UK Masters Funding
UK Postgraduate Scholarships for International Students - Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria
The Bseisu Foundation primarily supports postgraduate study through masters scholarships with a focus on STEM. We do not accept individual applications for scholarships. Eligible applicants should instead apply to their university as normal, or directly to the chosen organisation and the Bseisu Foundation will liaise with the partnering body based on our existing scholarship programmes. Please find a list of our available scholarships here.
Candidates must permanently reside in and hold Palestinian, Lebanese, Syrian or Jordanian Nationality.
Priority will be given to candidates applying for STEM subjects. Applicants will preferably have two year’s work experience relevant to their field of study.
Studying a master’s course at a UK university
However, if you are looking for funding, we are unable to support you, or you do not meet our criteria, you may find one of the scholarships below useful in your search.
Find A Masters has a helpful guide for postgraduate study and funding opportunities. It may be helpful in finding you a bursary or some kind of shorter term funding.
Postgraduate Studentships may also help you to locate funding opportunities for all kinds of postgraduate studies, including masters and PhDs.
In addition, many universities in the UK have smaller pots of money available to scholars so please check each university’s website for all their funding opportunities. We have been unable to list every bursary or scholarship but have tried to give you a few ideas about available funding. Please note that we have tried to focus on scholarships with larger amounts of funding available but the list below is not exhaustive by any means. There are many other scholarships available so make sure you visit the university websites for more information.
Chevening
Chevening is a world-renowned UK Government funded organisation with the aim of developing global leaders. Chevening provides fully funded one year masters scholarships to international students from around the world to study at top UK universities.
The Bseisu-Chevening Award covers STEM scholars only. However, if you are not applying for a STEM course - a Chevening scholarship may still be available for you as Chevening itself covers a vast range of courses and has no restrictions on academic subjects. The Chevening application process opens in late August/early September and closes in early November. If you’re interested in a Chevening scholarship, make sure to be organised and apply early so that you don’t miss out on the deadline.
The Said Foundation offers scholarships for one-year master’s degree courses in the UK.
There are no restrictions on academic subjects but candidates must demonstrate that their subject will enable them to contribute to the development of their home country.
Candidates must apply to one or more of the Said Foundation’s partner universities which can be found listed on their website.
British Council
The British Council has a great search function that you can use for UK based scholarships. Find it here.
HESPAL (Higher Education Scholarships for Palestinians)
HESPAL aims to create the next generation of senior academics who can maintain international quality standards at Palestinian universities and develop renewed and sustainable links between Palestinian and UK universities. The scheme will upgrade academic staff in Palestinian universities through a Masters or PhD Scholarship programme. The scholarship covers tuition fees and a monthly allowance to cover living expenses. Please visit the British Council website via the link above for more information on what the scholarship covers, areas of study and eligibility.
Aston University
Up to 4 sanctuary scholarships are available to students who are seeking refuge in the UK and studying any three-year undergraduate or one-year postgraduate taught programme. Scholars will receive a full tuition-fee waiver and support with accommodation and living costs up to a value of £25,000 throughout their course. Applicants must be:
In the UK
An asylum seeker or the partner/dependant of an asylum seeker; OR
An unsuccessful asylum seeker/refugee or the partner/dependant of an unsuccessful asylum seeker/refugee who has instead been granted Discretionary Leave to Remain (DLR) or some other form of temporary status in the UK.
Applications to apply will open on 11 March 2024 and will close on 10 May 2024.
University of Brighton
The University of Brighton provides a few different scholarships for international scholars, some for Brighton alumni, and others for specific courses. Check out their postgraduate scholarship page here for more details.
University of Brighton International Scholarship
Scholarships will be awarded at £2,500, £1,500 and £1,000 amounts based on how well you meet the set criteria. This scholarship is available for students starting their postgraduate degree in Autumn 2024. The deadline to apply is 8 March 2024.
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol lists all of their scholarships here. It also has a helpful page of opportunities for international scholarships specifically which can be found here.
Think Big International Scholarships
Scholarships are available to international students studying any one year masters course. The scholarship may range from £6,500 to £26,000 depending on the award. Postgraduate applications will close on 29 April 2024.
Global Economics Postgraduate Scholarship
2 scholarships of £13,000 and 15 scholarships of £6,500 are available. These awards must be used towards the cost of tuition fees for a one-year Accounting and Finance related master's programme in the Business School. This scholarship is open to any student classed as an overseas student for fee purposes. Applications will close on 29 April 2024.
Scholarships are available for students from asylum-seeking and refugee communities. This scholarship is equivalent to a full tuition fee waiver as well as a full living cost stipend. Applications will close on 31 March 2024.
University of Dundee
All scholarship opportunities at the University of Dundee can be found here. The University of Dundee has quite a few scholarships available to scholars from our target countries. Please look through the list of scholarships and explore your eligible awards.
This scholarship is for postgraduate and undergraduate international students studying a range of courses (listed on the website, link below). The scholarship is available to students starting courses in September 2024 and the award is at the value of £5,000. The deadline to apply is 31 August 2024.
Global Citizenship Scholarship
This scholarship is for postgraduate and undergraduate international students studying a range of courses (listed on the website, link below). The scholarship is available to students starting courses in September 2024 and successful applicants will be awarded £4,000. The deadline to apply is 31 July 2024.
Durham University
Durham has a range of postgraduate scholarships available, listed here. Durham University usually offers one scholarship per year for a Palestinian Masters student from the West Bank or Gaza, called the Durham Palestine Education Trust. However, at the time of writing this, the scholarship hasn’t been updated on the website for scholars beginning their studies in September 2024.
University of Essex
Vice Chancellor’s Global Talent Scholarship
If you are an undergraduate student, or a taught postgraduate student, you may be eligible to apply for this award. Students from Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine are eligible to apply (full list of countries available on the website linked above), and the scholarship is worth 50% of your first year tuition fees. The deadline to apply is 15 May 2024.
Imperial College London
Imperial has a long list of postgraduate scholarships so we’ve only featured a small number of them below. Please find the full list of postgraduate scholarships here.
CMA CGM Excellence Fund for Lebanon
6 scholarships are available to Lebanese nationals ordinarily resident in Lebanon. The scholarship includes full tuition fees and an annual stipend of £19,500. Eligible scholars must have received an offer of admission to study for a one-year full-time Master's Course from the Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Business School or Science Communication Unit by 11 April 2024.
Scholarships worth £20,000 are available to scholars studying in the Business School who demonstrate impact and achievement in Entrepreneurship, Technology and Innovation, Sustainability, Social Impact and Leadership. This scholarship is only available to new students beginning their programme in Autumn 2024. Candidates must receive an offer to study their course of choice before the deadline of 29 March 2024 in order to apply.
Department of Aeronautics MSc Scholarship
2 scholarships are available to new students in the Department of Aeronautics, beginning their studies in Autumn 2024. The scholarship will provide full tuition fees. The deadline to apply is 31 March 2024.
The LIFE Scholarship programme is open to Lebanese students in financial need who are pursuing degrees in Finance at the Imperial Business School. The scholarship is worth up to $12,000 and is available to scholars beginning their studies in Autumn 2024. The deadline to apply is 30 April 2024.
The Postgraduate Sanctuary Scholarship provides a financial package for students from displaced communities applying for Master's study in Autumn 2024 including tuition fees paid in full, a stipend for living costs equating to £19,500 per annum and a £1,500 one off equipment grant. Eligible scholars must fall into one of the following immigration status groups:
A refugee – a person who has been granted refugee status either in the UK or in another country.
A person who has been granted humanitarian protection or some other form of protective leave to remain in the UK
An asylum seeker – a person who has made a claim within the UK for refugee status.
Scholars must have applied for an eligible masters course by 24 May 2024 and hold an offer to study an eligible masters course by 8 June 2024. Applicants must also have completed the Sanctuary Scholarship application form by the deadline of 24 May 2024.
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester Humanitarian Scholarships
The Humanitarian Scholarship programme supports individuals at immediate risk who have been forced to flee their homes as a direct result of armed conflict. The awards cover tuition fees, living expenses and visas. Up to 10 scholarships are available for full time undergraduate and postgraduate applicants, studying a wide range of courses, excluding medicine, dentistry, nursing and architecture. You will need to have an offer to study at the University of Manchester before applying for the scholarship. Applications open on 1 March 2024 and close on 15 April 2024.
University of Nottingham
Middle East and Turkey Postgraduate Excellence Award
The University of Nottingham is offering scholarships covering a contribution of between £4,000 to £8,000 towards full-time masters tuition fees for high-achieving international students with overseas fee status, who live in the Middle East and Turkey. The deadline to apply is 15 May 2024.
University of Sussex
See a full list of postgraduate scholarships at the University of Sussex here.
John Kinghorn Scholarship in Engineering
4 scholarships are available to students commencing a Masters degree taught in the Engineering Department in September 2024. 1 of these scholarships is reserved for a female applicant, in order to encourage participation of women in STEM subjects. The scholarship is worth £10,000 as a tuition fee reduction. The deadline to apply is 1 May 2024.
Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP)
1 scholarship is available to a scholar who has received an unconditional offer on one of the masters courses below.
Climate Change, Development and Policy
Environment, Development and Policy
Food and Development
Migration and Global Development
The scholarship includes full tuition fees, a monthly living stipend, round-trip air tickets and travel allowance. The deadline to apply is 18 March 2024.
1 scholarship is available to a masters scholar, starting their course in September 2024. It is available to forced migrants or applicants granted a temporary form of leave, who are unable to receive student loans. The award covers full tuition fees and £14,400 of living expenses. The deadline to apply for this scholarship is 1 June 2024.
UCL
UCL offers many bursaries and scholarships. Visit the scholarship search finder here to see what you might be eligible for.
UCL Global Masters Scholarship
Up to 85 scholarships are available with a value of £15,000. The scholarship is tenable for one year only unless the full-time programme is 2yrs in length. In that case the scholarship will be paid 50% in each year. The deadline to apply is 7 May 2024.
2 scholarships are available with a value up to £19,300 to prospective MPH students who have experienced inequality. Applications will open on 1 March 2024 and will close on 30 June 2024.
PGIM Scholarship Programme – Computer Science MSc Scholarships
Scholarships are available to applicants holding an offer for one of the following programmes.
MSc Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Development
MSc Computational Finance
MSc Financial Risk Management
The value of the scholarship will cover tuition fees in full and will provide a £18,000 maintenance stipend. The deadline to apply is 10 June 2024.
University of Warwick
Please see the full list of scholarships at the University of Warwick here. At the time of writing this article, the university has not yet released details for the Warwick Taught Masters Scholarship, or for the Sanctuary Scholarships so keep an eye out for details of their 2024 offerings.
Economics Excellence Scholarship
The Department of Economics will award 1 Master’s scholarship to an outstanding applicant who has firmly accepted their offer by 20 May 2024 on one of the following one-year taught MSc courses.
MSc Economics
MSc Economic and International Financial Economics
MSc Behavioural and Economic Science (Economics Track)
The scholarship provides full fees and eligible applicants who have firmly accepted their offer before the deadline of 20 May 2024 will be automatically considered.
Warwick Chemistry Overseas Taught Masters Scholarship
Up to 2 £12,500 bursaries are available for the most academically gifted overseas (non-Home fees) students studying MSc Taught Chemistry. You need to receive an offer of place on the course by 31 March 2024 to qualify.
Multiple scholarships are available to overseas students studying an MSc or MBA at Warwick Business School. Successful candidates could receive between 20-50% as a fee reduction. For more information regarding eligible courses, application process and deadline, please visit the link below.
Scholarships of £8,000 are guaranteed for students from Syria, Turkey and Lebanon studying an eligible course. This scholarship will be awarded as a tuition fee discount and applicants do not need to apply specifically for this bursary. It will be automatically applied to your offer by the Admissions team.