University of Leicester Undergraduate Scholarship 2026 in UK

Somewhere on a shortlisting committee’s desk at the University of Leicester right now, a batch of two-minute videos is being watched, rewatched, and scored — because as of this writing, the university is in the exact middle of its selection window for this scholarship. The application deadline closed on June 30, 2026, but the university’s own timeline runs shortlisting from July 1 through August 20, 2026, which means the outcome for this cycle’s applicants is being decided as you read this, with successful candidates due to hear back by August 20 and everyone else receiving feedback by August 28.

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This is genuinely one of the more interesting scholarships to cover precisely because of that timing — the window to apply has shut, but the story isn’t finished yet, and understanding exactly how this scholarship works matters enormously for anyone hoping to be part of the next 30-recipient cohort.

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A Five-Year Commitment, Not a One-Off Award

To understand this scholarship properly, it helps to understand the scale of what the University of Leicester actually committed to. This isn’t a single-year initiative dressed up with a big number attached — Leicester has publicly committed to awarding 150 full tuition fee waivers to international undergraduate students across the next five years, and the cohort covered by this post, the 30 waivers available for students starting in September 2026, represents just the first phase of that broader five-year plan. Applications for this specific phase went live on November 18, 2025, giving prospective applicants more than seven months to prepare before the June 30, 2026 cutoff.

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The University of Leicester itself was established in 1921 and has built a genuinely strong international research reputation, particularly in space science and health sciences — Leicester’s Space Park and its long-standing contributions to planetary science research are a meaningful part of its academic identity, alongside a well-regarded medical and health sciences faculty. What makes this specific scholarship notable within that broader institutional context is candor the university itself has offered: fully funded undergraduate scholarships of this kind are genuinely rare at Leicester.

It’s also worth knowing that Leicester runs several other, smaller-scale international scholarships alongside this one — including 10 International Citizens of Change Scholarships, worth up to £10,000 per year for up to three years (though these specifically exclude applicants domiciled in India), and 10 Global Excellence Scholarships offering a £7,000 tuition discount, though those are reserved for postgraduate applicants rather than undergraduates.

University of Leicester Undergraduate Scholarship Summary

Eligibility Requirements

• Enrolment timing and level: You must be starting a full-time undergraduate programme on Leicester’s UK campus, commencing specifically in September 2026. Entry is permitted into Year 1, Year 2, or Year 3 of your chosen programme — this isn’t restricted purely to brand-new first-year students, which is a detail worth knowing if you’re transferring in or joining at an advanced standing point.
• Programme duration cap: Your programme must not exceed three years in total length. Because the fee waiver only ever covers a maximum of three years, courses longer than that fall outside the scope of what the scholarship can fund even partially.
• Firm choice deadline: You must have made Leicester your “firm choice” by June 30, 2026. If you applied through the UCAS system specifically, your actual deadline may have been earlier than June 30, since UCAS enforces its own separate reply deadline that can fall ahead of the scholarship’s own cutoff — this is a detail that trips up UCAS applicants who assume the scholarship deadline is the only one that matters.
• Academic threshold: You needed to achieve results equivalent to two full grades above the standard A-level entry requirement for your specific chosen course.
• Fee status: You must be classified as an international student for fee purposes — this scholarship is not available to Home (UK-domiciled) fee-paying students.
• Offer conditions: All conditions attached to your offer of admission need to be fully met by August 20, 2026 — the same date successful scholarship candidates are informed, which suggests the university is finalising both admissions and scholarship outcomes on a closely linked timeline.

What the University of Leicester Undergraduate Scholarship Covers

Understanding the fine print of what this waiver does and doesn’t include matters just as much as knowing the headline figure:

• A 100% tuition fee waiver, applied for up to three years — matching the standard duration of most UK undergraduate degrees
• The waiver applies only to your entry year’s fee rate, not the year you happened to submit your application — an important distinction if there’s a gap between when you apply and when you actually begin your studies
• The waiver does not apply during periods away from standard study: specifically, it does not cover industrial placement years, overseas exchange periods, resit years, or any period during which you suspend your studies for any reason. If your particular programme includes a placement or exchange year built into its structure, understand that the funding pauses during that specific period rather than continuing uninterrupted
• It cannot be combined with other University of Leicester scholarships — if you’re separately eligible for another Leicester award, you’ll need to choose between them rather than stacking multiple funding sources together
• Living costs and accommodation are entirely excluded. This is worth stating plainly, since “100% tuition fee waiver” can create an impression of comprehensive funding that isn’t accurate here — you remain fully responsible for funding your own housing, food, and day-to-day living expenses throughout your studies in Leicester, a city in the English Midlands with a cost of living that, while more affordable than London, still requires genuine financial planning

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Required Documents

The documentation requirements for this scholarship are unusually creative for a UK university award, built around one central, distinctive component:

• A short video, no longer than two minutes, answering three specific questions: what you want to achieve after university, how your chosen degree will help you get there, and how you intend to contribute to the University of Leicester community while you’re there. Leicester has been explicit that this isn’t a test of filmmaking or acting ability — you don’t even need to appear on camera yourself if you’d rather not — and the assessment instead focuses on the substance of your answers: their realism, the creativity of the ideas you present, and their potential impact.
• Your video must be uploaded to a shareable platform: Google Drive, YouTube (which can be set to unlisted rather than public), Instagram, TikTok, WeChat Video, or Douyin are all explicitly accepted, reflecting a genuinely broad accommodation of different applicants’ preferred platforms across different regions of the world. Whichever platform you choose, keep the link active and accessible throughout the entire selection window — Leicester has advised keeping it live until at least September 2026, since reviewers may return to it more than once during the process.
• Your personal statement, along with any extracurricular achievements or activities you want considered — this document, submitted as part of your standard university application, is explicitly factored into the scholarship decision alongside your video, not treated as a separate, unrelated piece of paperwork.
• Academic qualification certificates or transcripts, or documentation clearly demonstrating that you meet the “two grades above standard entry requirement” threshold for your specific chosen course.

How to Apply for the Next Cycle

While this specific cohort’s window has closed and decisions are actively being made, Leicester’s five-year commitment to 150 total waivers means future phases are coming, and the process is likely to repeat closely:

1. Confirm your intended course of study is not on the excluded list — Medicine, LLB Maitrise, STEM International Foundation, International Year 1, or any course over three years in length are all ineligible.
2. Submit your application for admission through UCAS or Leicester’s direct application route as early as realistically possible, since UCAS applicants specifically may face an earlier internal reply deadline than the scholarship’s own cutoff.
3. Once you receive your offer, formally make Leicester your firm choice well ahead of the deadline — historically June 30, though UCAS-specific deadlines can fall earlier.
4. Begin drafting and recording your two-minute video early. Given the emphasis on substance over production quality, spend your preparation time thinking carefully through your answers to the three set questions rather than worrying about equipment or editing.
5. Choose a video hosting platform you’re comfortable keeping accessible for several months, and generate a shareable link before you begin the scholarship application form itself.
6. Complete the University of Leicester’s dedicated International Undergraduate Fee Waiver application form, entering your personal and academic details, your programme information, and pasting in your video link.
7. Review every section of your application carefully before submission, since incomplete or inaccurate entries can only be corrected before the deadline, not afterwards.
8. Submit before the stated deadline — historically June 30 — since Leicester has been explicit that late applications are not considered under any circumstances.
9. Ensure every condition attached to your admissions offer is fully satisfied by the stated deadline — historically August 20 — since scholarship confirmation and offer-condition fulfilment appear to be finalised together.

Application Deadline

Applications for the September 2026 cohort went live on November 18, 2025, and closed on June 30, 2026 — that window is now shut. What’s genuinely still in motion, as of this writing, is the university’s shortlisting and evaluation process, which Leicester has stated runs from July 1 through August 20, 2026. Successful candidates are due to be informed by August 20, 2026, with unsuccessful applicants receiving feedback slightly later, by August 28, 2026.

Given that Leicester has publicly committed to 150 total waivers spread across the next five years, with only 30 allocated to this first September 2026 phase, at least four further phases covering roughly 120 additional waivers are expected across subsequent intake years — meaning this is very much an ongoing, multi-year opportunity rather than a single, closed chapter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the University of Leicester Undergraduate Scholarship still accepting applications?

No, not for this specific September 2026 cohort — the application window closed June 30, 2026. The university is currently in its shortlisting phase, with results expected by August 20 and August 28, 2026, for successful and unsuccessful applicants, respectively.

How many scholarships does this cover in total, and how many are available right now?

Leicester has committed to 150 tuition fee waivers over five years as a broader initiative. The cohort covered here — the September 2026 intake — represents the first phase, with just 30 waivers available.

Does the fee waiver cover living costs or accommodation?

No. It covers 100% of tuition fees for up to three years only. Accommodation, food, and general living expenses remain entirely the student’s own financial responsibility throughout their studies.

What happens to the scholarship if my course includes a placement or exchange year?

The fee waiver specifically does not apply during industrial placement years, overseas exchange periods, resit years, or any period in which you suspend your studies. Funding effectively pauses during those specific periods.

Can I combine this scholarship with another Leicester award?

No. This scholarship cannot be combined with other University of Leicester scholarships — if you qualify for more than one, you’ll need to choose which to accept.

Does the two-minute video need to feature me talking to the camera?

No. The University of Leicester has stated explicitly that it isn’t assessing filmmaking or acting skill, and applicants don’t need to appear on camera themselves if they’d prefer not to — what matters is the substance, realism, and creativity of your answers to the three set questions.

Is this scholarship available for students already studying at Leicester?

No. It’s restricted strictly to new international applicants entering for the first time in the 2026/2027 academic year — current Leicester students, regardless of year of study, are not eligible.

Disclaimer: All programme details, deadlines, and eligibility criteria in this post were verified from official sources as of August 2026. Information is subject to change without notice. Always confirm the latest details, including future phases of this five-year scholarship initiative, directly on the University of Leicester’s official scholarships page before applying. ScholarWaka is not affiliated with the University of Leicester.

Official Application Portal