A UK master’s is a top goal for many Sri Lankan students — and one of the cleanest ways to take a meaningful bite out of the tuition is the British Council’s GREAT Scholarships. They’re not full rides, but a guaranteed £10,000 off a one-year course is real money. Here’s how the scheme works.

What GREAT Scholarships are

GREAT Scholarships are run by the British Council with the GREAT Britain Campaign, in partnership with UK universities. Each participating university funds one or more scholarships for students from selected countries, worth a minimum of £10,000 toward tuition for a one-year postgraduate course (about LKR 4 million off your fees). Some universities also run subject-specific GREAT awards (for example in justice and law).

How it works — the key difference

There is no single central application. The British Council publicises the scheme, but each scholarship is awarded and applied for through the individual university. So your job is to:

• check_circle Check the British Council's current GREAT Scholarships list to see which universities are participating and which countries each award covers
• check_circle Confirm Sri Lanka is eligible for the specific award you're eyeing — country eligibility varies by university and by year
• check_circle Apply to that university's course, then apply for its GREAT scholarship through its own scholarship page, by its own deadline

Timing matters

GREAT awards are tied to the UK’s main September/autumn intake, and most participating universities close their GREAT applications between roughly March and May. Because you generally need a course application (or offer) in progress first, start early: get your university applications moving, then layer the scholarship application on top before the deadline.

Stack it with other funding

Because GREAT is a partial award, the smartest applicants treat it as one block in a funding stack — combined with personal/family funds, a university merit bursary, or other scholarships. £10,000 off, plus a departmental bursary, plus realistic savings, can turn an unaffordable UK master’s into a feasible one. Don’t view it as all-or-nothing.

The bottom line

GREAT Scholarships are a practical, winnable way to cut UK postgraduate tuition by at least £10,000 — but you apply through the university, country eligibility varies by award, and deadlines fall in spring. Check the current list carefully, confirm Sri Lankan eligibility, and apply early.

Next steps

If a UK master’s is your goal, bring us your field and shortlist. We’ll identify GREAT Scholarships open to Sri Lankans, help you apply to both the course and the award on time, and look for other funding to stack alongside it — our scholarships in the UK guide is a good place to see what else you can combine it with.