GREAT Scholarships -With increased competition for limited institutions offering high qualityhigher education in India, more and more Indian students are choosing to study abroad. Most preferred countries to study abroad include the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia.
For such students, the British Council offers a ‘great’ opportunity, quite literally so! GREAT Scholarships are targeted at international students who wish to study in the United Kingdom. These scholarships are offered by the British Council in collaboration with the UK government under a campaign called the GREAT Britain Campaign. Around 35 GREAT scholarships are awarded to deserving international students in the form of full tuition fee waiver.
UK is one of the top preferences for students when planning to study abroad. The country has excellent higher education institutions like the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge that rank among the very best in the world. Additionally, there are excellent opportunities for students who study in UK to kick-start a successful career. The only drawback is the fact that education in the UK can be very expensive for international students. This is one of the main reasons that the British Council has instituted the GREAT Scholarships. GREAT Scholarships can help support outstanding students and encourage them to study in UK.
If you are an aspiring student who wants to pursue his/her study in UK, GREAT Scholarships can be an excellent opportunity for you. Keep reading to find out more about the GREAT Scholarships UK.
GREAT Scholarships- About the Campaign and Scholarship
An initiative of the Government of the United Kingdom, the GREAT Britain Campaign has an objective of promoting the country globally and for it to be identified as a GREAT place for business, studies as well as visitation. It is one of the most well regarded promotional campaignsglobally.
Significance of the campaign can be determined by the unification of the public and the private sector for working towards the common goals of generating jobs and growth in Britain. The brand GREAT has won about 69 national and international awards so far and has a tremendous market value of about GBP 271 million.
The British Council is collaborating with the government and is also a part of the campaign. GREAT scholarships are conjointly funded by the GREAT Britain Campaign and selective higher educational institution of the country. GREAT with 36 other partner universities offer about 35 full-tuition GREAT scholarships to undergraduate and postgraduate scholars. The scholarships support the students in accessing an imperial UK education through its Study UK Programme. The subject areas included in the GREAT scholarships have been mentioned below:
- Art- Visual and Creative
- Education
- Life Sciences/Biological Sciences
- Environmental Science, Sustainability and Climate Change
- Humanities
- Math, Data Sciences and Statistics
- Human Rights
- Gender Studies and Ageing
- Infrastructure Development and Urban Planning
- Developmental Studies and Social Sciences
- Behavioral Science and Public Health
GREAT Scholarships- An Overview
UK Universities offer a hard to beat experience and exposure to international students through their unique approach to teaching. They harbor the talent of international students, allowing them to reach their full potential. Students also have the chance of a lifetime to grab opportunities for furthering their career.
Update : GREAT SCHOLARSHIP 2020-2021
British Council has launched Great Scholarships 2020 over a broad range of subjects for Indian students to study in the UK. Universities accepting GREAT Scholarships for 2020 are:
- University of Nottingham – Last date – 10 April 2020
- Cranfield University
- Imperial College London
- Newcastle University
- Robert Gordon University
- Sheffield Hallam
- University of Warwick
- University of Bath
- University of East Anglia
- University of Kent
Also Read: Top UK Scholarships for Indian Students
GREAT Scholarships offer an unparalleled opportunity for students to study in UK with a scholarship. An overview of the GREAT scholarships has been given in the table below:
GREAT Scholarships- An Overview
| Sr. No. | Particulars | Description |
| 1. | Objective | The primary objective of the GREAT scholarships is to help the students of the country to pursue higher education in the UK and also to increase the influx of international students in the country. |
| 2. | Scholarship Provider | The scholarship is being provided by the British Council on account of the GREAT Britain Campaign organized by the Government of UK. |
| 3. | Eligibility | Full-time Postgraduate and Undergraduate applicants. |
| 4. | Application | Apply online through the online application portal allotted for the scholarship program called the UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) |
| 5. | Application Timeline | Tentatively the deadline falls in the month of May/June, though it may change depending on the University chosen by the applicant |
| 6. | Award | Tuition fee waiver |
GREAT Scholarships- Scholarship Details
GREAT scholarships are applicable at select Universities for prospective full-time UG and PG students of some selective courses commencing in the month of September or October every year. The United Kingdom offers a wide arena of opportunities for students, in the forms of societies, internships, opportunities to volunteer in the local communities, work employment, etc. which increases the plausibility of job employment after the completion of the course.
The GREAT scholarships, UK are provided in the following forms to the selected scholars:
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Undergraduate Applicants
- Full tuition fee waiver for the 1st year of study in the UK for the UG applicants
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Postgraduate Applicants
- Full tuition fee waiver for 1 year of study or waiver of tuition fee for the 1st year of the 2-year PG degree.
No other expenses, such as travel, living expenditure, etc. are covered in the GREAT scholarships by the British Council and are the sole responsibility of the selected scholar. Applicants can access the list of institutions that participate in the GREAT Scholarships.
GREAT Scholarships- Application Process
Securing admission in the United Kingdom can be an astounding opportunity for a lot of students. The approach to developing creativity, critical thinking and confidence through everyday studies is sternly followed and is considered highly essential in the country. Moreover, studying in a global and ever welcoming country with a massively diverse population enables students to connect and communicate with people from all around the world.
GREAT Scholarships can be a boon for many students allowing them to receive an education in the choice of their field in the UK. In order to attain this opportunity, go through the steps to apply for the scholarship explained elaborately below:
Step 1: Choose the University/College and Course
- Choose a university among the eligible universities.
- Also, choose the Course that is appropriate for you.
Step 2: Request Nomination
- Check the eligibility criteria for the UG and the PG courses.
- Contact the international office of the chosen University and check if you qualify for the GREAT scholarship.
Step 3: Accept an offer
- The primary eligibility criteria for a GREAT scholarship is to receive an offer letter from a college/university and the candidate accepting that offer.
Step 4: Register at the UCAS portal and Apply
- Register at the Universities and Colleges Admissions Services (UCAS) portal.
- Log in with the respective credentials to access the application form.
Step 5: Access the Application Form
- Access the application form.
- Fill it in with the required details carefully.
Step 6: Attach Documents
- Attach the necessary documents along with the application.
Step 7: Submit the application
- Submit the application along with all the attached documents at the UCAS portal for the GREAT scholarship.
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GREAT Scholarship- Documents Required
Certain documents are required to be attached along with the application to verify the identity of the applicant, enable chaos free entry in the UK, assess if the applicant deserves to receive the GREAT scholarship and many other valid reasons. Which documents are to be kept ready? What documents are yet to be acquired? All such questions have been answered for the applicants in the article below:
- A valid Passport
- Mark-sheets of class 12th and other related certificates (If applying for UG)
- Mark-sheets of Graduation and other related certificates (If applying for PG)
- English Language Proficiency Certificate (If required)
- Any other documents asked for by the university
Also Read: MIT Scholarships- All You Need to Know
GREAT Scholarships- Selection Criteria
Each and every application received for the GREAT scholarship has to pass a review done by the British Council panel, the shortlisting of applicants in this stage is done based on predefined criteria.
The selected candidates are recommended by the panel further and have to attend a face to face interview to proceed for the final selection. This stage is to get to know the personality of the applicant vividly. The selection panel of the British Council makes the final decision of the scholarship.
Note: If an applicant has been nominated by more than 1 institution for GREAT scholarships, the candidates application form should specify this clearly indicating the choice of the university he/she has decided to attend.
Aspiring candidates need to apply for the scholarships tentatively in the month of May. The last date to apply for the GREAT Scholarships for the academic year 2019-20 is May 31, 2019. The terms and conditions of the scholarship have been provided at the official scholarship website.
