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United Kingdom Applications open Closes 30 April 2027

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.

Sri Lanka not in the main 2027 country list — check individual UK universities for Sri Lanka-specific GREAT awards

British Council

External Organization-funded

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Value

£10,000 minimum

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Duration

1-Year Master's (tuition only)

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Participating Universities

80+ in the UK

info How this award actually works

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This is a separate, highly competitive application

Awards from external organisations like this one run their own selection round against applicants from across the world, and success rates are usually in the low single digits. Lanka Scholar does not administer it and cannot submit it for you. Treat it as a bonus on top of a funded study plan — never as the plan itself.

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Who awards it

British Council — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.

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How you are considered

Through a separate application round run by the funder, with its own forms, deadlines and shortlisting. You submit it yourself — it is not part of a university admission application.

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What it covers

£10,000 Tuition Award. Read the terms carefully: even fully-funded awards rarely cover every cost, and any shortfall is yours to fund.

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Where we come in

We help you judge whether this award is worth your time, and build a realistic admission plan that works whether or not you win it.

fact_check Eligibility Criteria

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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.

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Bachelor's Degree

Hold a recognised Bachelor's degree of a standard required by the chosen UK university for the Master's programme.

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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.

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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

Looking for a scholarship because of the cost?

Then start here instead. Scholarships are competitive, usually partial, and decided by someone else — they are the least reliable way to make studying abroad affordable. Your destination and course choice move the number far more, and both are entirely within your control.

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