MS/PhD Scholarships 2027 at University of St Andrews Process for International Students
The University of St Andrews has opened two very different postgraduate (MS/Doctoral degree) scholarship routes for 2027 entry, and applicants should resist the temptation to treat them as one generic funding scheme.
The St Leonard’s Master’s Scholarship for International Students can cover anything from 25% of tuition to full tuition plus an £18,000 stipend, depending on the award category. The St Leonard’s College World-Leading Doctoral Scholarships, meanwhile, offer up to six fully funded PhD awards covering full tuition plus an annual stipend.
MS/PhD 2027 St Andrews Scholarship Routes Comparison Side by Side
| Feature | St Leonard’s Master’s Scholarship | World-Leading Doctoral Scholarship |
|---|---|---|
| Study level | Master’s | PhD / Doctoral |
| International students | Yes, Overseas fee status required | Yes, no geographical restriction |
| Main funding | 25%, 50%, 75%, or full tuition depending on category | Full tuition |
| Stipend | Up to £18,000 under Global Widening Participation | Annual university stipend |
| 2026/27 stipend reference | — | £20,467 |
| Number of awards | Multiple awards under different categories | Up to 6 scholarships |
| Deadline | 3 February 2027 | 20 January 2027 |
| Result | Late March 2027 | Late March 2027 |
| Separate course application first? | Yes | Yes |
The Master’s Scholarship Is Really 3 Scholarships in 1
The St Leonard’s Master’s Scholarship is unusual because applicants do not compete for one fixed funding package.
The strongest support sits under Global Widening Participation, which provides full tuition fees, an £18,000 stipend and a reserved standard room, although the accommodation itself is not free and must be paid from the student’s own resources or maintenance support.
The Leadership award reduces tuition by 75% and adds an employability allowance of up to £2,000, while the Excellence category provides a 25% or 50% tuition reduction.
This means applicants should not ask only, “Am I eligible?” A better question is: which part of my profile makes me competitive?
St Andrews can consider academic excellence, wider achievement, leadership, financial need, disability, minority background and other contextual circumstances. Applicants need to meet at least one relevant criterion, not every one.
Who Can Use the International Master’s Route?
The scheme is open to students with Overseas fee status applying for eligible one-year taught Master’s degrees, one-year research Master’s programmes and certain two-year research Master’s degrees with a taught first year. Funding for a two-year research Master’s is limited to the first year.
It does not cover doctoral degrees, postgraduate certificates or diplomas, or online programmes.
Eligible start dates include August 2027 for MPP students, September 2027 and January 2028.
The PhD Scholarship Is a Different Competition Entirely!
The World-Leading Doctoral Scholarships are designed for applicants whose proposed research contributes to the university’s world-leading strategic theme.
Up to six scholarships are available, each covering full tuition fees plus an annual stipend. The 2026/27 stipend reference is £20,467, while the 2027/28 rate is due to be reviewed and confirmed later.
The award lasts 3.5 years full-time or seven years part-time. It does not cover continuation or extension fees, visa charges, the Immigration Health Surcharge, IELTS costs, travel to the UK or a separate research-training grant.
That distinction matters because “fully funded” here means tuition plus maintenance stipend—not every cost associated with moving to Britain.
Which PhD Applicants Are Eligible?
Applicants must have applied for a St Andrews doctoral or PhD programme and must not already hold a doctorate or be currently enrolled in a doctoral degree elsewhere.
There are no subject restrictions across the eligible schools, and the scholarship is open to UK and overseas applicants. Assessment is based on academic merit rather than financial need.
Applicants will need transcripts, a research proposal and a CV or résumé. Where a school did not require a proposal for course admission, a suitable personal statement may be used instead.
How to Apply for Either Scholarship — Follow the Right Route
The application systems look similar, but the scholarship names and documents differ.
For the Master’s Scholarship
- Apply first for an eligible Master’s course at St Andrews.
- Wait up to three working days for your My Application login details.
- Enter My Application → Scholarships and Funding.
- Search for St Leonard’s Masters Scholarship (International).
- Upload the required scholarship materials, including one academic reference and one personal reference.
- Add transcripts and, where relevant, financial details or supporting evidence for leadership, sport or music.
- Submit everything before February 3, 2027.
For the World-Leading PhD Scholarship
- Submit your St Andrews doctoral application first.
- Allow up to three working days for access to My Application.
- Open Scholarships and Funding.
- Search for University of St Andrews Postgraduate Research Scholarships.
- Complete that scholarship form; eligible applicants are then automatically considered for the World-Leading Doctoral Scholarships.
- Upload your transcripts, research proposal and CV.
- Submit before January 20, 2027.
One easy mistake is searching for a form titled exactly “World-Leading Doctoral Scholarship.” The university instead routes applicants through its broader postgraduate research scholarship form.
Where Applicants Usually Lose Ground?
For the Master’s competition, weak applications often fail to explain which selection criterion actually makes the applicant distinctive. A generic personal statement does little if the award is trying to identify excellence, leadership or genuine financial need.
The PhD competition has a different risk: an academically strong applicant can still look ordinary if the research proposal does not clearly explain why the project matters and how it fits St Andrews’ strategic research direction.
References matter too. The Master’s scheme specifically requires one academic and one personal reference, and St Andrews warns against casually substituting one for the other.
Which One Should You Target?
A one-year Master’s applicant with strong grades, leadership, wider achievement or genuine financial need should focus on the St Leonard’s Master’s Scholarship, where the funding package can range from partial tuition support to full tuition plus £18,000.
A prospective doctoral researcher should instead target the World-Leading Doctoral Scholarship, where the competition is based primarily on academic merit and the quality and strategic relevance of the proposed research.
The practical calendar is simple: PhD applicants face January 20, 2027 first; Master’s applicants follow on February 3, 2027.
If you are unsure whether your course qualifies, which Master’s funding category fits your profile, whether your research proposal is suitable for the doctoral competition, or which documents you should prepare first, leave your question in the comments below this article. Mention your intended degree and subject so the relevant scholarship route can be clarified.