The University of Manchester is inviting eligible South African students to apply for its Global Futures Scholarships for 2027.
For students starting their studies in September 2027, the university is offering more than 350 partial merit-based scholarships to international students across its undergraduate and taught Master’s programmes, with awards totalling more than £6 million.
South African students are specifically included in the eligible African countries for both the undergraduate and Master’s scholarship programmes.
At a glance
Sponsor/host: University of Manchester, United Kingdom
Opportunity type: International merit-based scholarship
Academic year/intake: September 2027
Who it’s for: Eligible international students domiciled in South Africa who receive an offer to study full-time and on campus at the University of Manchester
Study levels:
- Undergraduate
- Taught Master’s
Undergraduate scholarship value: Up to £36,000
Master’s scholarship value for eligible African students: £19,000
Application method: Eligible offer-holders receive the scholarship application form by email
Undergraduate deadlines:
- Early selection round for South African NSC/IEB students: 25 February 2027
- General second round: 8 April 2027
Master’s deadline: 20 April 2027
Last verified: 16 September 2026
High-value notes (read this first)
- South African students are specifically eligible for the Global Futures Scholarship.
- You must first apply for admission to the University of Manchester and receive an eligible academic offer before you can apply for the scholarship.
- The scholarship application form is sent directly to eligible offer-holders by email.
- Undergraduate scholarships are worth up to £36,000, spread over three years.
- Eligible African Master’s students may receive a £19,000 tuition-fee scholarship.
- These are partial scholarships, not full-cost scholarships.
- Applicants must generally be self-funded and may not be sponsored.
- The scholarship applies to full-time, on-campus study in Manchester.
- Distance-learning and blended-learning programmes are not eligible.
- South African undergraduate applicants completing the NSC or IEB in 2026 can apply through the early selection round in February 2027.
- Master’s applicants must hold an unconditional offer by the scholarship deadline.
About the sponsor
The University of Manchester is a UK university based in Manchester, England.
Through the Global Futures Scholarship programme, the university provides merit-based tuition-fee support to international students from selected countries who demonstrate strong academic achievement and meet the applicable country and programme requirements.
For 2027 entry, more than 350 Global Futures Scholarships will be available across undergraduate and Master’s study.
Undergraduate scholarship
South African students are included in the Global Futures Scholarships for Africa.
Eligible countries include:
- Botswana
- Ghana
- Kenya
- Mauritius
- Nigeria
- South Africa
- Zimbabwe
What the undergraduate scholarship covers
The undergraduate scholarship can provide up to:
£36,000
This is structured as:
- £12,000 towards international tuition fees in the first year
- £12,000 in the second year
- £12,000 in the third year
Continuation of the scholarship is conditional on achieving at least 60% in final examinations and assessments each year.
The scholarship is applied as a discount against the published international tuition fees.
Undergraduate eligibility
Applicants must:
- Be an international fee-paying student
- Be ordinarily domiciled in an eligible country, including South Africa
- Have predominantly lived in that country during the previous three years
- Be applying for direct first-year undergraduate entry in 2027
- Be studying or have completed an eligible school qualification
- Hold an academic offer from the University of Manchester
- Be self-funded and not sponsored
- Select the University of Manchester as their Firm UCAS choice by 15 May 2027
- Study full-time and on campus in Manchester
For South African applicants, the accepted school qualifications include:
- National Senior Certificate (NSC)
- Independent Examinations Board (IEB) qualification
South African NSC/IEB scholarship selection will take account of the final results released in January 2027 and the strength of the applicant’s scholarship application/personal statement.
Undergraduate programmes that are not eligible
The Global Futures undergraduate scholarship does not cover:
- Medicine (MBChB)
- Dentistry (BDS)
- Architecture
- Courses with an integrated foundation year
- Blended-learning programmes
- Distance-learning programmes
Applicants who have previously studied in the United Kingdom are also excluded under the published undergraduate criteria.
Undergraduate closing dates
The University uses two application rounds.
Round 1 – South African NSC/IEB applicants
Students taking examinations in 2026, including South African NSC or IEB candidates, may apply through the early selection round.
Closing date:
25 February 2027
Successful Round 1 applicants are expected to be notified by:
2 April 2027
Round 2
Other eligible students should submit by:
8 April 2027
Successful Round 2 applicants are expected to be notified by:
12 May 2027
Eligible applicants must also make the University of Manchester their Firm UCAS choice by 15 May 2027.
Master’s scholarship
The University of Manchester is also offering more than 250 merit-based Global Futures Master’s Scholarships to eligible international students.
For eligible African students, including South Africans, the scholarship is worth:
£19,000
This amount is deducted from the published overseas tuition fee.
Master’s eligibility
Applicants must:
- Be an international fee-paying student domiciled in South Africa or another eligible African country
- Have predominantly lived in the eligible country during the previous three years
- Apply for an eligible full-time, on-campus taught Master’s programme beginning in September 2027
- Hold an unconditional offer from the University of Manchester by 20 April 2027
- Submit the Global Futures Scholarship application by the same deadline
- Be self-funded and not sponsored
The eligible African countries listed for the 2027 Master’s scholarship include:
- Botswana
- Egypt
- Ghana
- Kenya
- Nigeria
- South Africa
- Zimbabwe
Applicants who completed their Bachelor’s degree outside Africa are not eligible under the published African Master’s criteria.
Master’s programmes that are not eligible
The published exclusions include:
- MBA
- MPhil
- Master of Architecture (MArch)
- Architecture and Urbanism (MA)
- Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA)
- MA Architecture and Digital Design
- PGCE
- Clinical Medicine degrees
- Dentistry degrees
- Certain Master’s by Research programmes
- Blended-learning programmes
- Distance-learning programmes
Applicants should check the complete scholarship terms before choosing their programme.
Master’s closing date
Applicants must:
- Hold an unconditional offer by 20 April 2027
- Submit the scholarship application by 20 April 2027
Successful applicants are expected to be notified by:
24 May 2027.
Fields of study supported
The Global Futures Scholarship is available across a broad range of University of Manchester subject areas.
There is no single restricted list of eligible subjects; however, applicants must choose a programme that meets the scholarship rules, and the specific undergraduate and Master’s exclusions listed above apply.
Postgraduate research degrees such as PhDs are not covered by this Global Futures Scholarship programme. The University provides separate funding opportunities for postgraduate research students.
Documents and information to prepare
Applicants should first prepare for their University of Manchester admission application.
Depending on study level, this may include:
- Academic results or transcripts
- School-leaving results for undergraduate applicants
- Degree transcripts and certificates for Master’s applicants
- Personal statement
- English-language evidence where required
- References where required by the academic programme
- Passport and personal details
- Any additional documents requested for the chosen course
Once an eligible offer has been issued, the University will email the Global Futures Scholarship application form directly to eligible applicants.
Undergraduate scholarship forms are expected to be emailed from December 2026 until the applicable closing date.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Trying to apply for the scholarship before applying for admission to Manchester
- Assuming the scholarship has a separate public application form available immediately
- Applying without first receiving an eligible academic offer
- Applying for an excluded programme
- Choosing a distance-learning or blended-learning course
- Assuming the award is a full scholarship covering all living expenses
- Master’s applicants failing to obtain an unconditional offer by 20 April 2027
- South African undergraduate applicants missing the 25 February 2027 early round
- Undergraduate applicants failing to select Manchester as their Firm UCAS choice by 15 May 2027
- Ignoring the self-funded requirement
- Missing emails from the University containing the scholarship application form
How this opportunity was verified
This opportunity was verified directly from the University of Manchester Global Futures Scholarships page and the university’s dedicated South Africa scholarship information page.
The official sources confirm that South African students are eligible for the 2027 programme, more than 350 scholarships are available internationally, undergraduate awards can reach £36,000, eligible African Master’s applicants may receive £19,000, and applicants must first receive an eligible University of Manchester study offer.
How to apply
- Choose an eligible undergraduate or taught Master’s programme at the University of Manchester.
- Submit an application for admission to the University.
- Receive an eligible academic offer.
- Check the email account used for your University application.
- Eligible offer-holders will receive the Global Futures Scholarship application form by email.
- Complete the scholarship application carefully.
- Submit before the deadline applying to your study level and qualification.
- Undergraduate applicants must also meet the UCAS Firm-choice requirement.
- Master’s applicants must have an unconditional offer by 20 April 2027.
- Keep copies of your scholarship application and confirmation.