How to Study in the United Kingdom for Free

There’s no doubt The United Kingdom is one of the most sought-after places for people to study abroad. On top of that, It is also one of the most stable countries on the continent. Please note that there’s a good deal of competition to get a spot in one of the elite universities offering programs. With over 300 options, there’s a good range of institutions to choose from. However, because of the high demand, if you’re interested in studying in the UK it’s important that you apply well in advance. In this article, we will be looking at how to study in the United Kingdom for free.

What makes the UK super attractive for local and international students is the possibility of having one year of work experience as part of your education. However, your four year education as an undergraduate –including the one-year internship- can cost a lot of cash. If you didn’t know, the United Kingdom is the most expensive of the European countries for international students. However, you can explore other options and alternatives.

Study in the UK for Free

The number one option of studying in the United Kingdom for free is to search for and find a scholarship that takes care of all or most of the tuition. Then, the other option is to find a part-time job to take care of tuition and living expenses. Now let’s look at the details below.

1. Find a scholarship

As it is in many countries, your best chance of studying on Free tuition is finding a scholarship that satisfies your needs. In the UK, there are several universities that offer a wide range of scholarships for international students. While the government typically offers scholarship options only for students from Commonwealth countries, the universities offer options that are available to the majority of international students. From small universities to some of the most prestigious ones, there are multiple options to choose from. Let’s look at the possible options.

University of Oxford

This institution is one of the most prestigious ones in the entire world. The Clarendon Funds Scholarships offered at this university cover your total tuition fee as well as living expenses. This is one of the best options to study in the UK for free for any international student. There are over 100 scholarships available through this fund. This is one of the few universities that offer such extensive coverage.

University of Sussex

This institution offers the Chancellor’s International scholarships which cover up to half the tuition of the awarded student. In order to have the option of getting this scholarship, it’s important to have an excellent academic background. The scholarship is only available for one year of schooling.

University of Bristol

The University of Bristol is currently interested in increasing the number of international students that take courses in the institution. Therefore, they started to offer the Think Big Scholarships. These are available for both undergraduate and postgraduate studies. The amount covered goes from 5,000 pounds to 20,000 pounds.

University of West London

This institution offers a scholarship named International Ambassador Scholarship. The name derives from the fact that those that are awarded one of these scholarships will become an international ambassador for the university. The scholarship will cover only a partial amount of the tuition.

Cambridge University

This is one of the most well-known institutions worldwide. With very high standards, Cambridge offers numerous scholarship opportunities for international students. The Cambridge Trust offers scholarships that are specifically tailored to attract foreign students to the campus. There are quite a few scholarships that cover the entire tuition, so you should take a look if you are want to study in the UK for free. Academic excellence and evidence of financial need are requisites for applying to these scholarships.

University of London

This is one of the largest institutions in the UK. It’s distributed as a federation with over 15 institutions that are independent from one another. With over 200,000 students, it offers different types of scholarships for both national and international students. Some of these offers are highly specific, so it’s important to look at the options with a fine tooth before applying.

Sheffield Hallam University

The Transform Together Scholarships offered by this university are a great opportunity for many students. They cover half the tuition during every year of your undergraduate studies. This is a great financial aid for any international study.

University of Nottingham

This prestigious institution is one of the universities that offers the greatest amount of benefits to its students. They offer over 100 scholarships, with a third of these being for coverage of a student’s entire tuition. The remaining scholarships cover 50% of the total amount of the tuition fee.

Although finding a scholarship that covers the entire tuition fee is the ideal thing, it’s important to have a contingency plan in case this is not an option. Especially considering that a majority of colleges offer partial scholarships. However, if no scholarships are available to you, you can always apply to a part-time job.

2. Find a part-time job

Those with a student visa are able to work for 20 hours a week. However, students who hail from countries belonging to the European Union don’t have such limitations. If you’re not from the EU then this 20 hours would help you take care of your expenses. Summer and winter holidays are a great opportunity for you as there are no hour limitations during these times. However, the amount you’ll earn in total might not be enough to take care of your tuition and your daily expenses. This makes the option more ideal for students who have got a partial scholarship, as they will be able to cover their remaining expenses with a part-time job. Therefore, if your scholarship is unable to cover all your expenses, having a part-time job will help you to study in the UK on free tuition. Regardless, it’s important to bear in mind that the main goal of your stay in the UK is to study and this should remain the topmost priority.

That said, these options may go a long way in mitigating the high cost of living in the UK. Putting aside a budget and setting a realistic estimate of what your expenses might be is important. With proper planning, you can maximize the number of scholarship applications, increasing your chances of being awarded one of these and lightening the financial burden.

The funding opportunities mentioned above are some of the numerous opportunities for scholarships in the UK. The high-quality of UK education is what makes it the second most desired study destination for international students and obtaining any financial aid is the best way to ensure you’ll be able to make it there.