Windle Trust International - Windle Trust Scholarship

Windle Trust postgraduate scholarship

You will receive a fully funded one-year Master's degree in the UK. The scholarship covers your full tuition fees, a monthly living allowance (a regular payment towards your day-to-day expenses) and return flights between your home country and the UK. You will also receive leadership training, social support throughout your studies, and assistance with settling in, financial planning and organising your daily study routine. The scholarship is administered by Windle Trust International, a UK-based charity that supports refugees and people affected by conflict in East Africa and the Horn of Africa. The final award is made by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission.

Who can apply

• Background: You are a refugee, an internally displaced person or otherwise affected by conflict, and you come from East Africa, Central Africa or the Horn of Africa.
• Where you live: You have been granted refugee status in Kenya or Uganda, or have a long-standing connection to a specifically named region affected by conflict. In Uganda: West Nile, Karamoja, Acholi, Lango or Teso. In Kenya: the districts of Garissa or Turkana, as well as the entire Arid Region.
• Degree: You hold a very good first-class degree, equivalent to at least a British ‘Upper Second’ (2:1).
• Experience: You have at least two years’ relevant professional experience or voluntary work since graduating.
• English: You have a very good command of English. If a language test is required, you will need an overall IELTS score of 6.5, with no individual band score below 6.0.
• Financial need: You are unable to cover the costs of your studies yourself.
• Field of study: Applicants from all disciplines are welcome to apply. Priority will be given to fields such as education, public health, development studies, social work, agriculture, engineering and computer science.
• Women: Preference will be given to women, with the aim of ensuring that at least half of the scholarship recipients are women.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted via the Windle Trust International online form. The application deadline is 12 June. If you are shortlisted, an interview will take place in your country of residence or online. Successful applicants will then receive support with their final application to the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission.

How realistic are your chances?

The selection criteria for this scholarship are very strict. You must come from a specific conflict-affected area, live in one of the specified regions of Kenya or Uganda, hold a qualification at the level of 2:1, and demonstrate financial need. As a result, the pool of eligible applicants remains small. However, meeting the minimum criteria is no guarantee of success, as many eligible individuals are competing for the limited places available. A clear connection to the target regions, good academic results, as well as demonstrable leadership qualities and social commitment offer you the best prospects, with women being actively given preference.