Developing Solutions Masters Scholarship (2026/2027) at the University of Nottingham
- Omran Aburayya
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
If you are a passionate, change-oriented student from Africa, South Asia or selected Commonwealth countries, the Developing Solutions Masters Scholarship (2026/2027) at the University of Nottingham offers you an opportunity to combine academic excellence with impactful development work. This flagship scholarship, which has run since 2001, aims to empower master’s students who can propose actionable solutions to challenges in their home countries. Applications are expected to open soon, with the deadline in April 2026. Here's everything you need to know.
🎓 Scholarship Summary
Location: United Kingdom — University of Nottingham, UK campus
Study Level: Full-time Master’s (including MRes)
Target Group: Students domiciled in Africa, India, and a selection of Commonwealth countries
Fields of Study: Eligible programs in faculties of Engineering, Medicine & Health Sciences, Science, or Social Sciences
Value & Coverage: 50% or 100% of tuition fees (for one year)
Duration of Award: Typically one academic year (though for two-year master’s courses, the award may cover only the first year)
Application Deadline: Wednesday 15 April 2026
Start Date: From the 2026/2027 academic session (usually September/October)
Eligible To: Applicants who hold an offer to a full-time master’s (or MRes) at Nottingham, from an eligible country, and fulfilling other criteria below
🎓 Scholarship Overview
The Developing Solutions scholarship is not a full stipend or living-cost scholarship. Its main purpose is to reduce the financial barrier of tuition fees so that talented students focusing on development challenges can access a Nottingham master’s degree.
Tuition Fee Discount: The award is applied as a waiver or reduction against your tuition fees rather than paid out to you.
One-year Award: Even for courses that run longer than one year, the scholarship generally applies only to the first year’s fees.
Selection Focus: The competition is heavily based on your vision and proposal: how you intend to develop a solution to a real challenge in your home country, and how your master’s study will equip you to deliver it.
Word Limits & Strictness: Each question in the scholarship application has strict word limits; responses that exceed them may not be reviewed.
Award Notification: Applicants are typically informed by end of May.
Non-combinable: The scholarship cannot be combined with other University of Nottingham scholarships. The highest single award takes precedence.
🎁 Benefits
Substantial tuition fee support (50% or full waiver)
Access to world-class academic resources and supervision
Opportunity to network with peers, experts, and professionals
Ability to pursue your development vision in a globally ranked institution
Visibility and prestige, which can help with future fundraising or development work
✅ Eligibility Criteria
To be considered, you must satisfy all of the following:
Domicile / Nationality: Be domiciled in Africa, India, or a selected Commonwealth country as listed by Nottingham.
Fee Status: Be classified as an overseas (international) student for fee purposes.
Offer: Hold an offer to begin full-time master’s (or MRes) at Nottingham in one of the eligible faculties (Engineering, Medicine & Health, Science, Social Sciences) for the 2026/2027 intake.
Academic Background:
You should not be a current student or former graduate of the University of Nottingham.
You should not (in most cases) have completed a degree outside your home country. That said, if your prior study was in another eligible Developing Solutions country, your application may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
You must not currently be studying in the UK.
Proposal / Vision: Your application must convincingly articulate a development challenge in your home country, propose a novel or feasible solution, and explain how your Nottingham master’s will help you implement it.
Acceptance: You don’t need to accept your offer before applying for the scholarship, but scholarship awards will only go to students who accept their university offer.
📝 Application Procedure
Apply to a Nottingham master’s program (full-time or MRes) in an eligible faculty for 2026/2027 via Nottingham’s postgraduate admissions portal.
Wait for an offer (conditional or unconditional) from Nottingham.
Apply for the scholarship via the university’s scholarship application system (NottinghamHub) within the deadline.
If your offer is for an MRes course, you may need to email the scholarships team for special instructions.
Ensure you accept your offer (if offered) in order to receive the scholarship.
🗂️ Documents & Components
Academic transcripts and degree certificates
Proof of domicile / nationality (passport, national ID)
Proof of classified overseas (international) status
Offer letter from Nottingham
Personal statement / scholarship essays (proposal, development vision)
References (academic / professional)
English language test scores (if required by course)
Other supporting material (CV, certificates, etc.)
Note: Be careful about the strict word limits in each essay question — exceeding them may result in parts of your response not being read.
💡 Tips & Suggestions
Start preparing early: framing a robust development proposal takes time.
Be specific: rather than a broad theme, pick a concrete problem and explain your solution, timeline, and feasibility.
Link the proposal to your chosen master’s course: show how specific modules or skills will help you implement the solution.
Stay within word limits.
Ask colleagues or mentors to review your essay, especially for clarity and coherence.
Keep backup funding options ready — since the scholarship is competitive and may only cover tuition.
Check Nottingham’s official pages regularly once 2026 calls are open for any changes or updates.