Saïd Foundation Scholarships 2027/28: Eligibility and How to Apply

Applications for the Saïd Foundation’s 2027/28 scholarships are open, but the deadline is close: the Foundation says it must receive applications by 5pm UK time on Friday 30 October 2026. The awards support one-year master’s study at UK universities for eligible applicants from Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine. This is a restricted regional programme, not a scholarship open to every international student.

The Foundation expects to award approximately 20 to 30 new scholarships a year. Because references, an English test and supporting documents must be ready before an application is submitted, applicants should check the rules and begin assembling a complete file now.

Who is eligible for the 2027/28 scholarship?

Applicants must hold Syrian, Jordanian, Lebanese or Palestinian nationality and normally reside permanently in one of those countries. The Foundation’s rules include specific exceptions: it will consider Syrians living elsewhere because of the current circumstances in Syria; people temporarily abroad for work or study may apply if they are normally resident in a target country; Palestinians living in Israel may apply; and Palestinians normally resident in Gaza who have been displaced to another country since 2023 are eligible. Dual nationals can apply if they also hold one of the four eligible nationalities and provide the relevant passport or national ID.

Applicants need an undergraduate degree equivalent to at least a UK upper second-class (2:1), or must be in the final year of that degree. The Foundation’s country-by-country grade comparisons are guides, not automatic equivalencies, so applicants should also check their chosen university’s admissions rules. The Foundation requires relevant work or voluntary experience, leadership potential and a clear career path that uses the study to contribute to the applicant’s home country or region. It sets no age limit and no minimum number of years of experience.

Selection is competitive. Meeting the minimum criteria makes an application eligible for assessment; it does not guarantee an interview or award. The Foundation says applicants are assessed on academic merit, the relevance of the subject to their home country, leadership, community commitment and practical plans for using the skills after study.

What courses can the scholarship fund?

The standard award is for a one-year master’s degree at a UK partner university, starting in autumn 2027. There is no fixed list of eligible academic subjects, but applicants must explain why their chosen subject matters to their home country. The Foundation’s partner university list includes institutions such as Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, Edinburgh, Imperial, King’s College London, LSE, Oxford, SOAS, UCL and others.

You may name a non-partner university only if the course you want is not offered at any partner university, and you must justify that choice in the application. Undergraduate degrees, PhDs and two-year UK master’s courses are not eligible. Distance-learning master’s study is considered only in exceptional circumstances, with a detailed explanation of why the applicant cannot travel; the course must take no more than two years.

What does the award cover?

The Foundation describes its scholarships as fully funded: support includes tuition fees, full maintenance or living costs for the course, an arrival allowance, visa and UK healthcare surcharge fees, and one economy return flight. It does not fund a scholar’s spouse or children and advises scholars to travel to the UK unaccompanied.

There are separate funding arrangements for scholars studying at Oxford or Cambridge and for joint Saïd Foundation/Chevening scholars. The Foundation’s partner information says it jointly funds up to 12 Chevening scholars a year; for those awards, the Foundation pays tuition while Chevening funds allowances and flights. Applicants should read the terms for their particular university or joint award rather than assume every award has an identical payment arrangement.

English tests, references and documents

You must provide an English test certificate with the scholarship application, even if your previous degree was taught in English. For 2027/28, the Foundation accepts IELTS Academic with at least 6.0 overall and 6.0 in each band, Duolingo English Test with at least 105 overall and in each band, or TOEFL iBT. TOEFL minimums depend on the test date: at least 80 overall and 20 in each section for tests before 21 January 2026; from that date, at least 4.5 overall and 4.0 in each section on the new scale. Certificates must be dated after 1 September 2025. Your university may require higher scores.

Three reference letters must be uploaded before you submit: normally one academic, one from a current or recent employer, and one from voluntary activity. If you cannot obtain a professional reference, the Foundation says a second academic or voluntary reference can be used, but three different letters are still required. Late references are not accepted.

The application checklist includes school results; undergraduate transcripts and graduation certificate (or transcripts to date for final-year students); passport or national ID; English-test certificate; a university offer or evidence of having applied; three references; and an up-to-date CV of no more than two pages, without a photograph. The official document list has the full details.

How to apply before the deadline

1. Check the nationality and residence rules first. Read the Foundation’s eligibility criteria and the relevant FAQ answers, especially if you live outside your country of nationality or hold dual nationality.
2. Choose a qualifying course. Find a one-year master’s starting in autumn 2027 at a university on the partner list. If your course is not open for university applications before 30 October, the Foundation says you may enter “course not currently open for applications” in the scholarship form and submit proof of your university application to the portal by 29 January 2027. If the course is open, apply to the university and include evidence with your scholarship application. You do not need a final offer before applying for the scholarship.
3. Secure your English result and three references. Check the official English scores and reference rules; all three references and the English certificate must be in your file before you submit.
4. Prepare every required document. Use the Foundation’s document checklist. The Foundation cannot pay university application fees or obtain fee waivers for applicants, so check any course fee directly with the university.
5. Submit through the official application portal by 5pm UK time on 30 October. Start from the Foundation’s application guidance page and use its Apply portal. Do not leave references or uploads until after submission: the Foundation says it will not accept them later.

What happens after applying?

The published timetable says eligibility checks and assessment run from early November through January. Evidence of a university course application that was not yet open is due in the portal by 29 January 2027. Interviews are planned for March 2027, with final selection by the beginning of June. Shortlisting and funding are not guaranteed, and the Foundation says it cannot provide individual feedback to unsuccessful applicants.

For another current UK university funding opportunity with different eligibility rules, see our guide to Nottingham Trent scholarships for January 2027 entry. Always use each funder’s own rules to confirm whether you qualify.

Official sources

• Application guidance and portal link
• Eligibility criteria and Scholarships FAQ
• Required documents and 2027/28 timetable
• University partners and separate Chevening arrangements