Westminster Full International Scholarship
This One Actually Is Fully Funded — Including Your Flights
After a series of UK university awards that turn out to be tuition discounts, Westminster’s is the genuine article:
Westminster International Scholarships are fully funded awards for students from developing countries pursuing a full-time Master’s degree at the University. Full tuition fee waivers, accommodation, living expenses and flights to and from London.
Full tuition fee award, accommodation, living expenses and flights to and from London.
| Covered | Status |
|---|---|
| Full tuition | ✅ |
| Accommodation | ✅ |
| Living expenses | ✅ |
| Flights to and from London | ✅ |
Tuition, a roof, food money, and your airfare. For a student from Pakistan, Nigeria, Kenya, Bangladesh or Ghana with no family funding at all, this is one of the very few UK awards that genuinely makes London possible.
Compare it with the others in this series: Sheffield gives £7,000 off fees. Bristol gives a tuition discount. Edinburgh’s Global Research award covers only a fee differential. UCL’s £15,000 rarely leaves cash after London tuition.
Westminster covers everything.
The catch, inevitably, is competition. Only four undergraduate scholarships are awarded annually — a very small number for a worldwide applicant pool.
Two Scholarships — Undergraduate and Postgraduate
Westminster Undergraduate Full International Scholarship
Westminster’s Undergraduate Full Scholarships are the University’s most competitive scholarships that are open to international students from developing countries who wish to pursue a full-time Undergraduate degree at the University of Westminster.
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Level | Full-time undergraduate degree |
| Eligible programmes | Any eligible Undergraduate Programme |
| Covers | Tuition + accommodation + living + flights |
| Renewal | Renewed each year subject to satisfactory academic performance |
| Awards | ~4 per year (reported) |
⭐ This is one of the rare fully funded undergraduate scholarships in the UK. Alongside Reach Oxford, it is on a very short list.
Westminster International Postgraduate Full Scholarship
The scholarships are towards a Master’s Degree in any field of study (except MBA) offered at University of Westminster.
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Level | Full-time Master’s |
| Eligible programmes | Any full-time Master’s except MBA |
| Covers | Tuition + accommodation + living + flights |
| ❌ Excluded | MBA |
⚠️ “Developing Country” — Defined by Exclusion
Westminster does not publish a list of eligible countries. It publishes a list of ineligible ones.
Students from developing countries. If your country is not on the list then you are eligible to apply.
The Ineligible List
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, USA, Vatican City.
If your country is not on that list, you are eligible.
This means Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Cameroon, Senegal and virtually every country ScholarWing serves qualify.
Must be an international student from developing countries such as India, Nepal, Bangladesh, etc.
⚠️ Verify the current list on Westminster’s official page, exclusion lists are updated between cycles.
The Three Selection Criteria
The main criteria are First Class Honours degree, financial need and development potential.
The criteria for awarding the scholarships are academic excellence, development potential and financial need.
| Criterion | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Academic excellence | Excellent previous academic results, equivalent to a UK First Class Honors degree |
| Financial need | You must prove you cannot fund the study yourself |
| Development potential | What you will do for your home country afterwards |
⚠️ All Three Must Be Strong
This is not a pure merit award, and it is not a pure need award. A First Class student who cannot demonstrate need will lose to one who can. A student in genuine need without First Class results will not be competitive either.
⭐ “Development Potential” Is Where Applications Are Won
A detailed plan on how the student expects to use the knowledge and experience gained at the university for the development of home country.
You must submit a concrete development plan, not a vague statement about wanting to help.
Weak: “After my Master’s I will return to Pakistan and contribute to my country’s development.”
Strong: “I will return to the Punjab Irrigation Department, where I currently work as an assistant engineer, to implement the water-loss modelling techniques taught on this course. My department has identified canal seepage as costing an estimated X% of annual supply, and no staff member currently has the modelling training to address it. My line manager has confirmed my post will be held.”
Name the institution, the problem, the technique, and the mechanism by which you return.
⚠️ You Must Hold an Offer Before You Apply
You should only apply for a scholarship once you have applied for admission and successfully been offered a place (either conditional or unconditional) on the course you wish to study.
Applicants applying for the scholarship must hold a conditional or unconditional admission to the University of Westminster.
| Requirement | Status |
|---|---|
| Course application submitted | ✅ Required first |
| Offer received | ✅ Required, conditional is fine |
| Unconditional offer | Not necessary |
A conditional offer is enough. You do not need to have met all your conditions before applying for the scholarship.
Sequence: apply for your course → receive your offer → then apply for the scholarship.
⚠️ The Application Goes by POST
This is unusual in 2027 and catches people out.
To apply for a scholarship, you will need to download and complete the relevant scholarship application form and submit it together with supporting documents by POST.
Applicants are required to complete the application form offline.
You download a form, complete it offline, and post it with your supporting documents to London.
What This Means Practically
- Build in postal time. International post from Pakistan, Nigeria or Kenya to London can take 2–4 weeks, longer if it is delayed in customs.
- Use a tracked courier, DHL, FedEx or your national express service not ordinary airmail.
- Budget for the cost. Courier to the UK typically runs $40–$90 from South Asia or Africa.
- Post at least three weeks before the deadline. The deadline is almost certainly the date of receipt, not the date of posting.
- Keep copies of everything you send.
⚠️ Check Westminster’s current page, universities do move to online submission. But plan for post until you have confirmed otherwise.
Required Documents
The application should include transcripts, a letter of recommendation, a personal statement, a description of the candidate’s financial situation/need and a career aspirations/development plan.
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| ✅ Academic transcripts | All previous study |
| ✅ Letter of recommendation | Academic or professional |
| ✅ Personal statement | Yourself, your experience, extra-curricular activities |
| ✅ Financial situation statement | Evidence of genuine need |
| ✅ Career aspirations / development plan | ⭐ The decisive document |
| ✅ Completed application form | Downloaded and filled offline |
Deadlines
Westminster’s scholarship deadlines have historically fallen in late May for September entry.
Next deadline is 29 May for courses starting September.
Applications for a 2027–28 course start will open in January 2027.
There is also a January-entry route:
Candidates should submit a filled application form by post no later than October 14, 2026 if they want to receive funding starting from January 2027.
| Entry | Applications Open | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| September 2027 start | ~January 2027 | ~late May 2027 |
| January 2027 start | — | 14 October 2026 |
⚠️ Confirm current dates at westminster.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding/scholarships.
Working Backwards From a May Deadline
| When | Action |
|---|---|
| Now | Research Westminster courses; check the ineligible country list |
| October–December 2026 | Apply for your course |
| January 2027 | Scholarship applications open; download the form |
| January–March | Secure your offer; gather transcripts, recommendation, financial evidence |
| March–April | Write your development plan; have it reviewed |
| Early May | Post by tracked courier |
| Late May | Deadline, form must have arrived |
Other Westminster Scholarships
International Postgraduate Excellence Award — £3,000
The International Postgraduate Excellence Award supports international students who have achieved academic excellence and show passion for their chosen field. We’re offering scholarships for high-achieving international students, covering £3,000 towards their full-time Master’s tuition fees.
It is a merit-based partial award — worth applying for as a backup if you are not selected for the full scholarship.
Postgraduate Sanctuary Scholarship
The University offers two Postgraduate Sanctuary Scholarships to support students seeking asylum and are currently living in the United Kingdom. It covers full tuition costs, plus a maintenance grant of £1,000 per month for up to 12 months.
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Awards | 2 |
| For | Students seeking asylum, currently living in the UK |
| Covers | Full tuition + £1,000/month for up to 12 months |
If you are an asylum seeker already in the UK, this is a genuinely significant award and one of very few designed specifically for your situation.
EU/EEA Fee Reduction
Following the UK’s departure from the European Union, we continue to support new EU/EEA and other eligible international students by offering a substantial fee-reduction.
How This Compares
| Feature | Westminster Full | Reach Oxford | Sheffield | Bristol Think Big |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition | ✅ Full | ✅ Full | Partial (£7k) | Partial |
| Accommodation | ✅ Yes | — | ❌ | ❌ |
| Living costs | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ | ❌ |
| Flights | ✅ Yes | ✅ Annual | ❌ | ❌ |
| Level | UG + Master’s | UG only | UG + PG | UG + PG |
| Awards/year | ~4 (UG) | 2–3 | Automatic | Many |
| Application | ⚠️ By post | Online | ⭐ None needed | Online |
| Offer needed first | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Westminster and Reach Oxford are the only genuinely fully funded options here, and Westminster is the only one covering both undergraduate and Master’s study.
Who This Suits
✅ Strong fit if you:
- Are from a developing country with genuine, documentable financial need
- Have First Class Honors or the equivalent
- Can write a specific, institution-backed development plan for your home country
- Have no other realistic route to funding London costs
- Can organize a tracked postal submission in good time
❌ Poor fit if you:
- Can fund a meaningful share of your studies, need is a core criterion
- Are applying for an MBA (excluded at Master’s level)
- Have good but not outstanding academic results
- Cannot arrange reliable international post
Quick Reference
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Scholarship | Westminster Full International Scholarship |
| University | University of Westminster, London |
| Levels | Undergraduate AND Master’s |
| Tuition | ✅ Full |
| Accommodation | ✅ Covered |
| Living expenses | ✅ Covered |
| Flights | ✅ To and from London |
| Undergraduate renewal | Annual, subject to satisfactory performance |
| Master’s exclusion | ❌ MBA |
| Eligible countries | Any not on Westminster’s ineligible (developed country) list |
| Pakistan / Nigeria / Kenya / Bangladesh / India / Ghana | ✅ All eligible |
| Academic requirement | UK First Class Honors equivalent |
| Financial need | ✅ Must be proved |
| Development potential | ✅ Detailed home-country plan required |
| Offer required first | ✅ Conditional is sufficient |
| Application method | ⚠️ BY POST, download and complete offline |
| Documents | Form, transcripts, recommendation, personal statement, financial statement, development plan |
| September entry deadline | ~late May (opens ~January) |
| January entry deadline | 14 October |
| Other awards | Intl PG Excellence Award £3,000 • Sanctuary Scholarship (full + £1,000/month) |
| Official site | westminster.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding/scholarships |
FAQ
Is this scholarship genuinely fully funded?
Yes. Full tuition fee waivers, accommodation, living expenses and flights to and from London.
Which countries are eligible?
Students from developing countries. If your country is not on the ineligible list then you are eligible to apply. The ineligible list covers developed nations such as the USA, UK, Japan, Australia, Singapore and most of Western Europe.
Is it for undergraduate or Master’s?
Both. Westminster runs separate Undergraduate Full and International Postgraduate Full Scholarships.
Are all courses eligible?
Any full-time Master’s Programme except MBA. Undergraduate awards cover any eligible undergraduate programme.
Do I need an offer before applying?
Apply only after receiving a conditional or unconditional offer of admission.
How do I apply?
Download and complete the relevant scholarship application form and submit it together with supporting documents by POST.
What are the selection criteria?
First Class Honors degree, financial need and development potential.
Is the undergraduate award renewable?
Yes, renewed each year subject to satisfactory academic performance.
What documents do I need?
Transcripts, a letter of recommendation, a personal statement, a description of your financial situation/need, and a career aspirations/development plan.
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