United Kingdom – Durham University has introduced the Inspiring Excellence 5K Postgraduate Scholarship for 2025, offering financial support to 200 international students pursuing a one-year, full-time taught master’s degree. Each successful applicant will receive a £5,000 tuition fee reduction, with the scholarship set to commence in September 2025.
Scholarship Overview
The merit-based scholarship aims to recognize students with outstanding academic achievements and strong potential in their respective fields. It applies exclusively to tuition fees and is open to a range of master’s programs at Durham University. However, certain courses are excluded from eligibility, including:
- All Business School Master’s and MBA programs
- PGCE and PGCERT (Education)
- MA – Conservation of Archaeological and Museum Objects
- Executive MSc in Behavioural Science
- MSW – Social Work
- Any second year of a postgraduate taught program
- All research-based postgraduate programs
- Graduate Diplomas
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for the Inspiring Excellence 5K Postgraduate Scholarship, applicants must meet the following conditions:
- Apply for a one-year, full-time taught master’s program (MSc, MA, LLM, or MDS) starting in September 2025 (MBA programs are not eligible).
- Hold an offer for a master’s program at Durham by either May 4, 2025 (first selection) or June 8, 2025 (second selection).
- Be classified as an overseas student for tuition fee purposes.
- Meet or exceed Durham’s entry requirements for their chosen program.
- Be self-funded and not receiving financial support from external sponsors or scholarship bodies.
- Submit a separate application for the Inspiring Excellence 5K Scholarship.
- Not hold another Durham University scholarship, except for the Durham International Scholarship (available to students from Bangladesh, India, Nigeria, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Vietnam).
Selection Process and Criteria
Durham University has emphasized that this is a competitive scholarship, and not all applicants will be successful. A selection panel will review applications based on academic merit and potential for success. Additionally, the university will consider factors such as nationality diversity and program distribution when making final selections.
Given the high volume of applications, the university has stated that it will not provide feedback to unsuccessful candidates.
Additional Funding Opportunities
Students from Bangladesh, India, Nigeria, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Vietnam stand to benefit further, as they may combine the Inspiring Excellence 5K Scholarship with the Durham International Scholarship (worth £5,000). This would provide a total tuition fee reduction of £10,000.
The Durham International Scholarship is automatically awarded to students from these countries, but applicants must ensure they meet the eligibility criteria for both funding opportunities.
Application Process and Deadlines
Applications for the Inspiring Excellence 5K Scholarship opened on March 14, 2025. There are two rounds of selection:
- First Round: Applications must be submitted by April 30, 2025, with results announced on May 12, 2025. Successful candidates must confirm their place at Durham by paying a deposit within two weeks.
- Second Round: Applications close on June 8, 2025, and final selections will be announced on June 16, 2025. A waiting list of candidates will be published by July 7, 2025.
Durham University encourages all eligible students to submit their applications early and review the detailed scholarship application guidance available on the university’s official website.
For more information, applicants can visit the official scholarship page: Durham University Scholarship Guidance.
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