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Undergraduate Scholarships at Durham University for IGCSE, A Levels & IB Students

Tutopiya Team
• 11 min read
Last updated on

Why Durham is a high‑quality, scholarship‑aware choice

Durham University is a collegiate university with strengths in Law, Business, Economics, Natural Sciences, Engineering and Humanities. It is especially popular for its collegiate environment and strong graduate outcomes, and offers several scholarships for international students.


1. Durham International Scholarships

Most popular for:
Overseas‑fee undergraduates across multiple faculties.

Coverage

  • Typically provide partial tuition fee reductions.

Eligibility

  • Classified as an international student.
  • Offer of a place on an eligible undergraduate programme.
  • High academic achievement (e.g. A*AA or higher or IB high 30s+).

How to apply

  • Some awards are automatic based on academic strength.
  • Others require a short online application and possibly an essay.

2. College‑Level & Subject‑Specific Awards

Certain Durham colleges and departments offer small scholarships or prizes for:

  • High‑performing new entrants.
  • Continuing students with strong academic results.

Coverage

  • One‑off payments or small annual stipends.

Application

  • Often by nomination or simple internal application once you are at Durham.

3. Bursaries for Home‑Fee Students

Durham also provides:

  • Bursaries and access awards for UK home‑fee students based on income and educational background.

These schemes are not usually open to overseas‑fee students.


4. External & Home‑Country Funding

As with other top UK universities, many Durham students from South East Asia, South Asia and the Middle East rely on:

  • Home‑government or corporate scholarships that can be used at any leading UK institution.

These may cover:

  • Full tuition
  • Living expenses
  • Travel

often in return for post‑study service in the sponsor country.


Realistic expectations on coverage

  • Durham’s internal scholarships are usually partial, not full.
  • For strong students with additional home‑country funding, Durham can become an excellent value proposition compared with London‑based options.

Strategy & timelines for IGCSE, A Level & IB students

  • Aim for A*AA–AAA or IB 38–40+, particularly in:
    • Maths/Economics for Business/Economics
    • Sciences for Natural Sciences/Engineering
    • Essay subjects for Law and Humanities
  • Apply via UCAS by January.
  • Monitor Durham’s international scholarships page for updated:
    • Awards
    • Eligibility criteria
    • Application deadlines

How Tutopiya can help

Tutopiya supports Durham‑focused students by:

  • Strengthening performance in relevant A Level/IB subjects.
  • Mapping out where Durham sits in a wider mix of UK and non‑UK scholarship options.

If you are looking for a collegiate, academically rigorous alternative to Oxbridge, Durham—with partial scholarships and lower living costs—can be a very smart choice.

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Tutopiya Team

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