● – 12 postgraduate scholarships available for students across India
● – Opportunities across diverse fields, including business management, finance, arts, dance, law, STEM, and humanities, etc
● – Strengthening India–UK education links through globally recognised academic opportunities
Chandigarh, 18 December 2025: The British Council, the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities, announced the GREAT Scholarships 2026–27 in partnership with the UK government’s GREAT Britain campaign. The scholarships support ambitious Indian students with a proven record of academic excellence to pursue postgraduate studies in the UK.
For the 2026–27 academic year, 12 postgraduate scholarships are being offered by leading UK universities across a wide range of subjects. The participating higher education institutions include Anglia Ruskin University, Norwich University of the Arts, Queen’s University Belfast, Royal College of Art, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Royal Northern College of Music, the University of Bristol, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, the University of Dundee, the University of Reading, the University of Surrey, and UWE Bristol. Each scholarship provides a minimum of £10,000 towards tuition fees for a one-year taught postgraduate course, enabling academically outstanding students from India to access world-class education and internationally recognised expertise.
The scholarships span a diverse range of disciplines, including Finance, Marketing, Business, Psychology, STEM, Design and Humanities, as well as Arts, Music and Dance programmes. Notably, four participating universities are offering GREAT Scholarships specifically in creative and performing arts disciplines, underscoring the UK’s strength in arts education alongside academic and professional fields.
The GREAT Scholarships are jointly funded by the UK government’s GREAT Britain Campaign, the British Council, and participating UK higher education institutions. Together, they aim to expand access to high-quality UK education while fostering deeper educational and cultural collaboration between the two countries.
The UK’s education system is widely recognised for its academic rigour and the breadth of subjects offered across its universities. For students, this translates into exposure to diverse teaching approaches, opportunities to develop practical and analytical skills, and pathways that allow them to apply their learning in real-world contexts. Post-study work routes further support graduates in gaining meaningful professional experience that can strengthen their long-term career trajectories.
Rittika Chanda Parruck MBE, Director Education India, British Council, said “The GREAT Scholarships reflect the depth of the UK–India education partnership and our shared commitment to expanding opportunities for talented students across the country. Studying in the UK offers far more than academic excellence – it provides access to industry-aligned learning and a truly global environment where diverse perspectives come together to inspire innovation. With pathways opening across a wide range of disciplines, these scholarships will help Indian students take that transformative step, enabling them to build international networks, strengthen their professional pathways, and contribute meaningfully to a rapidly evolving global economy. We are happy to support the aspirations of students who will go on to shape the future across sectors and societies communities”.
The GREAT scholarships broaden access for Indian students to pursue specialised postgraduate study in the UK, supporting them as they build global perspectives and develop the knowledge and skills needed for future careers.
About GREAT Scholarships Programme
The GREAT Scholarships programme is a collaborative initiative between the UK government’s GREAT Britain Campaign, the British Council, and leading UK universities. Designed to support high-achieving students from around the world, the programme offers £10,000 towards tuition fees for a wide range of one-year taught postgraduate courses. For 2026–27, students from India can apply for 12 scholarships across multiple subject areas. Find out more about the scholarship here.
About the British Council
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. We do this through our work in arts and culture, education, and the English language. We work with people in over 200 countries and territories and are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2024–25 we reached 599 million people. For more details, visit https://www.britishcouncil.in/
