue a world-class education in the UK for the 2022-23 academic year.

That’s right — this year’s GREAT Scholarships India have opened applications; 20 scholarships are available for outstanding Indian students who have completed their undergraduate degrees and wish to pursue their postgraduate education in the UK. Each scholarship is worth a minimum of 10,000 pounds towards tuition fees for a one-year postgraduate course.

The scholarships are designed to cover a variety of different subject areas, including education, environment and agrifood, manufacturing, computing, biomedical science, to name a few. They will be jointly funded by the UK government’s GREAT Britain Campaign and the British Council with participating UK higher education institutions. 

Among the sixteen participating universities are a collection of prestigious Russell Group institutions such as the University of Manchester, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Southampton, and Queen’s University Belfast. Other highly-ranked universities include Goldsmiths, University of London; Trinity Laban Conservatoire Music and Dance; the University of Kent; and the University of St. Andrew’s.

To qualify, students need to:

• Be a citizen of India
• Have an undergraduate degree with a demonstrable interest in their proposed subject area
• Meet the UK university’s English language requirements

Students must also fulfil certain conditions as a British Council scholar. Among these are efforts to engage personally and academically with the UK and attend networking events for all UK-based GREAT scholars, among others. 

Deadlines vary based on the study programme and the university where students plan to enrol. Full details on how to apply are available on the British Council scholarships page. 

Goldsmiths, University of London is among those participating in the British Council scholarships. Source: Tolga Akmen/AFP

GREAT Scholarships for Justice and Law

An additional 30 British Council scholarships are available for students interested in pursuing a postgraduate education in a range of justice- and law-related subjects. 

The GREAT Scholarships for Justice and Law will award a minimum of £10,000 to promising students seeking to gain a postgraduate education in criminal justice, and commercial law, among others. They are in partnership with the Ministry for Justice and jointly funded by the British Council, the GREAT Britain Campaign, and participating UK higher education institutions. 

Unlike the GREAT Scholarships India, these scholarships will be distributed across students from nine different countries. Indian students can find out more about how to apply here. 

Successful recipients will have the added advantage of participating in a three-day study tour at Sheffield Hallam University in 2023. The tour will be hosted by the university’s centre for social justice and human rights, the Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice.

Here, GREAT scholars will be given the opportunity to engage in a range of academic and social activities that are designed to enhance their studies in justice and law. This includes workshops on key international justice issues and engaging with lawyers and professionals.

English teachers from India can pursue a full-time TESOL postgraduate degree at the University of Leeds. Source: Paul Ellis / AFP

British Council Scholarships for English Teachers

English teachers from India seeking to continue their studies in the UK are not exempt from financial assistance. The British Council is offering scholarships for a masters-level qualification at two leading UK universities. 

Scholarships are fully funded and will cover the cost of IELTS exams, tuition fees, living expenses in the UK, flights and connecting travel, and visa and insurance. 

Eligible applicants must be working in or with the government schools sector, and have not studied at a UK university on a scholarship before. Recipients will have the opportunity to undertake one of the following: 

• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages MA – full-time study at the University of Leeds
• MSc TESOL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) – part-time study at the University of Stirling

A range of study options is available according to teachers’ capabilities and commitments. Teachers wishing to study full-time will be required to attend classes on the University of Leeds campus from September 2022 to August 2023. The part-time MSc TESOL, on the other hand, takes place over the span of 30 months, inclusive of a fully-funded residential visit to Stirling.

The British Council offers a range of scholarships in other areas, too, including for women in STEM.