UK guide · Scholarships
UK scholarships for Nepali students
Three kinds are open to Nepali students: Chevening, which fully funds a one-year master's for people with 2 years of work experience; GREAT Scholarships, worth £10,000 off a one-year master's at participating universities; and each university's own awards, usually a few thousand pounds off tuition. Commonwealth scholarships aren't open to Nepal, because Nepal isn't a Commonwealth member.
Written byKamal Pandey, Senior counsellorHandles UK and Germany files, from shortlist to visa appointment.
Checked byRabindra Joshi, Head of complianceChecks every money and visa page against the official source.
Published · 4 min read
UK scholarships for Nepali students at a glance
- Chevening
- Full funding for a 1-year master's; the 2027/28 round closed in October 2026
- GREAT Scholarships
- £10,000 off tuition (about Rs 20.3 lakh), through each university
- University awards
- Usually a few thousand pounds off tuition
- Commonwealth
- Not open to Nepali citizens
- For a bachelor's
- University awards only; no government scholarship
At Rs 202.99 per GBP (Nepal Rastra Bank, 18 October 2026). Chevening rules from chevening.org, read 19 October 2026.
Chevening, the fully funded one
Chevening is the UK government's scholarship for future leaders. It pays for a one-year master's at a UK university and is open to Nepali citizens.
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Work experience | At least 2 years (2,800 hours), gained after your undergraduate degree |
| Degree | Undergraduate studies finished at least 2 years before the application deadline |
| Courses | Apply to 3 different eligible UK master's courses |
| Offer | An unconditional offer from at least one of them by the offer deadline |
| After the course | Return to Nepal for at least 2 years |
| Covers | Tuition, return travel, a monthly living allowance and other allowances |
| Stage | When |
|---|---|
| Applications | August to October 2026 (closed) |
| Interviews | March to April 2027 |
| Results | From mid-June 2027 |
| Unconditional offer deadline | 8 July 2027 |
| Course starts | September or October 2027 |
If you missed this round, use the year. The next one opens around August 2027 for courses in 2028. That's time to build the work record, pick 3 courses and get an offer early.
GREAT Scholarships, £10,000 off a master's
GREAT Scholarships are run by the British Council and UK universities for students from a set list of countries, and Nepal is on it. Each award is £10,000 towards tuition for a one-year taught master's.
- Where: only at the universities taking part that year, in the subjects they choose.
- How: there's no central form. You apply to the university, then to its GREAT scholarship, by its deadline.
- When: deadlines are set by each university, usually in the spring before a September start.
- How many: each university offers only a few, so treat it as a bonus, not the plan.
The British Council's GREAT page for Nepal lists the universities taking part each year. Check it in the autumn before you apply.
University scholarships
Most UK universities give international students their own awards. These are what most Nepali students get.
- Size: usually a few thousand pounds off tuition. A few are larger, for very high marks.
- Automatic or not: many are applied to your offer automatically; others need a short statement by a deadline.
- Early payment discounts: some universities take a few hundred pounds off if you pay the deposit or full fee early. It's real money, but it isn't a scholarship.
For a bachelor's, university awards are the only kind on offer. There's no UK government scholarship for undergraduates from Nepal.
What each scholarship does to the money you show
For the Student visa you show any unpaid first-year tuition plus living costs for up to 9 months. A scholarship lowers the tuition part.
| Scholarship | Tuition to show | Living costs to show | Total | In rupees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | £18,000 | £10,827 | £28,827 | About Rs 58.5 lakh |
| University award of £3,000 | £15,000 | £10,827 | £25,827 | About Rs 52.4 lakh |
| GREAT, £10,000 | £8,000 | £10,827 | £18,827 | About Rs 38.2 lakh |
| Chevening | £0 | Covered by the award | £0 | Nothing to show |
A university award of £3,000 saves about Rs 6.1 lakh. GREAT saves about Rs 20.3 lakh and changes what's affordable. Our cost to study in the UK guide has the full first-year picture.
Scholarships that aren't open to Nepali students
- Commonwealth Scholarships: for citizens of Commonwealth countries. Nepal isn't a member, so Nepali citizens can't apply.
- Scholarships for UK or EU students: many university awards are for home students only. Check the eligibility line before writing the essay.
- "Guaranteed scholarship" offers from agents: universities decide scholarships and put them in writing. Nobody else can promise one.
Planning a master's with family? On taught courses the UK no longer lets most students bring dependants. Government-sponsored students are treated differently, so read our dependants guide before you count on it.
