Bristol Think Big Scholarship
Think Big Is a Tuition Discount — Not a Full Scholarship
Let’s be accurate from the first line, because the name and the £26,000 headline figure mislead people.
The Think Big Scholarship is a merit-based financial award for international students that helps reduce tuition fees for undergraduate and postgraduate study at the University of Bristol. No, the Think Big Scholarship is a partial tuition fee scholarship.
The Think Big award goes toward tuition fees rather than living costs, so plan for accommodation, food and other expenses on top of what the scholarship covers.
Tuition only. No living grant, no accommodation, no flights, no stipend. Bristol applies the award as a discount against your fee bill.
We will apply your Think Big scholarship as a discount to your tuition fees. We will adjust your fees at the time of your enrolment at the University. And we do not offer a cash alternative.
That said, Think Big is still one of the most accessible substantial awards available to international students, for one reason above all:
Apply using the international scholarships online application form. By completing the application form, you will be considered for all the Think Big Scholarships for which you are eligible. The application process is the same for all University of Bristol international scholarships.
One form. Every award you qualify for. No separate applications, no per-scholarship essays.
We’ve invested up to £5 million in Think Big scholarships to help international students come to Bristol.
What the University of Bristol Is
The University of Bristol is a Red Brick, Russell Group university, ranked 51st globally (QS 2026) and among the UK’s top 10 institutions.
Bristol is one of Britain’s leading research universities, a Russell Group member (the UK’s 24 research-intensive institutions) with a global top-60 ranking. It sits in Bristol, a mid-sized city in south-west England with a significantly lower cost of living than London.
The university has an excellent research environment, world-class labs (first worldwide to achieve 100% LEAF sustainability certification).
Why the cost of living matters here: because Think Big covers tuition only, the city you study in determines whether the award is workable. Bristol is meaningfully cheaper than London typically £900–1,200 per month versus £1,400–1,800 in the capital. A £13,000 tuition discount stretches much further in Bristol than the same award would in London.
Award Values
Think Big undergraduate scholarships are valued at £6,500 and £13,000 for up to four years of study. Think Big postgraduate scholarships are valued at £6,500, £13,000 and £26,000 for your first year of study. Postgraduate applicants will also be eligible for the Think Big Career Accelerator.
Undergraduate
| Award | Duration | Total Value |
|---|---|---|
| £6,500 per year | Up to 4 years | Up to £26,000 |
| £13,000 per year | Up to 4 years | Up to £52,000 |
Undergraduate awards run for the standard length of your degree.
The undergraduate award is the better deal per student. A £13,000 annual award across a four-year degree is £52,000 double the largest single postgraduate award.
Postgraduate (Master’s)
| Award | Duration |
|---|---|
| £6,500 | First year only |
| £13,000 | First year only |
| £26,000 | First year only |
Postgraduate awards apply to a single year of master’s study.
⭐ Think Big Career Accelerator (Postgraduate Only)
Postgraduate applicants will also be eligible for the Think Big Career Accelerator.
Postgraduate students may receive an additional £3,000 Career Accelerator scholarship.
Master’s applicants are additionally eligible for the Career Accelerator reported at around £3,000. Confirm current value and conditions with Bristol.
Awards Are Subject-Linked
Subject area matters too, since the amount you can receive varies by course, with some subjects mapped to specific award levels.
The amount you can receive is tied to your course. Bristol publishes which awards attach to which programmes for example awards of £13,000 available for International Development (MSc) and awards of £6,500 available for any MA or LLM programme.
⚠️ Check your specific course on Bristol’s scholarship page. Two applicants with identical profiles on different courses can be eligible for different amounts.
Eligibility
Eligible Countries: All Countries.
Core Requirements
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Nationality | All countries ✅ |
| Fee status | Must be classed as an overseas (international) fee-paying student |
| Course | Full-time, in-person undergraduate or eligible master’s |
| Academic record | Excellent academic records |
| English | Must meet Bristol’s English proficiency requirements |
| Entry | September start, for the stated entry year only |
❌ Excluded Courses
Not be applying to Bristol Medical School or Bristol Dental School (not eligible).
All fields and majors at Bristol University, except medicine, dentistry, and veterinary science.
| Excluded | Level |
|---|---|
| ❌ Medicine | Undergraduate |
| ❌ Dentistry | Undergraduate |
| ❌ Veterinary Science | Undergraduate |
Undergraduate-Specific Conditions
Apply for a full-time, in-person undergraduate course at the University of Bristol. Be an overseas (international) fee-paying student. Receive an offer from Bristol by Friday, 24 April 2027 (otherwise, your scholarship application will be withdrawn). Meet your UCAS offer conditions by 31 August 2027. Make the University of Bristol your firm choice in UCAS.
| Condition | Detail |
|---|---|
| Offer by | Friday 24 April 2027, or your scholarship application is withdrawn |
| UCAS conditions met by | 31 August 2027 |
| UCAS firm choice | ✅ Bristol must be your firm choice |
⚠️ The firm-choice requirement is significant. You cannot hold Bristol as an insurance choice and still take the scholarship. You must commit.
⭐ You Do NOT Need an Offer to Apply
This is unusually applicant-friendly and sets Think Big apart from Felix, Reach Oxford and most UK awards.
You do not need to have received an offer to study before submitting an international scholarship application.
You can submit your scholarship application while your course application is still being assessed.
Bu you must receive an offer from Bristol by Friday, 24 April 2027, otherwise your scholarship application will be withdrawn.
So the sequence is: apply for your course, apply for the scholarship (no offer needed), then secure the offer before late April.
How to Apply
Apply using the international scholarships online application form. By completing the application form, you will be considered for all the Think Big Scholarships for which you are eligible.
You complete one unified scholarship form and it covers every Think Big and related award you qualify for — no separate applications needed. You don’t submit a separate form per scholarship.
Step by Step
Step 1 — Apply for your Bristol course Apply to Bristol first. Undergraduate via UCAS; postgraduate via Bristol’s own application system.
Step 2 — Check your course’s award bands Use the dropdowns on Bristol’s scholarship page. An asterisk (*) after a course name means there are multiple Think Big Scholarships available for your course.
3 — Submit the international scholarships online form One form. It covers every Think Big and related international award you qualify for.
4 — Secure your offer before late April Your scholarship application is withdrawn if you have no offer by the stated April date.
Step 5 — Undergraduates: make Bristol your firm UCAS choice
Step 6 — Meet your conditions by 31 August
⚠️ If You Have Multiple Offers, You Must Choose One
If you have more than one study offer, you must choose one for your scholarship application. If you do not choose by the deadline, it may make your application ineligible.
And if you hold offers for more than one Bristol course, you must nominate one for your scholarship application. Failing to choose can make you ineligible entirely.
⚠️ The Award Cannot Be Deferred
Scholarship awards are valid for entry in September 2026 only. You cannot defer them to a later year. If you choose to defer your place at the University, we cannot transfer your scholarship.
The award is tied to a specific September entry. If you defer your place, you lose the scholarship. You would have to apply again in the new cycle with no guarantee.
This matters if you are waiting on a visa, managing family circumstances, or considering a gap year. Deferring costs you the money.
Deadlines
It usually falls in April. For 2026 entry the deadline was 10 April 2026 at 10:00 UK time, with applications having opened on 21 October 2025.
The deadline for both undergraduate scholarships and postgraduate scholarships is 10 April 2026.
Expected 2027 Cycle Pattern
| Stage | Expected Timing |
|---|---|
| Scholarship applications open | ~October 2026 |
| Scholarship deadline | ~April 2027 (2026 cycle: 10 April, 10:00 UK) |
| Offer required by | Friday 24 April 2027 |
| UCAS conditions met by | 31 August 2027 |
| Course begins | September 2027 |
⚠️ Deadlines may vary visit the official website for updates. Confirm exact 2027 dates at bristol.ac.uk from October 2026.
Note the six-month application window. Applications open in October and close in April generous compared with most awards. But the deadline is a hard 10:00 UK cutoff, not end of day.
Honest Cost Planning
Think Big is a discount, so the arithmetic matters.
Postgraduate Example (£26,000 award — the maximum)
| Item | Approximate |
|---|---|
| Master’s tuition (international) | £25,000–£35,000 |
| Minus Think Big £26,000 | Possibly fully covered, or a small balance |
| Living costs (Bristol, 12 months) | £11,000–£15,000 |
| Visa + IHS | £1,500–£2,500 |
| Flights | £600–£1,200 |
| Your remaining cost | ~£13,000–£19,000 |
Postgraduate Example (£6,500 award — the entry band)
| Item | Approximate |
|---|---|
| Master’s tuition | £25,000–£35,000 |
| Minus Think Big £6,500 | £18,500–£28,500 remaining |
| Plus living, visa, flights | £13,000–£19,000 |
| Your remaining cost | ~£31,000–£47,000 |
The band you receive changes everything. At £26,000 the award is transformative; at £6,500 it is helpful but leaves most of the cost with you. Check which band your course maps to before you build plans around it.
Undergraduate Example (£13,000 × 4 years)
£52,000 in total tuition support is substantial but you still fund four years of living costs, roughly £44,000–£60,000, plus visa and flights.
Who Think Big Suits
✅ Good fit if you:
- Have partial family funding, savings or a loan and need the gap closed
- Are applying to a course mapped to the £13,000 or £26,000 band
- Want automatic consideration without writing separate scholarship essays
- Are certain about Bristol and happy to make it your firm UCAS choice
❌ Poor fit if you:
- Need full funding including living costs
- Cannot fund any portion of tuition or living expenses yourself
- Want to defer entry
- Are applying to Medicine, Dentistry or Veterinary Science
If you need full funding, look at Chevening, Commonwealth, Clarendon, Gates Cambridge, or the Bristol-specific fully funded routes and treat Think Big as a supplement rather than the answer.
Quick Reference
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Scholarship | Think Big Scholarship |
| University | University of Bristol, UK |
| Status | Russell Group, Red Brick, QS ~51st globally |
| Type | ⚠️ Partial tuition fee discount, NOT full funding |
| Total investment | Up to £5 million |
| Countries | All countries ✅ |
| Fee status required | Overseas (international) |
| UG awards | £6,500 or £13,000 per year, up to 4 years |
| UG maximum total | Up to £52,000 |
| PG awards | £6,500, £13,000 or £26,000, first year only |
| Career Accelerator | PG only, reported ~£3,000 |
| Covers | Tuition only |
| Does NOT cover | Living costs, accommodation, flights, visa |
| Cash alternative | ❌ None, applied as a fee discount |
| Application form | One form covers all Think Big awards |
| Offer needed to apply? | ❌ No |
| Offer needed by | Friday 24 April 2027 or application withdrawn |
| UCAS firm choice | ✅ Required (undergraduate) |
| Conditions met by | 31 August 2027 |
| Excluded | Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Science |
| Deferral | ❌ Not permitted, you lose the award |
| Multiple offers | Must nominate ONE course |
| Applications open | ~October 2026 |
| Deadline | ~April 2027 (2026 cycle: 10 April, 10:00 UK) |
| Official site | bristol.ac.uk/international/fees-finance/scholarships |
FAQ
Is Think Big fully funded?
No, the Think Big Scholarship is a partial tuition fee scholarship. The award goes toward tuition fees, so you’ll need to budget separately for accommodation, food and day-to-day living expenses.
How much is it worth?
Undergraduate scholarships are worth £6,500 or £13,000 for up to four years. Postgraduate scholarships are worth £6,500, £13,000, or £26,000 for the first year of study.
Which countries are eligible?
All countries. You must hold overseas fee status.
Do I need an offer before applying?
No, you do not need to have received an offer to study before submitting an international scholarship application. But you must receive an offer by Friday 24 April 2027 or your application will be withdrawn.
Do I apply separately for each award?
You complete one unified scholarship form and Oxford automatically considers it for every Think Big and related award you qualify for.
Can I defer the scholarship?
No, scholarship awards are valid for that September entry only. If you defer your place, we cannot transfer your scholarship.
Which courses are excluded?
Medicine, dentistry, and veterinary science.
Can I get cash instead of a fee discount?
No, we do not offer a cash alternative.
When is the deadline?
It usually falls in April. For 2026 entry the deadline was 10 April 2026 at 10:00 UK time, with applications opening on 21 October 2025.
Free Application Tools
- Motivation Letter: Motivation Letter Generator
- SOP / Study Plan: SOP Generator
- CV: Free CV Builder
- Reference Letter: Reference Letter Generator
- MOI Certificate (if needed): MOI Generator
- Research Proposal (PhD): Research Proposal Generator