The University of Sheffield and the Allan and Nesta Ferguson Charitable Trust fund three master’s scholarships for September 2027 entry.
They support students from low- and lower-middle-income countries on five one-year courses linked to the Sheffield Institute for International Development, studied full time in person in Sheffield, UK.
Benefits & funding
- Full tuition fee waiver for the one-year course.
- £12,500 maintenance stipend, paid in four equal instalments once you have registered in person.
- Cannot be combined with any other Sheffield or external funding; pre-sessional English is not covered.
- Withdrawing from the University may mean repaying part or all of the award.
Eligibility
- Permanently domiciled in one of the countries or territories listed below (World Bank low or lower-middle income, 2026).
- Hold an offer for one of these courses by 7 May 2027: International Development MSc; International Law and Global Justice LLM; International Political Economy MA; Global Journalism MA; International Public and Political Communication MA.
- No existing qualification at or above the course’s level, including online study.
- Never previously studied outside your country of residence.
- Self-funded with overseas fee status; not a sponsored student.
- Offer must become unconditional before 2 August 2027, and a UK study visa must be granted.
- Eligible countries and territories: Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, India, Kenya, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, West Bank and Gaza, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Application process
- 1Apply for an eligible course (processing can take up to four weeks) and hold an offer by 7 May 2027.
- 2Shortlisting is based on the course application; shortlisted applicants are invited to apply on 14 May 2027 — no contact that day means not shortlisted.
- 3Submit the scholarship form by 1pm UK time on 1 June 2027.
- 4Outcomes arrive by 2 July 2027; no appeals are considered.
Program timeline
Course offer must be held
7 May 2027
Shortlisted applicants invited
14 May 2027
Scholarship form deadline
1 June 2027 (1pm UK)
Outcomes
2 July 2027
Course starts
September 2027