UK Scholarship Comparison 2027: GREAT vs Chevening vs Commonwealth vs Marshall
Which UK scholarship should you apply for? Here's every major option compared side by side, plus a quick quiz, so you can stop guessing.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
3 min read
Updated Oct 6, 2026
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | GREAT | Chevening | Commonwealth | Women in STEM | Marshall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funding | Partial (£10,000) | Fully funded | Fully funded | Fully funded | Fully funded |
| Tuition | £10,000 off tuition | Full tuition (MBAs capped at £22,000) | Full tuition | Full tuition | Full tuition |
| Living costs | Not covered | £1,516/month London, £1,215 elsewhere (2026/27 rates) | £2,000/month London, £1,712 elsewhere (2027/28) | 12-month stipend | Living stipend (about £1,326/month in earlier cycles) |
| Flights | Not covered | Covered | Covered | Covered | Covered |
| Acceptance rate | ~15–25% | 2–3% | ~5–10% | ~10–15% | ~3–5% |
| Awards/year | 140+ (2026/27) | ~1,500 | ~800 | Varies (500+ awarded to date) | Up to 50 |
| Work experience | No | Yes, 2,800 hours | Preferred | No (valued) | No |
| Level | One-year taught master's | One-year master's | Master's, PhD | One-year master's | Any postgraduate |
| Eligible countries | 18 countries (2026/27) | 160+ countries | 43 for Master's | Varies by year | US citizens only |
| Apply through | University website | chevening.org | CSC website | University website | Marshall site |
| Return obligation | No | Yes, 2 years | Expected | Yes, 2 years | No |
Acceptance rates are estimates. Chevening's 2027/28 round closed on 6 October 2026 for most countries, Marshall's on 29 September 2026; the Commonwealth CSC deadline is 20 October 2026.
Which Scholarship Should You Apply For?
Do you have 2+ years of work experience?
Are you a woman studying STEM?
Are you from an eligible Commonwealth country?
Can you afford £20,000+ out of pocket?
Your best options:
With 2+ years of work experience, Chevening should be your primary target: fully funded, prestigious, no out-of-pocket costs. The next round is expected to open around August 2027. Full guide.
As a woman in STEM, apply for Women in STEM too. Genuinely fully funded, with child allowance support for eligible mothers. Full guide.
Commonwealth citizenship opens fully funded Master's and PhD scholarships. Focus on the development impact angle. Full guide.
If you can cover the gap, GREAT's £10,000 is a nice discount. Apply to several universities at once. Full guide.
UK study may not be financially viable right now. Consider Germany (free tuition), France (low tuition) or university-specific UK scholarships that may be more generous.
How Much of Your Costs Does Each Cover?
Based on a typical one-year master's at a Russell Group university: £26,000 tuition + £15,000 living + £1,334 visa fee and health surcharge = £42,334.
The gap between GREAT and everything else is stark. GREAT is a discount; the others are full rides.
The Smart Strategy: Apply to Multiple
Don't put all your eggs in one basket. If you're from an eligible Commonwealth country with 2+ years of work experience, you could in theory apply for:
- GREAT Scholarships at 3–5 universities
- Chevening (one application covers all three course choices)
- Commonwealth (through your nominating body)
- Women in STEM (if applicable)
- University-specific scholarships at each institution
That's potentially 8–10 separate applications. Yes, it's a lot of work. But with Chevening's 2–3% acceptance rate, diversifying is a survival strategy, not a luxury.
Ready to Apply?
Step-by-step for each scholarship type
Interactive checker for all programmes
The brutal math of UK study