Funding a UK degree from Bangladesh.

Chevening, Commonwealth, GREAT and several hundred university awards — what exists, who realistically qualifies, and when each one closes.

£10k–full
typical award range: November
Chevening deadline: 2:1
common academic bar: Separate
from admission deadlines: Free
to apply through us

HOW UK FUNDING WORKS

Most UK money is won before the offer arrives.

The large government schemes open and close on their own calendar, months ahead of university admission deadlines, and they assess you as a candidate rather than as an admitted student. University awards work the other way round, attached to the application itself. Missing the first group is the mistake that costs most, because by the time an offer lands the competitive money for that intake is usually committed.

01Apply before you hold an offerChevening and Commonwealth both assess candidates without a confirmed place.
02Some awards need no form at allMany merit scholarships are decided from the admission application itself.
03Funding changes the visa mathsAn award lowers the funds you must show — once it is confirmed in writing.

Stone arched walkway framing a green courtyard

Students standing in front of a building

FUNDING ROUTES

Where our students actually find money.

Government schemesFully funded, earliest deadlines

University merit awardsMost common, applied with admission

Departmental studentshipsResearch degrees, fees plus stipend

Trusts and employersSmaller and frequently overlooked

Where UK funding comes from

Three sources, and most funded students end up combining two of them. The UK government runs a small number of large, fully funded schemes that are extremely competitive and close early. Universities run their own merit and departmental awards, which are smaller but far more numerous. And a long tail of trusts and employer schemes sits behind both.

Treat them as separate applications with separate calendars. A government scheme wants evidence of leadership and a clear plan to use the degree at home. A university merit award mostly wants strong grades. The same essay will not serve both.

Major awards

The schemes below are the ones Bangladeshi students most commonly apply for. Terms and coverage are reviewed annually by each funder.

Award	Funded by	Typically covers
Chevening	UK government (FCDO)	Tuition, a living stipend and flights for a one-year master's
Commonwealth Scholarships	UK government	Tuition, stipend and travel for master's and doctoral study
GREAT Scholarships	British Council with partner universities	A partial award, commonly around £10,000 toward fees
University merit awards	The institution itself	A fee reduction, frequently between 10% and 50%
Departmental studentships	Faculty or research council	Fees plus a stipend, usually for research degrees

Award values and eligibility are set by each funder and change year to year. Confirm current terms on the official scheme page before applying.

Eligibility at a glance

Eligibility is narrower than the marketing suggests, particularly for the government schemes. This is the shape of what they look for.

Criterion	Typical requirement
Academic record	A UK 2:1 equivalent, roughly a 3.0 CGPA and above
Work experience	Chevening expects around two years; university awards usually do not
English proficiency	An offer-level score, occasionally higher than the course minimum
Leadership evidence	Weighted heavily by government schemes, lightly by universities
Return commitment	Chevening requires returning to Bangladesh for two years afterwards

Deadlines and applying

Chevening opens in the northern summer and closes in early November for the following September intake — roughly ten months ahead. Commonwealth deadlines run through the same window via nominating bodies. GREAT and university awards mostly close between January and May.

The practical sequence is: agree a shortlist a year out, sit your English test early enough that a score exists before the scholarship deadline, then run the government applications and the admission applications in parallel rather than in sequence.

COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply for Chevening without a university offer?

Yes, and you are expected to. Chevening assesses you as a candidate first and asks for unconditional offers later in the cycle, which is why the deadline sits so far ahead of admission. You apply with your chosen courses listed, go through selection, and only then need to hold a place. Waiting for an offer before applying is the single most common way Bangladeshi applicants miss the scheme entirely.

How many awards can I apply for?