Postgraduate bursaries, awards and scholarships
There are many forms of financial support on offer for our prospective postgraduate students. The funding opportunities below relate to the academic year 2025-2026.
Please note that before applying for a bursary or scholarship you must hold an offer to study at the RAU.
All eligible requests received after 11 June 2025 cannot be guaranteed, but will be considered after the Scholarship Committee have reviewed existing requests at the end of June. The committee for each scholarship will meet each month to consider remaining applications and the outcome will be emailed to you soon after.
|
Name |
Who can apply |
Value of award |
Closing date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vice-Chancellor's International Scholarship | International students, full-time and part-time MSc, PGDip and MBA offer holders | Up to 20% contribution towards tuition fees | Now open |
| Clyde Higgs Postgraduate Scholarship | UK students only | £5,000 | 6:00pm, 11 June 2025 |
| International Referral Programme | RAU alumni or current student | £500 to referrer and £500 to new international student | 14 July 2025 |
| UK and international students, attainment at national or international level of sport |
Up to £4,000 |
6:00pm, 11 June 2025 | |
| MacRobert Forces Scholarship | UK, armed forces links (current serving, leaving, partner or child of current serving) | £1,000 for one year | 6:00pm, 11 June 2025 |
| UK, strong Welsh links |
Up to £4,000 PhD students could be awarded a higher amount |
6:00pm, 11 June 2025 | |
| SAFS African Research Grant | International student from an African country | Return flights and living costs for a month of research | Closed for applications |
| Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme 2025 | Citizen, permanent resident of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country or be a British Protected Person (BPP | Tuition fees and living expenses | Closed for applications |
All scholarship applications received after 11 June 2025 will be considered by a selection panel, with a decision expected by the end of the following month, except for Vice-Chancellor's Scholarships, where an initial decision will be sent within two weeks of your submission.
Alumni discount
All RAC/RAU alumni who are accepted for postgraduate degrees at the RAU are eligible for a 20% reduction in tuition fees.
External awards
| Name | Who can apply | Amount of award | Closing date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Formations Business Scholarship | UK and international | Up to five awards of £500 each | 31 January 2026 |
| Chadacre Agricultural Trust | UK, resident in Suffolk, Norfolk or Cambridgeshire | Variable, for research beneficial to Eastern Counties | N/A |
| Chevening Scholarships | International students | Fully funded one year Master's course | Closed for applications |
| Edgar Pye Research Scholarship | UK, must be studying an agriculture related course | £2,000 towards a research project | 31 October 2025 |
| Education Future International Scholarship | Indian national | Between 2 - 10 lacs Indian Rupees | Open for applications |
| International students | $3,000 | Closed for applications | |
| Marshal Papworth Scholarship | International students | Total of £21,875 (£11,875 course fees, £10,000 expenses) | Closed for applications |
| NFU Mutual Charitable Trust Centenary Award 2025 | UK and international students | Up to 75% of course fees for postgraduate agricultural student. | 30 June 2025 |
| Postgraduate Solutions Study Bursaries | UK and international | Five bursaries each worth £2,000 | 30 September 2025 |
| Snowdon Trust Master's Scholarship | UK, with a disability | Up to £30,000 towards tuition fees and living expenses | Closed for applications |
| The Royal Bath & West of England Society Grants and Scholarships | UK, strong links with Somerset, Dorset, Devon, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Bristol | Variable. Students must be on an agriculture related course | 1 November 2025 and 1 June 2025 |
| The Dick Harrison Trust | UK, strong links with Scotland, the Counties of Cumbria, or Northumberland | Grants towards books, equipment or travel for students on livestock auctioneering and/or rural estate management courses | 31 November 2025 |
Find out more information about a Postgraduate Master's Loan and Postgraduate Doctoral Loan.