GREAT Scholarships
GREAT Scholarships is a joint initiative between the British Council, the UK government's GREAT Britain campaign, and participating UK universities. Each award is worth a minimum of £10,000 towards tuition for a one-year postgraduate course. Around 80+ UK universities take part each cycle, each setting their own eligible countries, courses, and deadlines.
British Council
External Organization-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Value
£10,000 minimum
Duration
1-Year Master's (tuition only)
Participating Universities
80+ in the UK
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
Country List
GREAT Scholarships target prospective postgraduate students from specific countries each cycle — Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam and others. Sri Lankan eligibility depends on the year and the participating university.
Bachelor's Degree
Hold a recognised Bachelor's degree of a standard required by the chosen UK university for the Master's programme.
University Offer
Apply to a participating UK university first and hold an offer for an eligible postgraduate course before applying for the scholarship through the university.
Single Award
Each student can receive only one GREAT Scholarship — and only for the duration of one academic year.
account_tree Application Process
Choose a participating university
Browse the GREAT Scholarships listing on the British Council Study UK site for universities offering awards for South Asian / Sri Lankan students for your intake year.
Apply to the Master's programme first
Submit your application to the UK university for the eligible postgraduate course. You must hold an offer before applying for the GREAT award.
Apply via the university
Each university runs its own GREAT application — usually a short form plus a personal statement. Deadlines vary; many close around 30 April.
Award notification
Universities notify successful applicants directly, usually within weeks of the deadline.
About GREAT Scholarships
Launched in 2014, GREAT Scholarships sit inside the wider GREAT Britain campaign — the UK government's flagship international image and partnerships programme.
£10k+
Per Award
70+
Eligible Countries (across cycles)
2014
Programme Launched
Similar Scholarships
Other curated opportunities for Sri Lankan students.
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UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Commonwealth Master's Scholarship
Commonwealth Scholarship Commission UK
Manchester Global Futures Scholarship (PG)
University of Manchester