The financial support available for studying in Wales will depend on your nationality. International students can apply for a range of scholarships, grants and other awards.
UK and Crown Dependencies
Funding arrangements are determined by your country of residence within the United Kingdom. See the following:
- Student Finance Wales
- Student Finance in England
- Student Awards Agency Scotland
- Student Finance Northern Ireland
- Education authorities for Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man
EU / EEA / Swiss students
Students from the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland pay the same fees as international students in the UK. Visit our money and budgeting page to find out more about the cost of studying in the UK as an international student.
There are some exceptions to this, including:
- EU nationals who have settled status may still be eligible for ‘home fee status’ and pay the same as UK nationals.
- Irish nationals living in the UK or the Republic of Ireland are treated the same as UK students for fee and funding purposes, due to the UK-Ireland Common Travel Area agreement.
- UK nationals living in the EU, EEA and Switzerland may continue to be eligible for ‘home fee status’, subject to eligibility criteria.
Remember that universities can set their own fees for EU students, so always check individual universities’ funding pages to check how much you’ll pay as an EU student. Some universities offer discounts to students from the EU. If you’re not sure about what fees you should be paying, contact your university for advice.
EU students are not eligible for UK student loans. Visit our scholarships page to find out more about the options available to you for funding your studies in the Wales.
International students
If you know where you would like to study in Wales, the best starting point is your university’s website. Each institution administers its own scholarships and funding programmes, and the international office will have a good idea of the options available to you.
You can find a list of scholarships on the British Council’s Study UK website, and the UK Council for International Student Affairs also has useful information
Established programmes for international students include the prestigious Chevening Scholarships – providing funding for postgraduate courses at any UK university – and Commonwealth Scholarships for citizens of Commonwealth countries to study in the UK.
Global Wales offers the following scholarship programmes:
- The Global Wales Postgraduate Scholarship for students from USA, India, Vietnam and EU countries to study a full-time masters programme in Wales
- Gilman-Global Wales Awards for US undergraduates seeking a period of study in Wales.
- Global Wales Fulbright Awards for the most able US students to pursue Masters degrees in Wales.
- New Chevening Scholarships for postgraduate study in Wales, for students from Vietnam and India.
You can also contact your local British Council office to find out what it can offer students from your country who wish to study in the UK.
It’s worth noting that most scholarships are very competitive. It’s essential to set aside enough time to prepare your application, and to apply early.
Unless you have settled status, it is most likely you will need a visa to study in the UK.
Visit our student visas page to learn everything you need to know about applying for a visa to study in the UK as a European student.
If you arrived in the UK before 31 December 2020, and you have settled status, you don’t need a visa to study in the UK.
