by Last verified: 18 October 2026. We checked these UCL Masters scholarships against University College London’s official scholarship pages.
Important: UCL’s Thomas Witherden Batt Scholarship is only for students who pay the UK home fee rate, so international students can’t apply. If you’re an international student, the UCL Masters scholarship to watch is the UCL Global Master’s Scholarship, worth £15,000 (fifteen thousand pounds). UCL hasn’t published either award for 2027/28 yet, so the details below are from the 2026/27 round.
UCL Masters scholarships compared (2026/27 round)
| Detail | Thomas Witherden Batt | UCL Global Master’s Scholarship |
|---|---|---|
| Value | £10,000 for one year | £15,000 |
| Number | 4 | Up to 85 (5 set aside for India) |
| Who | Home fee payers, ordinarily resident in the UK | Overseas fee payers from outside the UK, from lower-income backgrounds |
| Based on | Financial need | Financial need |
| Last deadline | 25 June 2026, 17:00 BST | 7 May 2026 |
How UCL Masters scholarships work
The Thomas Witherden Batt award was for full-time, stand-alone MSc programmes, with no credits imported from earlier study, and you applied through UCL’s Masters Funding Awards page. Results came in late July to early August. You could hold it alongside other awards if you told the Student Funding Office.
The Global Master’s Scholarship targets international students from lower-income backgrounds, with results in late June last time.
Worked example
Funmi from Ibadan, from a low-income household, plans a UCL MSc for 2027/28. She can’t apply for Thomas Witherden Batt, because it’s for home-fee students. Instead, she prepares for the Global Master’s Scholarship, which closed on 7 May last year, so she aims to apply for her course early in 2027. For more options, see our fully funded Masters scholarships list.
What a UCL Masters costs for 2027/28
UCL has published overseas fees for 2027/28 entry. Two examples from its course pages:
| Course | Overseas fee (2027/28) | English level | Apply by (visa applicants) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Science MSc | £48,600 | Level 1 | 22 March 2027 |
| Management MSc | £44,400 | Level 2 | 25 June 2027 |
If the Global Master’s Scholarship returns at £15,000 (fifteen thousand pounds), it would cover about 31% of the Data Science fee and 34% of the Management fee. UCL also asks overseas full-time offer holders for a deposit of 10% of the first-year fee, which is about £4,860 for Data Science. Applications for 2027 entry open on 19 October 2026.
English levels for UCL Masters scholarships applicants
You need a course offer before any UCL Masters scholarships can help, and each course sets an English level. UCL’s current table (labelled for September 2026 entry) gives these IELTS Academic scores:
- Level 1: 6.5 overall, 6.0 in each part
- Level 2: 7.0 overall, 6.5 in each part
- Level 3: 7.0 overall, 7.0 in each part
- Level 4: 7.5 overall, 7.0 in each part
- Level 5: 8.0 overall, 8.0 in each part
Timeline for 2027/28
- Apply for your course from 19 October 2026. Popular courses close early for visa applicants.
- Watch for the 2027/28 Global Master’s round. Last time it closed on 7 May 2026.
- Prepare proof of your household income, since the award is based on financial need.
- Plan the rest of your funding: the deposit, the balance of fees and the visa. Our UK student visa fee guide covers the visa costs, and the Chevening Scholarship and Commonwealth Scholarship are worth applying for alongside.
Frequently asked questions
Can international students get the Thomas Witherden Batt Scholarship?
No. It’s for students eligible for the home fee rate and ordinarily resident in the UK.
When will the 2027/28 awards open?
UCL hasn’t announced dates yet. Check its Masters Funding Awards page.
How much is the deposit for a UCL Masters?
UCL asks overseas full-time offer holders for 10% of the first-year fee. On a £48,600 course, that’s about £4,860.
Official sources
- UCL – Thomas Witherden Batt Scholarship
- UCL – Global Master’s Scholarship
- UCL – Masters Funding Awards
- Official page – UCL Data Science MSc
- Official page – UCL Management MSc
- Official page – UCL English language requirements
Scholarship terms change. Always confirm on UCL’s official pages before you apply.
