University of Nottingham - Developing Solutions Masters Scholarship

What you get

The ‘Developing Solutions’ Master’s Scholarship covers 50% or 100% of your tuition fees for a one-year full-time Master’s programme at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom, including MRes research Master’s programmes. The amount will not be paid to you in cash. It will be deducted directly from your tuition fee invoice. It covers only the first year, even if your programme lasts two years, and you cannot combine it with other scholarships offered by the University of Nottingham. This is the University’s flagship scholarship for Master’s students, which has been in existence since 2001 and is aimed at students who wish to tackle real-world problems in their home country.

Who can apply

• Where you live: Your permanent residence is in an African country, in India or in one of the listed Commonwealth countries, such as Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Jamaica, Fiji or Guyana.
• Fee status: For the purposes of tuition fees, you are considered a foreign student.
• Your place: You have already been offered a place on a full-time Master’s programme (including MRes) starting in September in Nottingham in the fields of engineering, medicine and health sciences, natural sciences or social sciences.
• Your plan: You can draw up a clear plan for a specific solution to an economic, environmental, structural, social or political challenge in your home country and link this to the content of your degree programme.
• Not already a Nottingham student: You are currently neither a student nor a graduate of the University of Nottingham, nor are you currently studying in the UK.
• Where you studied before: You obtained your previous qualification in your home country. A qualification from another eligible ‘Developing Solutions’ country may also be recognised; this will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

How to apply

First, apply for a place on the Master’s programme and receive an offer from the University of Nottingham. You should then apply for the scholarship via the ‘NottinghamHub’ online portal under ‘Finance/Scholarships’. For MRes programmes, please contact the scholarships team by email to receive further instructions. The application deadline is 15 April. Please submit your application at least six weeks in advance to ensure your place on the programme is confirmed in good time. A panel of staff members assesses all applications on the basis of merit, rather than on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. You will usually receive a response within around six weeks.

How realistic are your chances?

This funding is strictly limited by country, field of study and, above all, by the project you propose. The selection panel expects a concrete plan for improving your home country, not just good grades. If you clearly belong to one of the eligible countries and one of the four faculties, and can present a concrete, well-founded development proposal, your chances are good. As this is a well-known, prestigious scholarship with a limited number of places, competition is fierce – the quality of your proposal is therefore crucial. Apply well in advance to ensure you have enough time to confirm your offer of admission.