The University of Manchester Global Futures Scholarship 2027 offers more than 350 merit-based scholarships worth over £6 million to international students beginning undergraduate or taught Master’s study in September 2027.
The scholarship is available to eligible students from selected countries across South Asia, Africa, South East Asia, North America, the Middle East and Türkiye. Awards vary substantially by region and study level. Undergraduate students can receive up to £36,000, while eligible Master’s students currently receive either £12,000 or £19,000, depending on their region.
An important point is that the Global Futures Scholarship is not fully funded. Manchester officially describes the programme as a collection of partial merit-based scholarships. The awards are tuition-fee discounts and do not generally cover accommodation, living expenses, flights or other personal costs.
Students comparing other partial awards can browse Scholarships Central’s Partially Funded Scholarships directory. Master’s applicants can also explore the Master’s Scholarships directory.
University of Manchester Global Futures Scholarship 2027 Overview
| Scholarship Detail | 2027 Information |
|---|---|
| University | University of Manchester |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Study levels | Undergraduate and taught Master’s |
| Study start | September 2027 |
| Number of awards | More than 350 |
| Total scholarship value | More than £6 million |
| Funding type | Partial tuition-fee scholarship |
| Maximum undergraduate award | Up to £36,000 |
| Master’s award | £12,000 or £19,000 depending on region |
| Study mode | Full-time, on-campus |
| PhD eligible? | No, not through Global Futures |
| Application method | Scholarship form emailed to eligible applicants/offer-holders |
| Main selection basis | Academic merit plus scholarship application |
| Universal deadline? | No — deadline varies by region and level |
Manchester explicitly states that award values, eligibility criteria and deadlines differ by region, so applicants should use their country page rather than rely on a single generic scholarship deadline.
What Is the University of Manchester Global Futures Scholarship?
The Global Futures Scholarship is an international merit scholarship offered by the University of Manchester to high-achieving overseas students.
For 2027 entry, Manchester is making more than 350 awards available across undergraduate and taught Master’s study. Applicants must normally be international fee-paying students, study full-time on campus in Manchester and satisfy the rules attached to their country or regional competition.
Unlike scholarships with one worldwide award amount, Global Futures is organised regionally. That means a student from Pakistan may face a different Master’s deadline and award value from an applicant in Nigeria, Canada or Saudi Arabia.
Is the Global Futures Scholarship Fully Funded?
No.
The University of Manchester Global Futures Scholarship is a partial tuition scholarship.
The scholarship reduces the international tuition fee charged by the University. It is not designed as a complete package covering all education and living expenses. Manchester’s central 2027 page describes the awards as partial merit-based scholarships.
Applicants should therefore budget separately for remaining tuition fees, accommodation, food, local transport, visa-related costs and other living expenses.
Students specifically looking for comprehensive packages covering tuition and living expenses can compare options in Scholarships Central’s Fully Funded Scholarships directory.
How Much Is the Manchester Global Futures Scholarship?
The scholarship value depends on study level and region.
Undergraduate Scholarship: Up to £36,000
Eligible undergraduate students can receive up to:
£36,000 in total
structured as:
£12,000 in the first year + £12,000 in the second year + £12,000 in the third year.
The award is deducted from international tuition fees. Continued funding in years two and three normally depends on achieving at least a 60% average in annual examinations and assessments.
This means the £36,000 headline is not one lump-sum payment and is not automatically guaranteed for all three years regardless of academic performance.
Master’s Scholarship: £12,000 or £19,000
Most eligible regions currently offer:
£12,000
toward Master’s tuition.
Eligible African applicants receive the larger:
£19,000
Master’s tuition discount.
Global Futures Scholarship 2027 Awards and Deadlines by Region
There is no universal deadline. Current official regional information includes:
| Region | Undergraduate Award | UG Deadline | Master’s Award | Master’s Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Asia | Up to £36,000 | 30 March 2027 | £12,000 | 25 April 2027 |
| Africa | Up to £36,000 | 25 Feb or 8 Apr 2027 | £19,000 | 20 April 2027 |
| Egypt | Up to £36,000 | 13 April 2027 | £19,000 | 20 April 2027 |
| South East Asia | Up to £36,000 | 23 April 2027 | £12,000 | 14 May 2027 |
| North America | £36,000 | 4 March 2027 | £12,000 | 11 March 2027 |
| Middle East — Saudi Arabia/UAE | Up to £36,000 | 20 May 2027 | £12,000 | 6 June 2027 |
| Türkiye | Up to £36,000 | 6 April 2027 | £12,000 | 22 April 2027 |
The exact rules should always be checked on Manchester’s current country page because regional deadlines, qualifications and offer requirements differ.
Eligible Countries
Manchester’s current central Global Futures page lists eligible applicants living in countries including Bangladesh, Botswana, Canada, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Mauritius, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Taiwan for postgraduate taught study, Thailand, Türkiye, the UAE, the USA, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.
However, appearing on the central list does not mean every country has identical undergraduate and Master’s eligibility.
For example, Mauritius appears in the current African undergraduate competition, while the Master’s eligibility structure should be checked against the latest regional terms. Taiwan is specifically identified by Manchester as eligible for postgraduate taught Master’s consideration rather than the general undergraduate route.
Domicile Matters More Than Nationality
One of the most important eligibility rules is that Manchester normally assesses domicile, not simply passport nationality.
For many regional competitions, applicants must have predominantly lived in the eligible country during the previous three years. Manchester defines permanent residence as the country where the applicant is ordinarily resident rather than a country where they are living only for full-time education.
This means a Pakistani passport holder who has been ordinarily resident somewhere else may not automatically qualify for the Pakistan/South Asia scholarship.
Conversely, Manchester’s Middle East competition is open to overseas fee-paying students of any nationality who satisfy the domicile conditions for Saudi Arabia or the UAE.
Global Futures Scholarship for Pakistani Students
Pakistan is included in the South Asia Global Futures Scholarship route.
Pakistani Undergraduate Applicants
Eligible Pakistani undergraduate applicants can receive up to £36,000, divided into £12,000 per year over three years.
Applicants need to be international fee-paying, ordinarily domiciled in an eligible South Asian country, self-funded and applying for direct first-year entry. Manchester requires the University to be selected as the applicant’s firm UCAS choice by 15 May 2027. The scholarship application deadline is 30 March 2027, and successful applicants are expected to be notified by 1 May 2027.
Manchester also restricts the accepted direct-entry qualification routes for this competition. Applicants should check their exact qualification against the 2027 South Asia terms before assuming eligibility.
Pakistani Master’s Applicants
The Master’s scholarship for applicants domiciled in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka is worth:
£12,000
as a tuition-fee discount.
Applicants must hold a conditional or unconditional offer for an eligible full-time, on-campus Master’s course and submit the scholarship application by 25 April 2027. Manchester expects successful candidates to be informed by 1 June 2027.
A particularly important rule is that applicants who completed their Bachelor’s degree outside South Asia are not eligible for this regional Master’s award.
Global Futures Scholarship for Indian Students
India participates in the South Asia undergraduate competition and has a separate Master’s allocation.
Undergraduate applicants can receive £12,000 per year for three years, subject to maintaining the required academic performance. The 2027 application deadline is 30 March 2027, and Manchester must be selected as the applicant’s firm UCAS choice by 15 May 2027.
For Master’s study, Indian applicants can receive £12,000 toward tuition fees.
A useful difference from many regions is that the Indian Master’s scholarships are divided across two award rounds. Manchester states that 50% of awards are allocated by 15 March 2027, while the remaining awards are allocated by 1 June 2027. Candidates unsuccessful in the first round are automatically reconsidered in the second round without submitting a new scholarship application.
Global Futures Scholarship for African Students
Manchester’s African competition offers the highest Global Futures Master’s award.
Eligible Master’s applicants from specified African countries can receive:
£19,000
toward international tuition fees.
The current eligible Master’s countries include Botswana, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Applicants need an unconditional offer for an eligible full-time, on-campus Master’s course and must submit the scholarship form by 20 April 2027. Successful candidates are expected to receive decisions by 24 May 2027.
For undergraduate applicants, Manchester uses two scholarship rounds. Students completing qualifying examinations in 2026 may enter an early round by 25 February 2027, while other eligible applicants generally use the 8 April 2027 round.
Global Futures Scholarship for Egyptian Students
Egypt has its own undergraduate Global Futures route.
Eligible undergraduate students can receive up to £36,000, with the scholarship application due by 13 April 2027. Manchester requires successful recipients to maintain the relevant annual academic standard for continuation.
Egyptian Master’s applicants participate in the African Master’s scheme and can receive £19,000. The current deadline is 20 April 2027, and applicants need an unconditional offer for an eligible programme by that date.
Global Futures Scholarship for South East Asian Students
The South East Asia competition covers applicants domiciled in:
Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Eligible undergraduate applicants can receive up to £36,000, with the application deadline on 23 April 2027. Manchester requires a 60% annual average for continuation into subsequent scholarship years.
Master’s applicants can receive £12,000. The scholarship deadline is 14 May 2027.
Applicants should note a particularly important condition: students who completed their Bachelor’s degree outside South East Asia are not eligible for this regional Master’s scholarship.
Manchester’s South East Asia page currently contains slightly different wording in different sections about whether a conditional offer or an unconditional offer is required by the deadline. Applicants should therefore verify their exact offer-status requirement against the latest 2027 terms and conditions before submission.
Global Futures Scholarship for USA and Canadian Students
North America has a different application mechanism.
Applicants domiciled in the USA or Canada can receive £36,000 for undergraduate study or £12,000 for an eligible Master’s degree.
If an undergraduate applicant applies to Manchester before the 13 January 2027 UCAS equal-consideration deadline, Manchester can send the scholarship form once the academic application has been submitted. Applicants applying later need an offer before receiving the form.
The undergraduate scholarship deadline is 4 March 2027, and recipients must make Manchester their firm choice by 5 May 2027.
For Master’s applicants, the scholarship deadline is 11 March 2027. Those applying before January 13 can receive the scholarship form after submitting their course application; later applicants need an offer. Successful candidates are due to be informed by 16 April 2027, must firm their offer by May 5, and may need to pay the CAS deposit by 25 July 2027.
Global Futures Scholarship for Saudi Arabia and the UAE
Applicants of any nationality may potentially qualify for the Middle East Global Futures Scholarship if they are international fee-paying students ordinarily domiciled in Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates and meet the other conditions.
Undergraduate awards are worth up to £36,000, with applications due by 20 May 2027.
Master’s applicants can receive £12,000, with a deadline of 6 June 2027.
Manchester’s current Middle East page contains slightly different wording between its eligibility and application sections about whether a Master’s applicant needs an unconditional offer or whether a conditional offer may also qualify. Applicants should therefore read the current downloadable terms before relying on one interpretation.
Global Futures Scholarship for Türkiye
Eligible applicants domiciled in Türkiye can receive up to £36,000 for undergraduate study.
The undergraduate deadline is 6 April 2027, and successful applicants are expected to be notified by 10 May 2027. Recipients must make Manchester their firm UCAS choice by 24 May 2027.
For Master’s students, the award is £12,000 and the application deadline is 22 April 2027.
Applicants who completed their Bachelor’s degree outside Türkiye are not eligible for the Turkish Master’s Global Futures award.
Undergraduate Eligibility Criteria
The undergraduate rules vary slightly by region, but several conditions appear repeatedly.
Applicants generally need to be international fee-paying, ordinarily domiciled in an eligible country, self-funded, applying for direct first-year entry in 2027, studying an accepted qualification for the regional scheme and applying to a full-time course delivered at Manchester’s UK campus.
Manchester also normally requires scholarship recipients to select the University as their firm UCAS choice by a region-specific deadline.
Is the Full £36,000 Undergraduate Award Guaranteed?
No.
The £36,000 award is structured as £12,000 per year for three years.
Continuation into the second and third years is normally conditional on achieving a 60% average in annual examinations and assessments.
Therefore, applicants should describe the award as:
up to £36,000
rather than a guaranteed £36,000 payment at the start of the degree.
Undergraduate Courses That Are Not Eligible
Across the main regional competitions, the following programmes are commonly excluded:
| Programme / Study Type | Global Futures UG Eligibility |
|---|---|
| Medicine (MBChB) | Not eligible |
| Dentistry (BDS) | Not eligible |
| Architecture | Not eligible |
| Courses with integrated foundation year | Not eligible |
| Blended learning | Not eligible |
| Distance learning | Not eligible |
| Previous UK higher-education study | Generally not eligible |
Regional terms should still be checked individually because qualification requirements and other restrictions vary.
Master’s Eligibility Criteria
Master’s applicants generally need to be international fee-paying, self-funded and ordinarily domiciled in an eligible region.
They must apply for a full-time, on-campus taught Master’s programme beginning in September 2027 and satisfy the regional offer requirement before the relevant scholarship deadline.
In several regions, Manchester also requires the applicant’s Bachelor’s degree to have been completed within the same broad geographic region.
For example, a South Asia applicant who completed a Bachelor’s degree outside South Asia is ineligible for the regional Master’s award; comparable rules apply to North America, South East Asia, Africa and Türkiye.
Master’s Courses That Are Not Eligible
The following programmes are repeatedly excluded from the current regional Master’s competitions:
| Programme | Eligibility |
|---|---|
| MBA | Not eligible |
| MPhil | Not eligible |
| Master of Architecture (MArch) | Not eligible |
| Architecture and Urbanism MA | Not eligible |
| Architecture and Digital Design MA | Not eligible |
| Master of Landscape Architecture | Not eligible |
| PGCE | Not eligible |
| Clinical Medicine | Not eligible |
| Dentistry | Not eligible |
| Some Master’s by Research programmes | Not eligible |
| Blended/distance programmes | Not eligible |
Applicants should check their regional terms because programme eligibility may change.
What Does “Self-Funded” Mean?
Manchester commonly requires Global Futures applicants to be self-funded rather than externally sponsored.
This generally means the applicant should not be funded by a government agency, commercial sponsor or another full scholarship that covers the same costs.
Manchester’s funding database has also stated that Global Futures can in some circumstances be held alongside partial awards, subject to the other scholarship’s rules, while it cannot be combined with some conflicting awards such as GREAT. Applicants should confirm the 2027 combination rules before accepting multiple awards.
Is There a Minimum GPA for Global Futures?
Manchester does not publish one universal Global Futures GPA applying to every country, degree and course.
Selection is primarily merit-based and can take into account academic achievement, predicted or achieved grades and the quality of responses in the scholarship form. Manchester may also consider the overall composition of the scholarship cohort, including representation across academic programmes, domicile, gender and qualification background.
Applicants must separately satisfy the academic admission requirements for their chosen Manchester programme.
How to Apply for the Manchester Global Futures Scholarship 2027
There is no public standalone scholarship form that everyone can open immediately.
The process is tied to Manchester admission:
- Apply for an eligible undergraduate or taught Master’s programme at the University of Manchester for September 2027 entry.
- Meet the domicile, fee-status, study-mode and regional eligibility rules.
- Receive an offer where required by your regional scheme.
- Manchester emails the Global Futures Scholarship application form to eligible applicants or offer-holders.
- Complete the online scholarship form carefully.
- Submit before the deadline for your region and degree level.
- If selected, satisfy any firm-choice, offer-acceptance, academic-performance or CAS-deposit requirements attached to your award.
Manchester’s central scholarship page confirms that eligible applicants receive the scholarship form by email after the appropriate admissions stage.
Do You Need a University Offer Before Applying for the Scholarship?
Usually yes, but there are exceptions.
Manchester’s general Global Futures page says applicants normally need an offer before applying.
North America is a notable exception. Applicants from Canada or the USA who submit their academic application before 13 January 2027 can receive a scholarship application before an offer is issued. Applicants applying later must hold an offer before the relevant scholarship deadline.
Applicants should therefore follow their own country-specific page rather than applying a single offer rule to every region.
Global Futures Scholarship Selection Criteria
Academic merit is central to selection.
For undergraduate applicants, Manchester can consider previous examinations, predicted grades, achieved grades and answers provided in the scholarship application.
For Master’s applicants, selection is based strongly on previous academic performance and the quality of the scholarship application. Manchester may also take account of the overall composition of the award cohort.
A strong scholarship application should therefore explain academic achievement clearly and answer the online questions specifically rather than relying only on grades.
Global Futures vs Chevening Scholarship
The Global Futures Scholarship and Chevening are very different funding schemes.
| Feature | Global Futures | Chevening |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | University of Manchester | UK Government |
| Level | Undergraduate + taught Master’s | One-year taught Master’s |
| Funding | Partial tuition discount | Fully funded |
| University | Manchester only | Eligible UK universities |
| Living stipend | No standard Global Futures stipend | Yes |
| Flights | Not standard Global Futures benefit | Included under Chevening rules |
| Application | Manchester admission + emailed form | Separate Chevening application |
| Main basis | Academic merit | Leadership, networking, course choice and career plan |
Students considering a fully funded UK Master’s alternative can read Scholarships Central’s Chevening Scholarship 2027/28 Complete Guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Manchester Global Futures Scholarship 2027 open?
The University has published the official 2027 scheme and is accepting applications for September 2027 programmes. Scholarship forms are sent to eligible applicants or offer-holders according to the relevant regional timetable.
How many scholarships are available?
More than 350 scholarships are available for 2027 entry, with a total value above £6 million.
Is the scholarship fully funded?
No. It is a partial merit-based tuition scholarship.
What is the maximum scholarship amount?
Eligible undergraduate students can receive up to £36,000 across three years.
How much do Master’s students receive?
Eligible Master’s students currently receive £12,000 in most regions or £19,000 under the eligible African Master’s competition.
Is £36,000 paid at once?
No. The undergraduate award is normally £12,000 per year for three years, with continued funding dependent on achieving the required annual academic performance.
Can Pakistani students apply?
Yes. Pakistan is eligible under the South Asia route for qualifying undergraduate and Master’s applicants.
Can Indian students apply?
Yes. India participates in the undergraduate South Asia award and has its own £12,000 Master’s Global Futures competition.
Can Nigerian students apply?
Yes. Nigeria is included in both the eligible African undergraduate competition and the £19,000 African Master’s competition.
Can USA and Canadian students apply?
Yes. Applicants ordinarily domiciled in Canada or the USA can compete under the North America route.
Can students in Saudi Arabia or the UAE apply?
Yes. Eligible international fee-paying applicants ordinarily domiciled in Saudi Arabia or the UAE can compete under the Middle East route.
Does nationality alone determine eligibility?
No. Manchester frequently uses ordinary domicile rather than nationality. Applicants generally need to have predominantly lived in the eligible country during the previous three years.
Can PhD students apply?
Not through the Global Futures Scholarship. Manchester directs research-degree applicants to separate PhD funding opportunities.
Is MBA eligible?
No. MBA applicants are excluded from the current Master’s Global Futures competitions.
Is distance learning eligible?
No. Current regional rules restrict the scholarship to eligible full-time, on-campus programmes.
Do I apply directly for Global Futures before applying to Manchester?
No. You first submit the relevant Manchester programme application. The scholarship application is then emailed to eligible applicants or offer-holders.
Is there one Global Futures deadline?
No. Deadlines vary by region and study level.
Official University of Manchester Links
Applicants should use Manchester’s own pages for final verification because regional terms differ.
Official University of Manchester Global Futures Scholarship page
Official Global Futures information for Pakistan
Official Global Futures information for India
Official Global Futures information for Nigeria/Africa
Official Global Futures information for Canada/North America
Official Global Futures information for South East Asia
Official Global Futures information for Türkiye
Official Global Futures information for Saudi Arabia
Related Scholarships on Scholarships Central
Students looking for comparable opportunities can also explore:
All Scholarships on Scholarships Central
Final Thoughts
The University of Manchester Global Futures Scholarship 2027 is a valuable merit award for international students, but applicants need to understand what the headline numbers actually mean.
The undergraduate award is worth up to £36,000, normally paid as a £12,000 annual tuition discount for three years and subject to continued academic performance. Master’s students currently receive either £12,000 or £19,000, depending on the regional competition.
The scholarship is also not based simply on nationality. Domicile, where an applicant completed previous education, self-funding status, programme choice, offer status and regional deadlines can all determine eligibility.
Most importantly, there is no universal Global Futures deadline and no public scholarship form that every applicant completes independently. Applicants should first apply to Manchester, identify the exact regional competition that applies to them, wait for the University’s scholarship invitation where required, and then submit the Global Futures form by the correct country-specific deadline.