The School of African and Oriental Studies, part of the University of London, is one of the institutions where Felix scholars study (image by poeloq, used under CC license)

Want to study in the UK but can’t afford it? A Felix scholarship could be your way out. These scholarships are for students applying to the University of Oxford, University of Reading, and the School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London). The application deadline is January 30, 2017.

The scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit and financial need. They cover tuition, living costs and airfare. They provide a maintenance grant to cover living expenses (£15,254 in 2016-17), plus allowances for books and essentials, and are available for up to 3 years depending upon the course of study.

Who can apply

You should hold at least a first class bachelor’s degree from a reputed university in order to apply for the scholarship. It is awarded for all fields of study except medicine, at the postgraduate level, at the three participating universities.

In order to be considered, you should have already applied for admission at a participating institution, and should demonstrate financial need. Also, you should not have studied outside your home country for a year or more. Scholars are expected to return to their home country after completing their course.

How to apply

Candidates applying to the University of Oxford need not download the scholarship application form – they only need to check the Felix scholarship box in the university application.

Candidates applying to the University of Reading and SOAS must complete an online application for admission to a Postgraduate Degree at any of the two universities and hold an offer of admission by the deadline (January 30, 2017).

SOAS applicants can apply for the Felix scholarships via the online scholarship form.

If you are applying to study at the University of Reading, you need to go through the terms and conditions and then apply via this webpage. You will need to be nominated by your academic school or department. If successful, you will receive a request on March 8, 2017, to complete your application. All nominees will then be considered for shortlisting, and those who make it past that hurdle will be called for an interview.

The final results for selected candidates will be out by July 2017.

Alumni

Since the first six Felix scholarships were awarded in 1991-1992, the number of awards available has now risen to about 20 per academic year.  Of the total 428 scholarships awarded so far, 40 have been to students from countries other than India. You can find alumni profiles here.

Felix scholar Sachida Tripathi, who completed his PhD in meteorology at the University of Reading in 2000, has this to say about the difference it made to him: “I owe my achievements to the Felix scholarship. Unlike my other classmates who went on to take jobs in other countries or in India in various fields, I had a dream to pursue my higher degrees abroad, and this opportunity was provided through the Felix scholarship… the funding support… not only helped me to get a doctoral degree but exposed me to an exceptionally stimulating academic environment, world class faculty, innovative course curriculum and teaching methods all of which helped me to understand the basic environmental threats the world is facing, and brought out the scientist in me.”

Related links
Check out the BrainGain Magazine scholarship database!
Scholarships at the University of Exeter
6 Great British Scholarships for Indian Students
Scholarships for master’s degrees in the UK
How to apply for a postgraduate research degree