Study UK (British Council)
The British Council's official guide for international students considering the UK: choosing a course, applying, costs, scholarships including GREAT Scholarships, and preparing to move. A good neutral starting point before you rely on any agent.
Guide
Career Growth
British Council
Self paced
All
Free
What it is
Study UK is the British Council's website for international students. It explains the UK system, how to find and choose courses, how to apply to postgraduate study, typical costs, scholarships and funding, visas in overview, and what life as a student in the UK is like. It also promotes events and fairs.
What you learn there
- How UK postgraduate degrees work: most taught masters last one year, and research degrees include MRes, MPhil and PhD.
- How to apply: usually directly to each university, with no central system for postgraduate study.
- Scholarships: an overview of UK government and university funding, including the GREAT Scholarships run with UK universities. The British Council announced 153 GREAT Scholarships for autumn 2027 entry for students from 19 countries, as of 2026-09; check the Study UK page for your country and the amount.
- Preparing to move: accommodation, health, money and arrival.
Why use it
It is official and neutral. It gives the big picture so you can judge advice from agents and forums, and it links to the government pages that set the rules. Visa rules themselves live on gov.uk, which you should read in full.
How to use it well
- Read the postgraduate study and application pages first.
- Use the scholarships pages to find programmes you may be eligible for, then confirm on each funder's own site, such as Chevening or the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission.
- Check whether a GREAT Scholarship is offered for your country and field in the coming year.
- Move to gov.uk for visa, fees and work rules.
Is it worth it?
Yes, as an overview. Its limits: it is promotional in tone, general rather than specific, and cannot replace a university's programme page or the official visa guidance. Details such as fees and deadlines always come from the university.
Free or paid
Free.
Common questions
Does the British Council process my application? No. You apply to universities directly and to the Home Office for a visa.
Is a one-year masters recognised? UK one-year masters are standard UK qualifications; whether a particular employer or government at home recognises them is worth checking in your country.
Ready to start?
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