Scholarships at University of Essex

If you're an international student, took your undergraduate degree overseas or in the UK and are self-funding your postgraduate studies, you could be eligible for a scholarship worth up to £5,000, paid as a discount on your tuition fee. For eligible students with a UK degree, the amount of the award will be set at £2,000.

2025-2026 Eligibility

Terms and conditions

Eligibility

To be eligible for this scholarship, applicants must:

◼ Be overseas fee payers and
◼ Be entirely self-funded, and;
◼ Be ordinarily resident in one of the countries specified in the table above and;
◼ Have an undergraduate degree (or Masters degree) awarded by an institution based in one of
the countries listed in the table above and
◼ Have met the academic requirement for that country, as specified in the table above.
◼ If eligible, the amount you will be awarded is the scholarship award for your country of ordinary
residence and not the country your degree is from (if this is different).

◼ If you are ordinarily resident in one of the countries listed below but have taken your
undergraduate degree in the UK and achieved a 2:1 or above – you will also be eligible for this
scholarship. The amount awarded will be based on the country where you are ordinarily resident.
Applicants will not be eligible an award based on holding a Masters degree from the UK.
◼ Students must have been awarded an undergraduate degree (this includes integrated Masters
degrees) with the grade specified or above. A Pass grade in a Masters degree from any of the
countries listed in the table above (excluding the UK) can be taken to compensate for a lower
Bachelors grade.
◼ Students must register at the University of Essex in October 2025 or January 2026 for the first
year of a full-time Masters course in academic year 2025-26 only, leading to the degree of:
̶ MA, MFA, MSc, LLM, MPP, MBM, MRes, MBA
◼ This scholarship is available for the first year of taught Masters study only.
◼ Successful applicants should be available for promotional activities.

Students who are not eligible  

The following students are NOT eligible for the Academic Excellence International Masters Scholarship
regardless of meeting the above criteria:
◼ Students who are fully or partly sponsored.
◼ Students studying:
̶ a course that is normally delivered wholly online by Kaplan Open Learning, operating as
University of Essex Online.
̶ a course below Masters level at the University of Essex: including, but not limited to,
Graduate Certificates, Graduate Diplomas, Postgraduate Certificates, and Postgraduate
Diplomas.
◼ Students studying courses that are classed as research degrees: including, but not limited to,
MPhil, MAD, MSD.
◼ Students awarded the scholarship who defer entry to following academic years will not be
eligible to receive the award and will be considered in line with the terms and conditions that
apply in the new proposed year of entry.
◼ The award cannot be held in conjunction with any other University of Essex scholarships,
including the University of Essex alumni loyalty discount.

◼ Students who are joining Essex through a link agreement which includes a discounted fee or
eligible for a Global Partner Scholarship. In this case, where a student is also eligible for this
award, we will apply the award which is greater in value.
◼ University of Essex International College (UEIC) Pathway students.
◼ Current students whose first year of Postgraduate study at the University of Essex was prior to
academic year 2025-26.

If you're an international student studying the Law LLB M103 (Senior Status) programme you could be eligible for a scholarship worth £3,000, which you'll receive as a fee discount in your first year of study.

Eligibility

• These scholarships are restricted to students who are overseas fee payers and are entirely selffunded. 

• These scholarships are restricted to students studying on the LLB M103 Law (Senior Status) programme only.

• Students must register for the first year (Year 1) of study on the LLB M103 Law (Senior Status) programme at the University of Essex in 2024-25.

• Students must have been awarded an equivalent of a UK 2.1 at undergraduate level.

• The award cannot be held in conjunction with any other University of Essex scholarships.

• This scholarship is available for the first year of study (Year1) at undergraduate level in 2024-25 only.

• Successful applicants should be available for promotional activities.

• Students receiving a repayable loan to fund their studies will be considered as self-funded. This includes, but isn’t restricted to tuition fee loans from the following bodies: 

  • Student Finance England/Wales/Northern Island.

  • Student Awards Agency Scotland .

  • US Federal Direct Loans.

  • Canada student loans.

  • Norwegian State Loan (Lanekassen).

  • Swedish Board of Student Finance (CSN).

  • Social Insurance Institution of Finland (KELA).

  • Denmark State Educational Grant and Loan Scheme.

Students who are not eligible

The following students are NOT eligible for the Scholarship, regardless of meeting the above criteria:

• Students who are fully or partly sponsored.

• Students who are assessed as Home fee payer.

• This scholarship award does not apply to deferred entry. Where a scholarship has been awarded to a student who subsequently defers entry to the following academic year, the award will be withdrawn and the applicant will be considered again in line with the terms and conditions that apply in the new proposed year of entry. 

• Current students whose first year of undergraduate study at the University of Essex, was prior to academic year 2024-25. 

If you're an international student from a member state of the African Union and are self-funding your undergraduate studies, you could be eligible for a scholarship of £4,000, paid as a discount on your first year’s tuition fee.

Eligibility

• These scholarships are restricted to students who are overseas fee payers and are entirely selffunded.

• Students must be ordinarily resident (see below for the definition of ordinary residence) in a member country of the African Union.

• Students must register for the first year (Year 1) of a full-time undergraduate degree at the University of Essex in October 2024-25. 

• The award cannot be held in conjunction with any other University of Essex scholarships.

• This scholarship is available for the first year of study (Year1) at undergraduate level in 2024-25 only.

• Successful applicants should be available for promotional activities. 

• Students receiving a repayable loan to fund their studies will be considered as self-funded.

• Courses leading to the award of a Diploma of Higher Education, Bachelors Degree, Integrated Masters (four years).

Students who are not eligible

The following students are NOT eligible for this scholarship regardless of meeting the above criteria:

• Students undertaking courses at East 15 Acting School.

• University of Essex International College (UEIC) Pathway students progressing from the International Year One.

• Students undertaking a degree that is normally delivered wholly online.

• Students who are not ordinarily resident in a member country of the African Union.

• This scholarship award does not apply to deferred entry. Where a scholarship has been awarded to a student who subsequently defers entry to the following academic year, the award will be withdrawn and the applicant will be considered again in line with the terms and conditions that apply in the new proposed year of entry.

• Students transferring into the second and third year from another institution.

• Students who are fully or partly sponsored. 

• Students who are assessed as Home fee payer.

• Current students whose first year of undergraduate study at the University of Essex, was prior to academic year 2024-25.

If you're an international student from one of the above countries and you're funding your own studies, you could be eligible for a scholarship worth £3,000 which you'll receive as a tuition fee discount in your first year.

Eligibility

• These scholarships are restricted to students who are overseas fee payers and are entirely selffunded.

• Students must be ordinarily resident (see below for the definition of ordinary residence) in one of the countries specified above.

• Students must register for the first year (Year1) of a full-time undergraduate degree at the University of Essex in October 2024-25.

• The award cannot be held in conjunction with any other University of Essex scholarships.

• This scholarship is available for the first year of study (Year1) at undergraduate level in 2024-25 only.

• Successful applicants should be available for promotional activities.

Courses leading to the award of a Diploma of Higher Education, Bachelors Degree, Integrated Masters (four years).

Students who are not eligible

The following students are NOT eligible for this scholarship regardless of meeting the above criteria:

• Students undertaking courses at East 15 Acting School.

• University of Essex International College (UEIC) Pathway students.

• Students undertaking a degree that is normally delivered wholly online.

• Students who are not ordinarily resident in one of the countries listed. 

• This scholarship award does not apply to deferred entry. Where a scholarship has been awarded to a student who subsequently defers entry to the following academic year, the award will be withdrawn and the applicant will be considered again in line with the terms and conditions that apply in the new proposed year of entry.

• Students entering the second and third year.

• Students who are assessed as Home fee payer.

• Current students whose first year of undergraduate study at the University of Essex, was prior to academic year 2024-25.

If you’re an international student studying at one of our global channel partners, you could be eligible for a 20% tuition fee discount or a scholarship worth up to £3,000, which you’ll receive as a tuition fee discount on your first year of study.

Eligibility

• These scholarships are restricted to students who are overseas fee payers and are entirely selffunded*. 

• Students joining Essex from one of our Global Channel Partners listed above will be considered for this award.

• Students must be studying on one of the accelerated Master’s progression programmes outlined in the link/partnership agreement between the University and the appropriate Global Channel Partner listed in these terms and conditions.

• Students must register at the University of Essex in October 2024 or January 2025 for the first year of a full-time Masters course in academic year 2024-25.

• The award cannot be held in conjunction with any other University of Essex scholarships. 

• This scholarship is available for the first year of Masters study at Essex only.

• Successful applicants should be available for promotional activities.

*Students receiving a repayable loan to fund their studies will be considered as self-funded.

Students who are not eligible

The following students are NOT eligible for the scholarship regardless of meeting the above criteria:

• Students studying a postgraduate course at East 15 Acting School. 

• Students undertaking a Masters course that is normally delivered wholly online. 

• Courses below Masters level: including, but not limited to, Graduate Certificates, Graduate Diplomas, Postgraduate Certificates (PGCerts), and Postgraduate Diplomas (PGDips). 

• This scholarship award does not apply to deferred entry. Where a scholarship has been awarded to a student who subsequently defers entry to the following academic year, the award will be withdrawn and the applicant will be considered again in line with the terms and conditions that apply in the new proposed year of entry. 

• Students who are fully or partly sponsored. 

• Students who are in receipt of funding support from FUNED or FIDERH, who will receive a fee discount associated with Essex’s affiliations with these organisations.

• Students who are assessed as Home fee paying students.

• Current students whose first year of Postgraduate study at the University of Essex, was prior to academic year 2024-25. 

If you're an international student studying at one of our Global Partner Institutions listed below and are self-funding your undergraduate studies, you could be eligible for up to a 20% tuition fee discount, which will be distributed across your years of study.

Eligibility

• These scholarships are restricted to students who are overseas fee payers and are entirely selffunded*.

• Students must be studying on a link/partnership agreement at one of our Global Channel Partners listed above to be considered for this award (excluding applicants on the UKT Law programmes with specific partner institutions for which we have a separate scholarship – please see Essex Law Global Partners Scholarship T&Cs for eligibility requirements).

• Applicants must meet our standard conditional offer. 

• CSCSE students are only eligible for the award with A in one graded component for 3+1 SQA Undergraduate entry in link agreement programme/s.

• The award cannot be held in conjunction with any other University of Essex scholarships. 

• Successful applicants should be available for promotional activities.

Students who are not eligible

The following students are NOT eligible for this scholarship regardless of meeting the above criteria:

• Students undertaking courses at East 15 Acting School.

• University of Essex International College (UEIC) Pathway students.

• Students undertaking a degree that is normally delivered wholly online.

• This scholarship award does not apply to deferred entry. Where a scholarship has been awarded to a student who subsequently defers entry to the following academic year, the award will be withdrawn and the applicant will be considered again in line with the terms and conditions that apply in the new proposed year of entry.  

• Students who are fully or partly sponsored.

• Students who are assessed as Home fee payer.

• Current students whose first year of undergraduate study at the University of Essex, was prior to academic year 2024-25. 

• Students studying the EWIE joint educational programme.

If you're an international student studying at one of our Law global channel partners detailed in the table below, you could be eligible for a scholarship worth up to £3,500, which you'll receive as a tuition fee discount distributed across your years of study.

Eligibility

• These scholarships are restricted to students who are overseas fee payers and are entirely selffunded*. 

• Students must be studying on the Law transfer programme in the link/partnership agreement at the specified institutions above. 

• Students must register for the first year of a full-time undergraduate degree at the University of Essex in October 2024-25.

• Applicants must meet our standard conditional offer. 

• The award cannot be held in conjunction with any other University of Essex scholarships. Successful applicants should be available for promotional activities 

• Students receiving a repayable loan to fund their studies will be considered as self-funded.

Students who are not eligible 

The following students are NOT eligible for this scholarship regardless of meeting the above criteria:

• Students undertaking a degree that is normally delivered wholly online.

• This scholarship award does not apply to deferred entry. Where a scholarship has been awarded to a student who subsequently defers entry to the following academic year, the award will be withdrawn and the applicant will be considered again in line with the terms and conditions that apply in the new proposed year of entry.

• Students who are fully or partly sponsored. 

• Students who are assessed as Home fee payer.

• Current students whose first year of undergraduate study at the University of Essex, was prior to academic year 2024-25.

The University is offering a bursary of up to £1,500 for students who achieve a 1st or 2.1 degree in year 0 and progress to year 1 at the University of Essex.

Eligibility

• Must have completed year 0 at the University of Essex during academic year 2023-24.

• Achieved a 1st or 2.1 in year 0.

• Register for your first year of study for a full-time undergraduate degree course, leading to the award of a, Bachelor’s Degree, Integrated Masters (four years), starting in October 2024-25.

• Students who achieve a 1st in year 0 will receive £1,500.

• Students who achieve a 2.1 in year 0 will receive £1,000.

• This bursary is available for the first year of study in 2024-25 only

• This bursary may be held in conjunction with other University awards.

• Successful applicants should be available for promotional activities.

Students who are not eligible

The following students are NOT eligible for this scholarship regardless of meeting the above criteria:

• Students studying online distance learning courses.

• Students transferring in from year 0 from another UK higher education institution. 

• Students repeating Year 1 of a full-time undergraduate degree course leading to the award of a, Bachelor’s Degree, Integrated Masters (four years), starting in October 2024-25. 

• This Bursary award does not apply to deferred entry. Where a scholarship has been awarded to a student who subsequently defers entry to the following academic year, the award will be withdrawn and the applicant will be considered again in line with the terms and conditions that apply in the new proposed year of entry.

If you're starting at Essex in 2024-2025 and achieve academic excellence in your International Baccalaureate, we will offer you a scholarship of £2,000 for your first year.

Eligibility

• These scholarships are available to both Home and Overseas fee payers with any funding status.

• Students must register for the first year (Year1) of a full-time undergraduate degree at the University of Essex in October 2024-25. 

• Students must have received an offer of admission for entry to the University of Essex for 2024-25 and must actively make Essex their firm choice.

• The award can be held in conjunction with any other University of Essex scholarships.

• Students must register for a full-time undergraduate degree at the University of Essex with first enrolment at the University of Essex in 2023-24;

• Students must have obtained 34 points or above in the International Baccalaureate. 

• This scholarship is available for the first year of study (Year1) at undergraduate level in 2024-25 only.

• Successful applicants should be available for promotional activities.

Courses leading to the award of a Diploma of Higher Education, Bachelors Degree, Integrated Masters (four years).

Students who are not eligible

The following students are NOT eligible for this scholarship regardless of meeting the above criteria:

• Students undertaking courses at East 15 Acting School.

• University of Essex International College (UEIC) Pathway students.

• Students on Higher/Degree Apprenticeship courses

• Students undertaking a degree that is normally delivered wholly online

• This scholarship award does not apply to deferred entry. Where a scholarship has been awarded to a student who subsequently defers entry to the following academic year, the award will be withdrawn and the applicant will be considered again in line with the terms and conditions that apply in the new proposed year of entry.

• Students transferring into the second and third year from another institution.

• Students directly continuing from one course to another (for example from Foundation degree or HND on to the final year of an honours degree).

• Current students whose first year of undergraduate study at the University of Essex, was prior to academic year 2023-24.

If you're an international student from one of the above countries and you're funding your own studies, you could be eligible for a scholarship worth £4,000 which you'll receive as a tuition fee discount in your first year.

Eligibility

• These scholarships are restricted to students who are overseas fee payers and are entirely selffunded. 

• Students must be ordinarily resident (see below for the definition of ordinary residence) in one of the countries specified above.

• Students must register for the first year (Year1) of a full-time undergraduate degree at the University of Essex in October 2024-25.

• The award cannot be held in conjunction with any other University of Essex scholarships.

• Successful applicants should be available for promotional activities.

Students receiving a repayable loan to fund their studies will be considered as self-funded. 

Courses leading to the award of a Diploma of Higher Education, Bachelors Degree, Integrated Masters (four years).

Students who are not eligible

The following students are NOT eligible for this scholarship regardless of meeting the above criteria: 

• Students undertaking courses at East 15 Acting School.

• University of Essex International College (UEIC) Pathway students progressing from the International Year One.

• Students undertaking a programme of study normally delivered fully online.

• Students who are not ordinarily resident in one of the listed countries.

• Applicants entering the second and third year.

• Students who are fully or partly sponsored.

• Students who are assessed as Home fee payer.

• Current students whose first year of undergraduate study at the University of Essex, was prior to academic year 2024-25.

This scholarship scheme is for international students from specified countries seeking to join our university who start their studies in year 1. The award is offered as a discount on your tuition fees. Details of the awards available under this scheme are as follows:

Eligibility

• These scholarships are restricted to students who are overseas fee payers and are entirely selffunded
  Students receiving a repayable loan to fund their studies will be considered as self-funded. 

• Students must be ordinarily resident (see below for the definition of ordinary residence) in one of the countries specified above.

• Students must register for the first year (Year1) of a full-time undergraduate degree at the University of Essex in October 2024-25.

• The award cannot be held in conjunction with any other University of Essex scholarships.

• This scholarship is available for the first year of study (Year1) at undergraduate level in 2024-25 only

• Successful applicants should be available for promotional activities.

Students who are not eligible

The following students are NOT eligible for this scholarship regardless of meeting the above criteria:

• Students undertaking courses at East 15 Acting School.

• University of Essex International College (UEIC) Pathway students.

• Students undertaking a degree that is normally delivered wholly online.

• Students who are not ordinarily resident in one of the listed countries.

• Students entering into the second and third year.

• Students who are fully or partly sponsored. 

• Students who are assessed as Home fee payer.

• Current students whose first year of undergraduate study at the University of Essex, was prior to academic year 2024-25