University of Manchester Humanitarian Scholarships 2026 in UK | Fully Funded
The University of Manchester’s Humanitarian Scholarship closed its 2026/27 application window on 31 March, and successful candidates were already notified by email on 29 May, so if you’re reading this now, this particular round is over.
That doesn’t make this scholarship any less worth understanding, because it’s one of the very few UK undergraduate awards built specifically for students displaced by war or persecution, and it runs every year the University set it up in 2022 and has kept the same structure since, offering up to six fully funded undergraduate places each cycle to students who’ve had to flee their home country in the last three years and haven’t been able to start or finish a degree because of it.
This guide walks through exactly who qualifies, which courses are and aren’t covered, the full document list, the correct order to apply in UCAS first, then the scholarship form, not the other way around and precisely when the next cycle is expected to open, so you have real lead time to prepare rather than discovering the deadline the week it closes.
About the University of Manchester Humanitarian Scholarship
This scholarship was created in 2022 as part of the University’s broader social responsibility commitments, specifically to respond to the rising number of young people worldwide who are displaced by armed conflict and unable to continue their education as a result.
Manchester is one of the UK’s largest research universities, with a history tracing back to 1824 and a track record that includes 25 Nobel laureates among its staff and alumni, and it frames this scholarship as a direct, practical response to global displacement rather than a general-purpose hardship fund. Up to six undergraduate places are awarded each year.
The scholarship is deliberately narrow in who it serves; it isn’t for students facing general financial hardship, but specifically for those at immediate risk because of war or persecution, which shapes every eligibility rule that follows.
University of Manchester Humanitarian Scholarships Summary
| Scholarship Name ⇒ | University of Manchester Humanitarian |
| Host Country ⇒ | United Kingdom |
| Study Level ⇒ | Undergraduate |
| Benefits ⇒ | Full tuition waiver, £4,000 cash bursary, up to £10,000 accommodation support |
| Funded by ⇒ | Fully funded, tuition, living expenses, and visa costs |
| Eligible Countries ⇒ | Students displaced by armed conflict or persecution, currently residing outside the UK and EU |
| Application Deadline ⇒ | 2026/27 cycle closed 31 March 2026. Results were issued 29 May 2026. Next cycle expected to open around February 2027 |
What Makes You Eligible for This Scholarship
Every one of these conditions applies, and Manchester checks all of them, not just the strongest one in your case:
- You must be at serious, immediate risk because of war or conflict. This is assessed as an ongoing risk, not a past event you’ve since recovered from
- You must have left your home country, or relocated within it, within the last three years specifically because of conflict
- You must currently be unable to start or complete a university degree as a direct result of that displacement
- You must never have previously studied in the UK or EU
- You must not currently be living in the UK or EU at the time you apply. This rules out applicants who have already resettled in Europe or Britain, even if they were displaced elsewhere first
- You must be applying for an undergraduate course starting in September at the University of Manchester, specifically, via UCAS
- You need to be able to explain clearly why you want to study your chosen course. Manchester states you don’t need to describe painful or personal experiences in detail to do this
- You need a strong prior academic record, though Manchester evaluates this in the context of the disruption you’ve experienced, not against a fixed grade threshold
No academic offer is required before you apply for the scholarship itself, and no interview is part of the process; the entire decision is made on the strength of your written application and supporting documents.
What Courses and Study Paths Are Covered
The scholarship applies to most three-year undergraduate degrees at Manchester, but not all of them. Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, and Architecture are explicitly excluded, largely because these courses run on different structures or have additional professional accreditation requirements that don’t fit the standard scholarship model.
If your previous education system involved fewer than 13 years of schooling and you haven’t completed A-levels or the International Baccalaureate, you’ll likely need to complete a Foundation Year before starting your Bachelor’s degree. Manchester gives the example of Thanawiyya (General Secondary Education Certificate) holders specifically needing this route.
Two foundation options are available depending on your intended subject: the Integrated Foundation Year and the Biosciences Foundation Year. One foundation programme run jointly with INTO Manchester is not covered by this scholarship, so it’s worth checking which specific foundation route your course requires before assuming it’s included.
What This Scholarship Pays For
The scholarship is comprehensive rather than partial, and covers three components in full:
- Full tuition fees for the entire duration of your undergraduate course
- Living expenses, covering accommodation, food, and day-to-day personal costs for the full course length
- Visa costs, covering the expenses associated with obtaining and maintaining your UK student visa
Two things it doesn’t cover: any pre-sessional English course you might need before starting your degree, and the UCAS application fee itself, which you pay separately when you submit your course application.
What Documents Do You Need to Prepare
- A completed UCAS application for your chosen undergraduate course
- Academic transcripts from your previous education
- A personal statement explaining both your circumstances and your motivation for the specific course you’re applying to, Manchester is explicit that you don’t need to go into detail about difficult or traumatic experiences to make this case effectively
- Proof of your previous education
- Any additional documents your specific chosen course requires beyond the standard scholarship application
Documents need to be attached separately and submitted in PDF format. If any single document runs across multiple pages, combine those pages into one PDF file before attaching it, rather than uploading several separate scans of the same document.
What the Application Process Requires
The sequence matters here, and it runs across two separate systems, not one:
- Apply for your undergraduate course at the University of Manchester through UCAS. This application system typically opens in September of the year before your intended start date
- Check that your chosen course and your academic background meet the entry requirements published on Manchester’s international pages for your specific country
- You do not need to wait for a course offer before applying for the scholarship. Manchester explicitly states no offer is required, though the University does consider who has received offers when making final decisions
- Complete the separate Humanitarian Scholarship application form through the University’s official scholarship portal. Manchester provides a sample application form so you can see the exact questions in advance and prepare your answers before starting the live form
- Write your personal statement responses directly in the application. Most questions on the form require an answer, and fields you genuinely can’t answer should be marked “n/a” rather than left blank
- Use the “save and continue” option if you need to complete the form across multiple sessions rather than in one sitting
- Submit before the deadline and wait for a decision by email. No interview stage follows submission
What the Deadline and Selection Timeline Look Like
This is the section that’s easiest to get wrong, because the scholarship runs on its own separate timeline from the UCAS course application:
- UCAS course applications for Manchester typically open around 2 September the year before entry
- Scholarship applications open separately, around 2 February in the year of entry
- Scholarship deadline: 31 March at 5 pm (BST) — for the 2026/27 cycle, this was Monday, 31 March 2026
- Results announced: by 29 May, communicated to every applicant by email regardless of outcome
- Manchester states that decisions are final, with no appeals process published
For the 2026/27 cycle, applications opened 2 February 2026, closed 31 March 2026, and results went out 29 May 2026. If the University follows this same annual pattern, expect the 2027/28 scholarship window to open in early February 2027 and close around the end of March 2027 but always confirm the exact date on Manchester’s official scholarship page closer to the time, since exact dates can shift slightly year to year.
What to Do Before the Next Cycle Opens
- Start your UCAS course application as early as its window opens, since you can apply for the scholarship without waiting for a course offer, but you do need a live UCAS application in place first
- Request the sample application form from Manchester in advance and draft your personal statement responses before the live portal opens, rather than writing them under deadline pressure
- Confirm whether your prior education requires a Foundation Year, and check which of the two available Foundation Year routes matches your intended subject
- Gather academic transcripts and proof of previous education early, particularly if these documents need to be translated or officially certified
- If you have questions about your specific circumstances, Manchester’s scholarship team can be reached directly at [email protected] — use this rather than relying on third-party guidance for anything specific to your situation
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the University of Manchester Humanitarian Scholarship still open for 2026/27 entry?
No. That cycle closed on 31 March 2026, and results were issued on 29 May 2026. Based on the University’s pattern, the next cycle is expected to open around February 2027.
Can I apply if I’m currently living in the UK or EU?
No. Manchester explicitly excludes applicants who are currently resident in the UK or EU, even if they were originally displaced from elsewhere.
Do I need a university offer before applying for the scholarship?
No. You can apply for the scholarship without holding an offer, though Manchester does take offer status into account when finalising decisions.
Which courses are excluded from this scholarship?
Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, and Architecture are not covered. Most other three-year undergraduate courses are eligible.
Does the scholarship cover a pre-sessional English course?
No. Pre-sessional English courses at the University are explicitly excluded from what the scholarship pays for.
Disclaimer: All scholarship details, deadlines, and figures in this post were verified from official University of Manchester sources as of July 2026. Information is subject to change without notice. Always confirm the latest details directly on the official University of Manchester Humanitarian Scholarship page, or by contacting [email protected], before submitting your application. ScholarWaka is not affiliated with the University of Manchester.
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