Durham University offers £10K scholarships to 85 international postgraduate students

Durham University in the United Kingdom is providing 85 scholarships worth £10,000 each to international students who apply for certain postgraduate courses for the 2025/26 academic session.

The scholarship, called the Inspiring Excellence £10K Scholarship, is aimed at supporting outstanding students by lowering the tuition costs for qualifying master’s degree programmes.

Durham University has officially announced that 85 of these scholarships are available to postgraduate candidates who meet defined eligibility conditions.

The opportunity is open to international students who are funding their studies, have strong academic records, and demonstrate the ability to create a global impact after graduation. The £10,000 funding will be applied as a tuition fee discount.

Eligible programmes for the £10K scholarship

Students interested in the scholarship must apply to one of seven specific one-year Master’s programmes at Durham University. The eligible programmes include

MSc Biotechnology
MSc Advanced Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence)
MSc Law and Finance
MSc Public Policy
MSc Advanced Computer Science
MSc International Business
MSc Islamic Finance

To be considered for the award, applicants must submit their application to one of the programmes listed.

Requirements and criteria for the scholarship

Candidates must satisfy several conditions to be eligible for the Inspiring Excellence £10K Scholarship. You must:

• Have applied to one of the seven designated Master’s programmes for September 2025
• Meet or exceed the admission requirements for the chosen course at Durham University
• Be classified as an overseas student for tuition purposes
• Be fully self-funded and not receive sponsorship or any other scholarships (either from the university or other sources)
• Submit the Inspiring Excellence 10K postgraduate scholarships application form by April 30th, 2025 (for 1st Selection) or June 8th, 2025 (for 2nd Selection)
• Have received an offer to study a Master’s programme at Durham University by May 4th, 2025 (for 1st Selection) or June 8th, 2025 (for 2nd Selection)

Application process and key dates

To begin the application process, prospective students must apply to one of the qualifying master’s programmes using Durham University’s online postgraduate portal. A complete academic application, including all necessary documents, must be submitted for one of the listed programmes.

Applicants need to have received an offer—either conditional or unconditional—for their chosen course by these dates:

• May 4th, 2025, for the first scholarship round
• June 8th, 2025, for the second scholarship round

Alongside the academic application, applicants must also complete and submit the Inspiring Excellence 10K Scholarship Online Application form by the following deadlines:

• 1st Selection: April 30th, 2025
• 2nd Selection: June 8th, 2025

According to the university, “If you fail to receive an academic offer before the deadline for the 1st round selection, or you are unsuccessful in the 1st round selection, you will be automatically considered for the 2nd round selection. You do not need to submit the scholarship application form again.”

Durham University also notes that recipients who interrupt their studies or scholarship obligations will lose their future scholarship discounts. It further explains that only in “exceptional circumstances, e.g., medical reasons,” and with approval solely from the Faculty Executive Dean, may any scholarship discount be reinstated after the student resumes studies.