WHAT ARE THE SALTIRE SCHOLARSHIPS?
Scotland’s Saltire Scholarships (SSS) is a programme of scholarships run by the Scottish Government in partnership with Scotland’s higher education institutions. The scheme offers up to 50 awards, each worth £8000 towards the annual international tuition fee of successful applicants.
WHAT LEVEL OF STUDY ARE THE SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR?
Scholarships are available for one year of a postgraduate Masters course at any of Scotland’s higher education institutions.
Please note, Saltire Scholarships are not available for students of the Open University in Scotland.
WHAT SUBJECTS CAN I STUDY?
The scholarships are designed to support the promotion of Scotland as an excellent destination for academic learning and are therefore targeted at the priority sectors of:
- Science
- Technology
- Creative industries
- Healthcare and medical sciences
- Renewable and clean energy
This list is not exclusive and applications for courses in broader subject areas will be considered. Please check with your institution to see what courses are covered. Examples of subjects that can be studied can also be found here.
ARE THE SCHOLARSHIPS LIMITED TO SPECIFIC COUNTRIES?
Yes, Saltire Scholarships are only available to citizens of:
- Canada
- China
- India
- Japan
- Pakistan
- United States of America
(Hong Kong is also eligible as a Special Administrative Region of China)
I COME FROM A COUNTRY NOT MENTIONED ABOVE, CAN I STILL APPLY?
Unfortunately, at this time Scotland’s Saltire Scholarships (SSS) are only available to citizens and permanent residents of Canada, China, India, Japan, Pakistan and USA.
I AM A CITIZEN OF ONE OF THE SIX COUNTRIES BUT I LIVE ELSEWHERE. CAN I APPLY?
Yes, provided you are not already resident in the UK and meet all the other eligibility criteria.
WHAT DOES ‘CITIZEN’ MEAN?
A citizen is someone who is legally recognised and accepted as belonging to a particular country, either by birth or naturalisation.
WHAT DOES ‘PERMANENT RESIDENT’ MEAN?
A permanent resident is someone who has acquired permanent resident status by immigrating to a country, but is not yet a full citizen of that country. Permanent residents have certain rights and privileges in that country even though they remain citizens of their home country. A person in a country temporarily, such as an international student or a temporary foreign worker, is not a permanent resident.
Please note that each of the six eligible countries will set their own criteria for permanent residency. For further information on this please check the website of the immigration agency in these countries.
CAN I APPLY FOR A SALTIRE SCHOLARSHIP AT ANOTHER UK INSTITUTION?
No, the Saltire Scholarships is a Scottish Government programme and you would need to study at a Scottish institution.
MY COURSE WILL BE SPLIT BETWEEN SCOTLAND AND ANOTHER COUNTRY. CAN I APPLY?
You must be enrolled at a Scottish university and commencing your first year of study at that Scottish university.
WHAT DOES THE SCHOLARSHIP AWARD COVER?
The scheme offers up to 50 awards, each worth £8000, towards the cost of tuition fees for one year of a postgraduate Masters course at any of Scotland’s higher education institutions.
WHAT ABOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE TUITION FEE COST AND OTHER LIVING EXPENSES?
Any additional costs and expenses are the responsibility of the student.
CAN I STUDY BY DISTANCE LEARNING FROM HOME?
Yes, the scholarships are now available to those studying online from home.
CAN I STUDY PART-TIME?
No, the scholarship is for full-time study.
DO I NEED TO APPLY TO A SCOTTISH UNIVERSITY BEFORE HAND?
Yes, you need an unconditional or conditional offer from your university before your application can be considered.
HOW DO I APPLY FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP?
You should complete the application form on these webpages, making sure to include your unique reference number you will have received in the offer letter from your Scottish university.
DO I NEED TO SUPPLY ANY OTHER DOCUMENTATION WITH MY APPLICATION?
No, but your university may ask for further documentation at a later date.
I HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN AWARDED THE SALTIRE SCHOLARSHIP, CAN I APPLY AGAIN?
No, the scholarship can only be awarded once.
CAN I CARRY FORWARD THE SCHOLARSHIP TO ANOTHER YEAR IF I AM UNABLE TO TAKE UP MY COURSE?
Unfortunately this is not possible. But you would be eligible to apply for the scholarship again should you be able to take up the course in a subsequent year.
I HAVE BEEN AWARDED A SCHOLARSHIP FROM MY UNIVERSITY AND/OR OTHER SOURCE, CAN I ALSO APPLY FOR THE SALTIRE SCHOLARSHIP?
Yes, but it would be at the discretion of the university whether you would be awarded more than one scholarship.
THE COURSE I AM TAKING LASTS FOR TWO YEARS, WOULD I GET THE SCHOLARSHIP FOR BOTH YEARS?
No, the scholarship is for one year only.
I AM CURRENTLY STUDYING AT A SCOTTISH INSTITUTION. CAN I APPLY FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP?
No, the scholarship is only available to those who have not yet commenced their course of study.
I have previously studied in Scotland / studied at a Scottish university. Can I still apply for the scholarship?
If your previous Scottish course of study was for less than a full academic year then you can apply for a Saltire Scholarship.
HOW DO I FIND OUT ABOUT VISA/IMMIGRATION ARRANGEMENTS?
The following link has information on immigration arrangements for foreign students. This information can be found here.
IS THERE A CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS?
Yes, the closing date is 28 May 2021.
WHEN WILL I BE INFORMED OF THE DECISION?
Your university will inform you shortly after the closing date.
IF I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS, WHOM SHOULD I CONTACT?
In the first instance, you should contact the university to which you are applying. You can also email the Saltire Scholarship mailbox.