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Finance & benefits for international students in the UK
PLEASE NOTE: This website DOES NOT provide funds for students or offer scholarships. Please contact the organisations listed on this site for advice and information.
For individual advice and information, contact your nearest British Council office for information & advice on study in the UK and funding for your course. They have qualified advisers and a range of books & resources to help with all aspects of studying and living in the UK.
Information on funding opportunities is available on this site and from other organisations & sites listed here. It is always useful to get advice from your nearest advisor who will be able to discuss your own situation & help you to decide which are the best opportunities for you.
Information on the different scholarship schemes for undergraduate & post-graduate courses in the UK are available from the British Council and on other pages in this site.
Information about studying in the UK for international students is also available on Education UK
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Finding funds for studying in a UK university or college.
Disclaimer:Although we try to keep our information up to date, regulations change frequently and individual situations may need different solutions. Also, we cannot take responsibility for the content of any websites that are suggested on these pages. It is always best to get independent advice from trained and experienced advisers.
1. You should first look at the information on the British Council site & UCAS:
As well as a range of information about education & the UK, there are sections on:
UCAS & the Independent newspaper have useful online guides to studying in the UK
- Studying in the UK - includies information on teaching methods, living in the UK, improving your English, applying to universities, passport & visas, costs of studying & living, issues for mature students, where to get help & case studies.
- UCAS - a guide for international students on applying to undergraduate courses, including a section for parents & a section on English language courses.
To check if your qualifications meet entry requirements, use an ENIC or NARIC service for recognition of national qualifications (European Network of Information Centres, National Academic Recognition Information Centres).
2. For information on choosing the best course & individual advice on funding & scholarships for study in the UK:
- Contact your nearest British Council office, or UKCOSA (The Council for International Education) through their website, by telephone or by on +44 (0)171 354 5210 between 1.00 - 4.00 pm (UK time) on Mondays to Fridays only, or by email or your nearest British Embassy or High Commission.
- Guidance Notes available from UKCOSA, cover a wide range of questions and information about studying and living in the the UK.
- You should also contact your own Ministry of Education or government Education Department, as they should have details of scholarship opportunities for students wishing to study overseas. They will also be able to advise you on your own government's conditions for studying abroad.
3. Recognition of your qualifications:
- If you would like to check if your qualifications and educational certificates are acceptable to colleges, universities or professional bodies, contact a NARIC or ENIC(National Academic Recognition & Information Centre) or similar organisation in your own country or in the country you wish to work or study in.
- Your chosen college or university can also check your qualifications and certificates for you but you may be asked to send them the original certificates or diplomas.
- Europe Open for Professions provides information about the recognition of vocational & professional qualifications across Europe.
4.Applying to a UK university or college:
- All universities and colleges in the UK are online and you can find more information about courses, student lifestyle, student support services, the local area and how to apply to UK universities from Choosing & applying for a university or college course (degrees or higher education qualifications).
- Some universities may accept applications from international students directly and may have special offers relating to fees and other expenses. You will need to contact your chosen universities directly.
- Advice on applying from UCAS - information about the process, guide to undergraduate courses & institutions, how to apply & information about living in the UK.
- Choosing a Higher Education course in the UK - good advice on choosing a Higher Education course in the UK, from HERO, official gateway site to the UK's universities, colleges & research organisations.
- University Options - provides a regional guide to universities & a range of other ideas to consider when choosing a UK university.
- If you are have been resident in the UK for 3 years, there are no restrictions on your residence in the UK or you have exceptional leave to remain in the UK, you may be eligible for the Student Loan scheme.
- If you haven't lived in the UK for the 3 years previously, you may still be eligible for the government backed Student Loan if:
- any absence was due to temporary employment abroad.
- you are a National from the EEA (European Economic Area) employed as a migrant worker in the UK (including a British National who has taken up employment in the UK after previous employment as a migrant worker elsewhere in the EEA) who has been resident in the EEA throughout the relevant period.
- you are the spouse of a migrant worker who is installed in the UK with him or her & has been resident in the EEA throughout the relevant period.
- you are the child of a migrant worker & has been resident in the EEA throughout the relevant period.
- you have been granted refugee status or you are the spouse, child or stepchild of someone with refugee status.
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5. For information about Further Education, English courses and adult & community education:
- The British Council and each college will help with advice on courses, finance and visas. Further Education (FE) colleges provide courses to study for GCSE, A-levels, GNVQ, English language, a range of vocational qualifications & some also provide Higher Education programmes, including Higher National Diplomas & degrees.
- Information on finding the best English language course which is inspected & accredited is available from English UK (formerly ARELS and BASELT which have merged. The British Council also have advice on finding the best English language course & have a comprehensive online English resource including specialist English, including games, grammar, songs, stories, cartoons & information about more ways to learn.
- Help with finding adult education courses, learning English and lifelong learning courses are also available in our Adult Education section.
- Information and support for asylum seekers and refugees can be found in our legal section.
- General advice on courses, including distance learning courses in the UK is also available from learndirect, a telephone information service.
6. If you are a disabled person:
- Skill has factsheets online with general information about applying to UK colleges & universities & a useful list of organisations that may be helpful.
- Colleges and universities have to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act in their policies, procedures, practices & in making reasonable adjustments to buildings. You can find more information and a code of practice on the Disability Rights Commission website.
7. Tuition fees (Higher Education):
If you are a student from a country in EU, there is information on the DfES site.
8. Costs of education:
There may be some additional costs of courses in Further Education & Higher Education & information about help from colleges is available from costs in Further Education page or from our section on managing money & budgeting.
9. For postgraduate information & funding:
10. You may also be able to get sponsorship or scholarship:
Some companies may pay for your studies and living expenses. Contact the British Council and your own government bodies for appropriate contacts. The British Council may have reference books which will list companies that regularly sponsor students. Multi-national companies are most likely to have the resources and administration to support sponsored students. More information is available from:
11. You may be able to negotiate a loan or overdraft from a bank or building society:
It is unlikely you will be able to get enough to cover all your study and living expenses. Each bank has different criteria for agreeing loans and it will also depend upon your own situation. For more information, contact the banks & building societies directly & there is some advice on our choosing a bank account page. The banks and building societies that are likely to be helpful and have student bank accounts are in our student banking section. Graduate & professional overdrafts and loans are listed in our graduate banking section.
You may find that your local banks will not provide you with a student bank account (while you are on an undergraduate or first degree) but you will be able to open a basic bank account, which does not offer overdrafts or other credit facilities. Some banks will open graduate accounts for international students studying at post-graduate (graduate) level.
There are also some useful leaflets on understanding and opening bank accounts, banking abroad, borrowing money and managing finances, including sections on banking for children, teenagers and small businesses, from the British Bankers' Association.
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12. Travelling to the UK:
You should not travel to the UK without making sure that you have enough money to cover all your academic fees and living expenses. It is almost impossible to make arrangements for financial support once you have left your own country. Also, the immigration authorities will not normally allow you into the country unless you have evidence that you can cover the costs of your proposed study.
Information about visas is available from UK Visas from the Home Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
13. Other key general information sites include:
- UKCOSA (The Council for International Education) - a key membership organisation which provides excellent guidance notes and information, advice and training on the recruitment and support of international students.
UKCOSA also provides advice and information directly to students by telephone, on +44 (0)171 354 5210 between 1.00 - 4.00 pm (UK time) on Mondays to Fridays only, contact by email at enquiries@ukcosa.org.uk
- Explore working and studying abroad - comprehensive information for range of study and work opportunities, from Prospects, with huge number of links, including some scholarship and grant information.
- HERO - provides a list of other sites with useful information for international students.
- NUS Online - large amount of essential information for students including advice sheets, section for international students, managing your money and budgeting, fee and loan rates, avoiding cheque fraud, good advice on insurance issues, credit cards, bills and debt, income and tax and lots more, including health, housing and education advice.
- For more information, look at our student finance index section and the official site from the Department for Education and Skills provides information on tuition fees for European and other students and other policies and support for international students.
- Preparing to return home - useful advice for international students about returning home, from Sussex University.
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General funding information and links for international students in the UK
You will also find further information on grants, finance and money in our main student finance section and information on studying in our pages on working in the UK and studying abroad. Information on advice while in the UK is available from your student services advisors in colleges and universities and from our advice sections.
Disclaimer: Although we try to keep our information up to date, regulations change frequently and individual situations may need different solutions. Also, we cannot take responsibility for the content of any websites that are suggested on these pages. It is always best to get independent advice from trained and experienced advisers.
Finance
- Advice Centre Leaflets: International Students - money, visas, families, driving, travelling and more from University of Sheffield Union of Students.
- Association of Commonwealth Universities - including information on grants, scholarships and fellowships (mainly post-graduate, except where there are no undergraduate opportunities in own country).
- British Council - Sources of funding for international students - including scholarship information.
- Financial Aid sites (US) - from Virtual Compass, US student affairs site.
- Financial Aid for International students in the US - links, resources and contacts for students wanting to study in the US, key US financial aid site.
- FinAid - Financial Aid Information - mainly US information.
- Ford Foundation - small number of grants to individuals.
- Foundation Center Online - information and research on US grants.
- Fulbright Commission US - UK - advice and guidance for UK and US people wishing to study in the UK or US , including awards and scholarships, short courses, admission test information, US study programmes in the UK, work experience, professional licensing issues and useful links to other information sites.
- GradFund - key site with searchable database on sources of funding for Postgraduate Studies in the UK for UK and international applicants.
- Opening a UK bank account - general information for international, mainly about basic bank accounts and transferring money, from the British Bankers' Association.
General advice
- Education UK - provides information about studying, living and working in the UK, from the British Council.
- Electronic Immigration Network - aims to link major information providers with advice workers and practitioners dealing with all issues relating to immigration, refugee and nationality law and practice in the UK. Site includes a database of case determinations, reports and summaries for members (password required), newsletters and large international links section.
- HOST UK - opportunity to spend a weekend in the home of a British host either near your place of study or in another part of Britain.
- Immigration Advisory Service - experienced charity giving free advice and representation in immigration and asylum matters. The Solicitors Unit deals with judicial review and appeals to the higher courts. Regional offices in Birmingham, Cardiff, Central London, Glasgow, Hounslow, Leeds and Manchester. Site includes key immigration information including conditions of entry for students and other categories of visitors and immigrants.
- Immigration Appellate Authority - an independent tribunal which exists to hear appeals from decisions made by the Home Secretary and his officials in asylum and immigration matters. There are 9 centres which host the IAA: London, Hatton Cross, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Glasgow, Havant, Cardiff and Belfast. Site includes Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and other information about immigration and asylum appeals and a guide to the appeals process.
- Immigration and Nationality Directorate - Home Office (government) site which includes section on immigration rules, information for EEA nationals, new section on the Integrated Casework Directorate which will change the way immigration, asylum and nationality casework is dealt with.
- International Student Handbook - prepared for students at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, but has useful information for all international students.
- International Student Services Unit (British Council) - for trainees coming to the UK under the auspices of the British Council.
- Preparing to leave home - a pre-arrival handbook (Oxford Brookes University) - a really helpful and detailed guide on coming to the UK, prepared for their own students but useful to anyone coming from another country (pdf format).
- Prospects Web - a comprehensive guide to postgraduate courses, research, studentships, applications and funding.
- Skill (National Bureau for Students with Disabilities) - wide range of factsheets online dealing with disability policy, funding for disabled students including benefits information, education, also careers and employment information.
- StudyUK - information on studying and living in the UK, including student views and news, for international students from Hobsons Publishers.
- UCAS - the main site for first degree applications and admissions, includes university course search and applications information.
- UKCOSA - information and advice for international students and advisers with email address + postal and telephone contact.
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