The British Council IELTS Prize is up to £40,000 toward tuition fees for master's study in the UK for students from eligible countries in the East Asian region.

The Prize is awarded to high-calibre individuals with the motivation to develop their career, and who demonstrate the potential to contribute to society what they have gained from their undergraduate or postgraduate study experience.

The IELTS Prize enables students to study any chosen course in an undergraduate or postgraduate programme of a higher institution that accepts IELTS as part of its admission requirements.

At a glance

  • Funding valueUp to £40,000 toward tuition fees
  • Suitable for Applicants fromRest of world
  • DeadlineOn going
  • Funding provider(s)British Council and IELTS

What it covers

Up to £40,000 toward tuition fees.

Who can apply

To apply for this award, you must:

  • Be a permanent resident of one of the eligible countries in the East Asia region*;
  • Begin undergraduate or postgraduate study in or outside your home country in the current academic year;
  • Attend a higher educational institution that accepts IELTS as part of its admission requirements;
  • Register for an IELTS test with the British Council on or after 1 April in the preceding year and be able to provide a valid IELTS score in the application form;
  • Have a minimum band score of 6 in each of the four component parts of the test;
  • Be able to provide an acceptance letter from the attending institution by July of the intake year.

*East Asia region includes Hong Kong & Macau, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

Applicable courses

This funding opportunity is applicable to many courses, please see the 'Who can apply' section for more information.

Further information

  • Applications are initially reviewed against the British Council IELTS Prize eligibility criteria, personal statement and IELTS score.
  • Shortlisted candidates will be required to give a short presentation and be interviewed by a panel of senior managers and external raters from the higher education and/or corporate sectors.
  • Three winners from each country in the East Asia Region will each receive a Local Prize.
  • The top student in each country will be shortlisted for the three Regional Prizes.
  • Shortlisted candidates for the Regional Prizes will have to further attend a panel interview via video conference.

How to apply

The application process is as follows:

  1. Complete the online application form on the ;

  2. Register for an IELTS test at a British Council authorised centre on or after 1 April in the preceding year and obtain a valid score;
  3. Complete an online application form and upload the required documents by the deadline; (usually end of April - see British Council website)
  4. Required documents include:

    • IELTS Test Report Form,
    • Recent photograph,
    • Passport or identification document proofing your permanent residency in one of the eligible countries/regions,
    • Disability certificate (if applicable);
  5. Shortlisted applicants will be required to attend a panel interview in May of the intake year;
  6. The applicant with the top interview score in each country will automatically be qualified for the Regional Prize selection and will be required to attend a second panel interview in June;
  7. Winners will be notified by June and must be able to provide a letter of acceptance from the institution by July. Failure to provide a letter of acceptance by the deadline will result in your immediate removal from the list of winners.