IELTS Scholarship for Indian Students: Application Process & Eligibility

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is a leading language proficiency exam for evaluating communication abilities in English for the purpose of immigration, education, and professional certification. It is one of the important admission requirements for international students aspiring to study in a university-based in an English-speaking country. But let us not forget that studying abroad is certainly an expensive affair. 

Therefore, to compensate for the expenditure, British Council, several universities, and governments grant IELTS scholarships to Indian students. It is offered upon achieving exceptional scores in the IELTS exam. Read on to learn about the eligibility criteria, application, and selection requirements. 

IELTS Scholarship Eligibility: GREAT Scholarship India

IELTS is acknowledged as a credible test of an individual's English-language proficiency by over 9,000 organizations in 140 countries worldwide. Over 2,500 US higher education institutions and all the UK, Canadian, and Australian universities accept IELTS as a reliable source of English language proficiency. 

The eligibility criteria for the British Council’s GREAT Scholarship India are as follows:

(Note: The scholarship is only available for Indian students in UK universities)

• The candidate must be an Indian citizen. 
• The applicant must have a bachelor’s degree and an interest in the subject they wish to study. 
• They must the English language requirement of the university. (this may include IELTS, TOEFL-iBT, PTE Academic, or C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE) scores
• Be ready to attend GREAT scholars’ networking events, and engage whenever required to talk about perceptions and experiences. 
• Stay connected with British Council and HEIs, and be willing to work as a GREAT scholarship ambassador. 
• Speak to potential GREAT scholars whenever required. 
• Be connected with the UK as a scholar while fulfilling personal and academic goals. 

Twenty postgraduate spots for 2022-23 are available. Each carries a monetary value of £10,000. The funds are directed toward the payment of one-year tuition fees. 

Participating UK Universities: 

The UK universities that have participated in Great Scholarship 2022-23 are: 

• Bishop Grosseteste University 
• Cranfield University  
• Edinburgh Napier University 
• Falmouth University 
• Goldsmiths, University of London 
• Keele University  
• Queen's University Belfast 
• Royal Agricultural University  
• Trinity Laban Conservatoire Music and Dance 
• University of East Anglia 
• University of Edinburgh 
• University of Kent  
• University of Manchester 
• University of Plymouth 
• University of St. Andrew's 
• University of Southampton 

Applications and Selection Details for IELTS Scholarships: GREAT Scholarship India 

After receiving the English Language proficiency exam result, one can apply for the IELTS scholarships for Indian students, in this case, the GREAT scholarship, if they have chosen to take the exam. IELTS scores are valid for up to two years. For instance, past years' IELTS scores may be used to apply for the present year's GREAT Scholarship.

Candidates must also produce the following papers to apply for an IELTS scholarship:

● A filled and signed application, a copy of the IELTS Test Report Form, and a current photograph.

● A 300-word task submission 

● A disability certificate (as applicable)

Note that the scholarship is applicable only to postgraduate aspirants who want to study abroad.

How to Apply for an IELTS Scholarship?

The IELTS scholarship application form is available to be downloaded on the website of the British Council. The application deadline is posted on the website each year. A candidate needs to mail the completed application, and the relevant documentation to the address stated below.

IELTS Scholarship

British Council Division

British Deputy High Commission

737 Anna Salai, Chennai, Tamil Nadu – 600002

Selection

The selection for the British Council IELTS scholarship award for Indian students is made by a panel of officers from the British Council. They make the evaluations based on the 300-word task that the candidate is expected to submit along with their application as listed on the IELTS Scholarship eligibility criteria.

Applicants shortlisted for the IELTS scholarship are notified of their status through email. Before the deadline stated on the British Council website, all shortlisted applicants must deliver a brief presentation in person on an assigned topic. 

Additionally, they must provide a letter of acceptance from a university that recognizes IELTS as a requirement of their admissions criteria. If the candidate fails to submit the letter of acceptance, it will remove the candidate from the shortlist for the IELTS scholarship for Indian students.

A panel of skilled external raters will select the final eight winners. The panel will also include a senior British Council official. 

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Applications and Selection Details for IELTS Scholarships: GREAT Scholarship India 

After receiving the English Language proficiency exam result, one can apply for the IELTS scholarships for Indian students, in this case, the GREAT scholarship, if they have chosen to take the exam. Valid for up to two years, past years' IELTS scores may be used to apply for the present year's GREAT scholarship.
Before applying for the GREAT scholarship, the candidate may first take an IELTS exam and receive their results. 
Here are some things to know when applying for the scholarship: 

● Go through university pages to get information on the scholarship and institute-specific application procedure. 

● Deadlines vary across universities. So, ensure that you are keeping yourself updated with the dates.

● Selected candidates are informed by universities directly. 

● Scholarship reward is disbursed by universities. 

Note that the scholarship is applicable only to postgraduate aspirants who want to study in the UK. The fund is given jointly by GREAT Britain Campaign and the British Council in tandem with the participating UK university. 

IELTS Scholarship Eligibility

IELTS is acknowledged as a credible test of an individual's English-language proficiency by over 11,000 organizations in 140 countries worldwide. Over 3,400 US higher education institutions accept IELTS as a reliable source of English language proficiency and all the UK, Canadian, and Australian universities.

The eligibility criteria for the British Council IELTS scholarship award for Indian students are as follows:

● The candidate must be an Indian resident and citizen.

● The student must attend a university that recognizes IELTS as part of its enrollment criteria.

● They should have an IELTS band score of at least 6.5. 

● They should have recently taken an IELTS test. 

● They will be pursuing full-time postgraduate studies outside of India.

● A letter of admission from the institution they wish to attend.

There are nine places, each with a monetary value of £10,000 (INR 9,08,690). The funds are directed toward the payment of tuition fees. If the fees are less than £10,000 (INR 9,08,960), the surplus amount can be used to cover the student's living expenses.

Students may utilize the cash prize at any university in any nation other than India that accepts IELTS towards their postgraduate entrance requirements.

How to Apply for an IELTS Scholarship?

The IELTS scholarship application form, if you are eyeing a GREAT scholarship, is available to be downloaded on the website of participating universities. The application deadline is posted on the websites each year.

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