Birkbeck University of London Scholarship 2026

Birkbeck, University of London, is offering a limited number of International Excellence Scholarships for international students enrolling in autumn 2026 on full‑time undergraduate or postgraduate programmes. This scholarship provides a fee discount of £1,000 to £5,000 applied to your first year of tuition. If you are an international fee payer with an unconditional offer from Birkbeck, and you are self‑funded, this could be the financial support you need to study in the United Kingdom.

For students exploring other fully funded opportunities in the UK, you can browse scholarships in UK for international students to discover additional programmes.

Award Overview

• Level: Undergraduate and postgraduate

• Mode of study: Full‑time (part‑time students who do not require a Student Visa may also apply)

• Tuition fee status: International (overseas fee payer)

• Award type: Fee discount applied at enrolment

• Value: £1,000 – £5,000 for the first year of study

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible, you must meet all of the following conditions:

• You are classified as an 'overseas' tuition fee payer

• You hold an unconditional offer for a full‑time undergraduate or postgraduate programme at Birkbeck, starting in autumn 2026

• If you do not require a Student Visa to study in the UK, you may apply for part‑time study

• You are an ordinarily resident of an eligible country (see list below)

• You are self‑funded (not sponsored by a scholarship body or government)

For students also considering study options in other European countries, you can explore latest scholarships in Germany  to compare opportunities.

Eligible Countries

You must be a national of, and living in, one of the following territories:

Africa: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo (Brazzaville), Congo (Kinshasa), Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea‑Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Asia: Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Macau SAR, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam

Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago

Central & South America: Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil (undergraduate only), Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela

North America: Canada (undergraduate only), United States

Oceania: Fiji, Papua New Guinea

Europe: Türkiye

For students from eligible countries who may also be looking at European scholarships, you can review financial aids in Europe to find other funding sources.

Application Process

Once you have received an unconditional offer from Birkbeck, you can apply using the online application form for your region:

• UK International applicants (international students based in the UK) – use the UK International application form

• Applicants from other eligible countries – use the other eligible countries application form

Selection Criteria

Successful scholars are selected based on a statement of no more than 2,000 words in support of the application. The statement should:

• Be written entirely by the candidate (in line with Birkbeck’s AI guidance)

• Detail why you are the ideal candidate for the scholarship

• Demonstrate that you have made provisions to fund the remainder of your tuition fees

After Conditional Award

If you are conditionally awarded this scholarship:

• You will be notified by email

• Student visa applicants must complete payment of the Student visa non‑refundable deposit within the time limit stated (typically 5–7 working days)

• You must successfully enrol for autumn 2026 intake no later than 6 September 2026

Application Deadlines – Four Rounds

For courses starting in autumn 2026, the deadline to apply is 11:59pm (UK time) on:

Round 1 – Sunday 17 May 2026

Round 2 – Sunday 21 June 2026

Round 3 – Sunday 19 July 2026

Round 4 – Sunday 16 August 2026

Important Note: Students who applied by an earlier deadline do not need to submit a new application for later rounds. If you have not received a notification of success within 20 days of a deadline, consider that your application was not successful for that round.

General Terms and Conditions

• Birkbeck has sole discretion to assign, vary or withdraw this award

• Only available to students enrolling at Birkbeck for the first time

• Excludes students sponsored by scholarship bodies or governments

• Excludes current or returning students

• Excludes short courses

• Scholars may be invited to participate in promotional activities (interviews, photography, progress reports)

• If you fail to enrol by 6 September 2026, the scholarship is cancelled in full

• Only one scholarship award per student – if you are awarded multiple scholarships, you will receive the highest value award

Why Choose the Birkbeck International Excellence Scholarship

• Generous fee discount of up to £5,000

• Four application rounds – multiple opportunities to apply

• Open to undergraduate and postgraduate students

• Supports self‑funded international students

• Study at Birkbeck, University of London – a world‑recognised institution

• Flexible for non‑visa students – part‑time study permitted

Final Thoughts

The Birkbeck International Excellence Scholarship is a valuable opportunity for international students who have received an unconditional offer to study at Birkbeck, University of London. With up to £5,000 off your first‑year tuition fees, this scholarship helps make a UK education more affordable. There are four application deadlines between May and August 2026, so you have multiple chances to apply.

Prepare a strong 2,000‑word statement explaining why you are the ideal candidate, demonstrate how you will fund the remaining fees, and submit your application on time. Do not miss this chance to study in one of the world’s greatest academic cities.

Apply Now for Birkbeck International Excellence Scholarship