Scholarships and bursaries
We offer numerous scholarships to encourage exceptional students to apply for Postgraduate Taught programmes at the University of Exeter.
These scholarships tend to be highly competitive and merit-based, so we recommend investigating options early as deadlines and eligibility vary. Many schemes will not cover full costs, but may go some way to reducing the costs.
Terms and conditions apply. Please see the award entries for details.
Global Excellence Scholarships have been created to support students wishing to develop their academic potential and contribute to our thriving community of students and staff from over 150 countries.
These scholarships recognise high academic achievement and assist scholars in accessing our exceptional teaching and learning, whilst taking advantage of all that university life offers to support their ambitions for the future.
The University of Exeter had more than £5 million worth of scholarships available for international fee paying students applying to study with us in 2024/25 and this support will continue for 2025/26 – full details of the schemes for September 2025 entry will be available soon.
We are expecting to offer Green Futures Postgraduate Taught Scholarships for study on selected Masters programmes in the Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy in 2025/26.
These awards, which were introduced in 2021, support exceptional candidates from low and lower middle-income countries to pursue their academic and career goals - combining education for sustainable development with global citizenship to deliver equitable and sustainable Green Futures around the world. Details for 2025/26 will be available soon.
We are pleased to offer University of Exeter students graduating in Summer 2024 and progressing direct to a standalone taught Masters degree (e.g. MA, MSc, MRes, MFA, LLM) or research degree (e.g. MPhil/PhD) with us, a scholarship towards the cost of their tuition fees.
Details for the University of Exeter Class of 2025 will be available soon.
We are pleased to offer University of Exeter alumni beginning a standalone taught Masters degree (e.g. MA, MSc, MRes, MFA, LLM) or research degree (e.g. MPhil, PhD) with us a scholarship towards the cost of their tuition fees.
Awards are available to all home and international University of Exeter alumni who have:
- Graduated from an undergraduate or postgraduate degree awarded by the University of Exeter
- Completed an inbound Study Abroad semester/year at the University of Exeter
- Completed a credit-bearing University of Exeter International Summer School
Details for the University of Exeter Alumni Scholarship 2025/26 will be available soon.
Alumni Family and Friends Discount
As a benefit, University of Exeter Alumni have access to an exclusive Family and Friends Discount Scheme for 2024/25. We wrote to registered alumni with details of the scheme, giving them the opportunity to refer family members or friends, who apply to start an eligible University of Exeter postgraduate programme of study in the 2024/25 academic year, for a 20% discount on their first-year tuition fees when they enrol.
Alumni who have not received this information, and wish to refer a family member or friend, should update their details here or contact alumni@exeter.ac.uk for assistance.
Applications for programmes starting in September 2024 are closed but the scheme remains open for programmes with entry points later in the 2024/25 academic year. We will write to registered alumni with information for 2025/26 in due course.
Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded over 400 scholarships, amounting to an investment of £5.7m in British Muslim communities.
The Scholarships Programme offers 100% tuition fee Masters scholarships to support British Muslims to study at UK universities. The schoarships are aimed at those who wish to advance in their careers and bring positive change to their communities and beyond.
The Foundation will be accepting Masters scholarships applications for 2024/25 from
- 15 January to 29 March 2024
- 1 April to 14 June 2024
Scholarships are being awarded through 19 partner universities and in six subject areas - Media and Journalism, Law, Policy, Technology, Sustainability and Environment, and Sports - and the University of Exeter is delighted to be one of these partners.
Further terms and conditions apply, please see the Aziz Foundation website to find out more.
Search our funding database to find a range scholarships and bursaries.
Merit Scholarships
Our range of merit scholarships reward the very best students based on extra-curricular achievements.
Endowed scholarships
Endowed scholarships are financial gifts given to the University to help students fund their studies. Often they come with a number of conditions and are subject to an annual funding review. For further details, please see our Endowed Scholarships for Masters students webage.
Faculty scholarships
Some of our Faculties offer awards for students studying taught Masters programmes with them. These awards are normally for general study with the Faculty, study on specific programmes they offer, or for students from selected academic/employment backgrounds or countries. Search our funding database to find College scholarships available to you.
University of Exeter Business School Scholarships
The Business School offers a range of scholarships for their programmes. Full details of the scholarships can be found on their dedicated Masters and The Exeter MBA funding pages.
Bursaries
Bursaries are non-competitive payments intended to help students from disadvantaged backgrounds, or who are having difficulties funding their studies.
The University of Exeter offers financial support to students who have been in care in the form of a full fee waiver for UK undergraduates and PGCE students, and a Care Leavers’ Bursary.
For the purposes of these schemes, the University of Exeter define care leavers as young people (up to the age of 25) who have been looked after by the local authority for more than 13 weeks since they were 14, including some time at age 16 or 17.
Fee waiver
Care leavers starting undergraduate or PGCE courses at the University of Exeter will not have to pay tuition fees. If you have identified yourself as someone who has been in care in your UCAS application, the University of Exeter will contact you asking for further information. You will be asked to show that you meet the criteria described above and have home fee status.
Care Leavers’ Bursary
To be eligible you will need to meet the following criteria:
- You are a care leaver (see definition above)
- You must be under 25 when you start your course
- You must be in receipt of financial support from the university through the Exeter National Scholarship or Access to Exeter Bursary schemes
The bursary is intended to help with the cost of accommodation during the summer vacation period after your first and subsequent years of study (but not final year). The bursary amount is not fixed, but is decided by taking into account the additional cost of your accommodation needs.
To apply for this bursary, please contact the Students’ Guild Advice Service.
Further information on the full support package avaliable to Care leavers and Care experienced students can be found on our Widening participation student support pages.
PGCE Exeter Bursary
The University of Exeter is offering a £600 bursary to our UK students whose household income has been assessed by your relevant student funding body as £30,000 or less. There is no separate application procedure for the bursary, however, to be eligible you must complete your application for Student Finance, and your parent(s) or sponsor, should not opt out of consenting to share your financial details with the University.
The PGCE Exeter Bursary for 2024/25 academic year will be paid in one instalment on the last Friday in October, or thereafter within 10 working days of confirmation of your household income.
In addition to the tuition and maintenance loan, the Department for Education and Teaching Regulation Agency (formally known as the National College for Teaching & Leadership) offers further financial incentives and support as a bursary, available to Home trainees on an eligible course in England. Bursary amounts vary depending on teaching subject and degree class.
For further details on the DETRA scheme, please visit the PGCE course pages.
There is no formal application procedure for the bursary however, as part of the registration process, you will be asked to accept the University's terms and conditions which will include the terms and conditions for receipt of the DETRA Training Bursary.
Payment dates
You will receive your first bursary payment in October, on the condition you have provided your bank account details and have registered.
Payments are made on a monthly basis, to reach your bank account for the first Friday of the month. The funds will be paid between October and July in 10 equal instalments.
Please note:
If you are considering withdrawing or interrupting from your course, you must inform your College immediately as you will no longer be eligible to receive the bursary. Any bursary payment received after your last day of attendance will require repayment.
International Students are not eligible for the training bursary.
Payments made before eligibility has been properly assessed are made on a provisional basis and may be subject to repayment.
Search our Funding Database >>
I was ecstatic to receive the Global Excellence Scholarship because my financial situation at the time and the expense of international tuition fees meant I would never be able to do a Masters degree without this scholarship which greatly improved the likelihood of me being in a career I dreamt of.
Terita
MSc Conservation and Biodiversity
