GREAT Scholarships (China) — Master's Scholarship

GREAT Scholarships are funded jointly by the UK government’s GREAT Britain Campaign, the British Council and participating UK universities. The China page of the scheme lists the UK institutions that reserve awards for students from mainland China in a given intake year. Each award is worth at least £10,000 toward the tuition of a one-year taught postgraduate course and is paid as a reduction on that university’s fees.

For entry in 2026-27, nine institutions offered awards to Chinese applicants: Brunel University of London, Leeds Arts University, Norwich University of the Arts, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Trinity Laban, Ulster University, the University of Nottingham, the University of Worcester and the University of York. Selection sits with each university rather than the British Council, so the eligible course list, the number of awards and the deadline all differ by institution. The round for 2026-27 entry has closed at every participating university; universities bid for the next round of awards, for autumn 2027 entry, by 4 September 2026.

Benefits & funding

A minimum of £10,000 toward tuition for one year of taught postgraduate study, made up of £5,000 from the British Council and at least £5,000 from the university.
Some universities award more: Brunel University of London offered £12,000 per award to its 2026-27 China, Nigeria and Viet Nam scholars.
Award numbers per university are small — the University of Nottingham and the University of York each offered one award to a Chinese applicant for 2026-27, and Brunel offered three across its three eligible countries.
The money is deducted from tuition fee instalments after the scholar registers on the course; it is not paid as cash.
Scholars are invited to a British Council welcome event in their first semester and a networking event in their second.

Eligibility

Passport holder of mainland China, and a permanent resident of China.
Holds an undergraduate degree and can show motivation for the proposed field of study.
Applying to, or holding an offer for, an eligible one-year full-time taught master’s course at a participating UK university.
Meets that university’s academic entry and English-language requirements.
Prepared to attend networking events with other GREAT scholars, stay in contact with the British Council and the university, and act as an ambassador for the programme after graduating.
Universities add their own conditions: the University of York required overseas fee status and excluded applicants already holding a full tuition scholarship or full sponsorship, and the University of Nottingham required applicants to be self-funded with no external sponsor.
Some courses are excluded by the host university — York, for example, excluded distance learning, part-time study, Hull York Medical School and any programme longer than one year.

Can you apply?

Here's who can apply

Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.

Eligible nationalities
China
Residence required
China
Education required
Bachelor

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Application process

1
Open the China page of the GREAT Scholarships site to see which UK universities are offering awards to Chinese students in the current round and which courses each one covers.
2
Apply for admission to an eligible one-year full-time taught master’s course at the chosen university, through that university’s normal application route.
3
Secure an offer of admission, conditional or unconditional, before the scholarship deadline.
4
Submit the university’s separate GREAT Scholarship application form by its own deadline — in the 2026-27 round these fell between 30 April and 31 May 2026 and usually asked for short written answers on the course choice and future plans.
5
Wait for the university’s decision; Nottingham confirmed outcomes at the end of June 2026.
6
Meet the university’s follow-up conditions, such as English-language evidence, deposit and visa paperwork, then register on the course to receive the fee reduction.

Program timeline

Brunel University of London deadline for 2026-27 entry.
Apr 30, 2026
University of Nottingham deadline, 17:00 GMT.
May 5, 2026
University of York deadline.
May 11, 2026
University of Worcester deadline, the latest of the 2026-27 round.
May 31, 2026
University of Nottingham confirms outcomes to applicants.
Jun 30, 2026
UK universities’ bidding deadline for the next round of awards, for autumn 2027 entry.
Sep 4, 2026
2026-09 to 2026-10
Courses begin for 2026-27 scholars.