If you are planning to pursue a postgraduate degree in the United Kingdom for September 2027, the Durham Inspiring Excellence Postgraduate Scholarship offers a remarkable financial stepping stone. Designed to attract outstanding international talent, this merit-based award helps reduce a major portion of your tuition costs at Durham University, one of the UK’s most prestigious institutions. By securing this partial tuition grant, you can gain access to world-class academic resources, learn from top researchers, and experience vibrant student life within a historical collegiate environment while significantly lowering the overall expense of your Master’s education.

Tuition Fee Discounts and Eligible Program Areas

This scholarship focuses on providing direct tuition fee relief to high-achieving self-funded students. Awarded based on academic excellence and potential, it offers two funding tiers: the £5,000 Inspiring Excellence discount and the £10,000 Inspiring Excellence discount, both applied directly against your program tuition fees. The grant supports full-time, one-year, in-person taught Master’s degrees across several faculties, including MSc, MA, LLM, and MDS programs. However, specific courses such as the MBA, MSW, and the MA in Theology and Ministry are excluded from this funding scheme, making it essential to double-check your intended course eligibility before applying.

Which Programmes Can You Study?

The scholarship is available for eligible one-year, full-time, in-person taught postgraduate programmes, including:

• MSc programmes
  
• MA programmes
  
• LLM programmes
  
• MDS programmes

However, MBA, MSW, and MA in Theology and Ministry programmes are excluded.

Eligibility Criteria and Academic Requirements for Durham Postgraduate Scholarship 2027

To qualify for this scholarship, you must be classified as an Overseas student for tuition fee purposes and hold a valid Durham Student ID. Applicants need to meet or exceed the academic entry requirements for their chosen taught postgraduate program and begin their studies in September 2027. You must be completely self-funded, meaning you cannot combine this award with other Durham scholarships, external sponsorships, or the Durham University Alumni Discount. Additionally, students progressing through the Durham University International Study Centre are not eligible to receive this grant.

How to Apply for Durham Inspiring Excellence Postgraduate Scholarship 2027?

Your application process starts by submitting an admission application for an eligible taught Master’s degree through Durham’s official Applicant Portal. Once you receive your Durham Student ID, you can complete the separate online scholarship application form, which opens on October 1, 2026. The university evaluates candidates across three distinct selection cycles: Round 1 closes on December 7, 2026, with decisions released on December 18, 2026; Round 2 closes on March 15, 2027, with notifications on March 29, 2027; and the Final Round closes on May 1, 2027, with results delivered by May 15, 2027. Apply and check the latest requirements through the official page of the Durham Inspiring Excellence Postgraduate Scholarship.

Key Details at a Glance

Detail	Information
Scholarship	Durham Inspiring Excellence Postgraduate Scholarship 2027
University	Durham University
Location	UK
Study level	Postgraduate
Eligible programmes	MSc, MA, LLM, MDS
Award	£5,000 or £10,000 tuition discount
Study mode	Full-time, in-person
Start date	September 2027
Application opens	October 1, 2026
Final deadline	May 1, 2027

Although there are three application rounds, applying in the earlier round gives you more opportunities to have your application considered before later rounds. You should therefore begin by securing admission to an eligible Durham programme and preparing your scholarship application well ahead of the relevant deadline. Remember that this is a partial scholarship, so you should also plan for any remaining tuition fees and living expenses.

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