Royal Thai Government Scholarship / OCSC Scholarship Programme (allgemein, nicht Nottingham-spezifisch)

What the Royal Thai Government Scholarship gives you

You get full funding to study abroad at a university recognised by Thailand's Office of the Civil Service Commission (OCSC). It covers your full tuition fees, a monthly living allowance (the amount depends on where you study), study materials such as books and a computer, full health insurance, and pre-departure costs. If you study in a country where English is not the main language, such as France or Germany, you can also get up to one year of language-course support. Funding runs for the standard length of your degree: 4 years for a bachelor's, 2 years for a master's, and up to 3 years for a PhD. The OCSC, the Thai government body that manages the country's public service, runs the programme to build expertise for Thailand.

Who can apply

• Nationality: You must be a Thai citizen. Only Thai nationals can apply.
• Who you are: For the King's Scholarship, you are a Thai high school graduate and do not need to be a civil servant. The other award types are only for people already working in the Thai civil service.
• Degree level: You can apply for a bachelor's, master's or PhD.
• Field of study: All subjects are open. Priority goes to fields that Thai ministries and departments need.
• Age: Up to 20 for a bachelor's, up to 35 for a master's, up to 40 for a PhD.
• Grades: For a bachelor's, a school GPA of at least 3.50. For a master's, at least 2.75. For a PhD, a master's degree with a GPA of at least 3.50.
• English: TOEFL of at least 550 (paper-based) or 213 (computer-based), or IELTS 6.0.
• Where you go: You study abroad. Thai scholars study in over 40 countries.

How to apply

You apply through the OCSC. For the King's Scholarship, selection starts with the national exams held in November. It is followed by a three-day interview and assessment centre where you need at least 70 out of 100 points to be chosen. For the other award types, you sit an OCSC aptitude test and then an assessment centre. Application windows usually open around December and January.

How realistic are your chances?

The King's Scholarship is the most contested part of this programme. Only up to nine are awarded each year across all of Thailand, and in some years fewer, so it is among the hardest academic awards in the country. The civil-servant awards are tied to specific staffing needs of ministries. So if you already work as a Thai official with strong grades and a clear match to a department's needs, the pool is narrower and your prospects are better. Note the return-work commitment: civil-servant scholars must work for their agency for twice the study period or repay three times the funding.