Study Abroad
Which UK scholarships can Nepali students get? Chevening, Commonwealth eligibility, Women in STEM, university tuition awards, deadlines and how to apply.
Many Nepali families like the UK for its one-year master's courses and the Graduate route, but tuition and living costs add up quickly. Scholarships can help, as long as you know which ones you can actually apply for. This guide covers scholarships in the UK for Nepali students, using official information from Chevening, the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, the British Council and UK universities.
One thing up front: the main fully funded UK government award open to Nepal is Chevening, and it is very competitive. Commonwealth Scholarships and GREAT Scholarships are often mentioned online, but Nepal is not on the current official country lists for those schemes. Most university scholarships are partial tuition discounts. You still need a CAS and UKVI maintenance funds for your student visa.
Scholarships Nepali students usually look at fall into four groups:
UK government awards open to Nepal: Chevening Scholarships for a one-year master's, and British Council Women in STEM awards at selected universities.
Schemes that do not currently include Nepal: Commonwealth Scholarships (CSC) and GREAT Scholarships. Check the official lists every year.
University international scholarships: tuition fee discounts from universities such as Sheffield, Leeds, Coventry and others.
Course-specific trust awards: for example Sheffield's Ferguson scholarships for selected development courses.
All amounts below are in British pounds and reflect pages checked in November 2026 for 2026-27 or 2027 entry. Amounts and dates change every year, so always check the official page before you apply.
Chevening is the UK Government's flagship international scholarship, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and partner organisations. Nepal has its own Chevening country page.
According to Chevening's eligibility guidance, you must:
Be a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country (Nepal is eligible).
Commit to returning to your country of award for at least two years after the scholarship ends.
Have at least two years' work experience after your undergraduate degree, equal to about 2,800 hours (paid or unpaid work can count).
Hold an undergraduate degree that qualifies you for a UK master's, finished at least two years before the application deadline.
Apply to three different eligible UK master's courses, and later hold an unconditional offer from at least one of them by Chevening's offer deadline.
Chevening does not generally fund PhDs, distance-learning courses or part-time master's degrees. There is no upper age limit on the main eligibility page.
A Chevening Scholarship typically covers tuition fees, economy return airfare on an approved route, arrival and departure allowances, the cost of your UK visa application, a contribution of up to GBP 75 towards a TB test if required, a travel top-up allowance, and a monthly living stipend. The stipend rate depends on whether you study inside or outside London and is reviewed each year.
As of early November 2026, the official Nepal Chevening page says applications for 2027-2028 Chevening Scholarships are closed. The usual pattern is an August opening and an October close (at 11:00 UTC on the country deadline). For the 2027-28 cycle, Chevening's timeline shows interviews around March to April 2027, results from mid-June 2027, an unconditional university offer deadline of 8 July 2027 (17:00 BST), and studies starting in September or October 2027.
The next application window usually opens around August for the following academic year. Confirm dates on chevening.org before you plan.
Commonwealth Scholarships are run by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) for citizens of eligible Commonwealth countries. Nepal is not a Commonwealth member and does not appear on the CSC eligible-country list for Commonwealth Master's Scholarships for 2027/28. A Nepali passport alone does not make you eligible. Older claims that "UGC Nepal can nominate you" do not override the official CSC list.
GREAT Scholarships give about GBP 10,000 towards a one-year taught master's at participating universities. For 2026-27, the official Study UK list covers 18 countries (including Bangladesh, India and Pakistan) but not Nepal. Bidding materials for the 2027 intake also exclude Nepal. Older British Council Nepal GREAT pages refer to earlier years and should not be treated as current.
For Nepali citizens, focus on Chevening, Women in STEM (when open) and university awards.
Selected UK universities partner with the British Council to offer fully funded one-year master's awards for women from eligible countries. The University of Manchester's 2026-27 Women in STEM page lists Nepal alongside Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka for specific STEM master's courses. Awards typically cover tuition, a monthly stipend, return travel, visa and IHS costs, and related study support.
Applications for the 2026-27 Women in STEM round are now closed (Manchester's form deadline was 30 April 2026). Watch British Council and partner university pages for the next cycle, and secure a course offer early so you are ready when the scholarship form opens.
These are useful examples for 2027 entry. Always confirm the current page, because country lists and amounts change.
Sheffield offers three Allan and Nesta Ferguson Charitable Trust master's scholarships for September 2027. Nepal is on the eligible country list. Each award includes a full tuition fee waiver plus a GBP 12,500 maintenance stipend, for selected international development-related courses only. You need an offer by 7 May 2027. Shortlisted applicants are invited on 14 May 2027 and must apply by 1 June 2027 (1pm UK time). Outcomes are due by 2 July 2027. This is highly competitive and cannot usually be combined with other funding.
New international undergraduates starting in September 2027 can receive GBP 2,500 per year as a tuition discount (up to GBP 10,000 over four years), subject to academic progress. Medicine and Dentistry are excluded. The award is automatic if you make Sheffield your firm or insurance choice by 2 June 2027 (4pm UK time).
Leeds offers master's awards of GBP 3,000, GBP 6,000 or GBP 16,000 as a first-year tuition fee discount for international students starting in September 2027. You need an offer, strong academics (typically a UK 2:1 equivalent) and a short application form. Round one closes on 28 February 2027; round two closes on 16 May 2027. MBA and fully online courses are excluded.
Coventry offers a GBP 2,000 per year tuition reduction for self-funded international students (excluding EU) starting a bachelor's or master's in the 2026/27 or 2027/28 academic year at Coventry University Group UK campuses. Online courses are excluded.
Not every "international" scholarship is open to Nepal. Manchester's Global Futures Scholarship for 2027 entry lists many countries but not Nepal. Several Birmingham regional Chancellor's and High Fliers awards also name other countries without listing Nepal. Always open the country list on the university page before you apply.
To compare UK entry routes after +2 or a bachelor's, read our guide to universities in the UK for Nepali students.
Yes, but usually only partly. Your CAS must show any unpaid tuition. UKVI also requires maintenance funds for living costs: currently GBP 1,529 per month in London or GBP 1,171 per month outside London, for up to nine months. Those monthly amounts are due to rise to GBP 1,570 and GBP 1,203 for applications made on or after 30 November 2026.
A GBP 2,000 or GBP 10,000 tuition discount reduces what you pay the university, but it does not replace maintenance funds unless the award also pays living costs (as Chevening and Women in STEM do). Plan the full budget with our cost of studying in the UK guide, and follow the document checklist in our UK student visa from Nepal guide.
Pick a realistic route. If you have strong leadership evidence and about two years' post-degree work experience, prepare early for the next Chevening round. Women in STEM-eligible applicants should watch partner university pages. Everyone else should prioritise university tuition scholarships.
Prepare documents early. Keep transcripts (with the grading scale), degree certificates, passport, CV, references and work experience letters ready, with certified English translations if needed.
Take IELTS or PTE. Most university scholarships need an offer, and offers need an English score. Our IELTS vs PTE comparison can help you choose.
Apply for admission before scholarship deadlines. Leeds, Sheffield Ferguson and Women in STEM all need a course offer first.
Read country lists carefully. Do not spend time on Commonwealth or GREAT applications unless Nepal appears on that year's official list.
Plan remaining funds. Most families combine a partial scholarship with savings or an education loan in Nepal.
Be careful with websites that promise "fully funded" scholarships for everyone. Read our article on fully funded scholarships: myth or reality. For a New Zealand comparison, see our guide to scholarships in New Zealand for Nepali students.
Yes. Chevening is fully funded for a one-year master's when applications are open. British Council Women in STEM awards at partner universities are also fully funded for eligible women on listed STEM courses. Most other awards are partial tuition discounts.
Not under the current official lists checked in November 2026. Commonwealth Master's Scholarships are for eligible Commonwealth countries, and Nepal is not listed. GREAT Scholarships for 2026-27 also exclude Nepal. Recheck each new cycle.
Chevening's 2027-28 round has already closed; prepare for the next August opening if you are aiming one year later. For university awards, get your offer early: Leeds' first excellence round closes on 28 February 2027, and Sheffield's Ferguson process runs in May to June 2027.
Chevening itself does not set a separate English test at application stage, but your three university choices will. Most university scholarships need an offer, which usually requires IELTS or PTE.
Student visa work rights usually allow up to 20 hours a week in term time for degree-level courses, but scholarship conditions can be stricter (Chevening and Women in STEM both have return-home commitments). Read our guide to part-time work in the UK, and check how a return-home condition affects the UK Graduate visa.
Everest Global Education has helped Nepali students plan their study abroad since 2016. For the UK, we shortlist universities and courses that offer scholarships Nepali students can actually apply for, check eligibility and deadlines, prepare your admission application on time, review your statement of purpose and documents, and plan the maintenance funds you need for CAS and the visa. We also offer IELTS and PTE preparation.
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