The University of Bristol’s Think Big scholarship is the university’s flagship international award, and for 2027 entry it is one of the largest single funding pots open to Indian students in the UK. Bristol says it has invested up to GBP 5 million in Think Big scholarships for students starting in 2027, split into undergraduate awards worth GBP 6,500 and GBP 13,000 and postgraduate awards worth GBP 3,000, GBP 6,500, GBP 13,000 and GBP 26,000.
Applications for the 2027 round opened on 27 October 2026 and close at 1:00 pm UK time on 19 March 2027. One form covers every international scholarship you are eligible for, including the partner awards that Bristol runs with its faculties, alumni and external partners, so a single well-written application is the whole process.
Bristol Think Big Scholarship 2027 at a glance
Quick facts2026-27
| Scholarship from | University of Bristol, United Kingdom (international students with overseas fee status, undergraduate and master’s) |
| Last date to apply | 19 March 2027, 1:00 pm UK time. Applications opened on 27 October 2026 at 10:00 am UK time. Outcomes in early May 2027, acceptance by end of May 2027, award letters in July 2027 |
| Official website | bristol.ac.uk – Think Big international scholarships |
How much the award is worth
- Undergraduate: awards of GBP 6,500 and GBP 13,000, tenable for up to four years of study. The value is applied against your tuition fee each year, so the four-year GBP 13,000 award is the largest single Think Big package.
- Postgraduate (master’s): awards of GBP 3,000, GBP 6,500, GBP 13,000 and GBP 26,000, applied to the first year of study. The GBP 26,000 tier is the flagship amount and covers a large part of a one-year master’s fee.
- The awards are fee discounts, not cash: Bristol applies them to your tuition, so they reduce what you pay rather than arriving in your bank account.
- The scheme is funded with up to GBP 5 million for 2027 entry, which is why the number and size of awards is larger than a typical single-department bursary.
Who can apply
- You must have overseas fee status. Indian students paying the international rate qualify; home-fee students do not.
- You must have applied for an eligible undergraduate or master’s course at Bristol and already hold an application ID before you start the scholarship form. Bristol accepts a Student ID, a Kaplan ID or a UCAS ID.
- Both undergraduate and postgraduate applicants are eligible. Think Big is not limited to one level of study, and separate faculty and alumni awards are judged through the same form.
- There is no stated minimum GPA or test score in the scheme rules. Selection is by the answers on the form, so the written application carries the decision.
- You must accept the scholarship offer by the end of May 2027 if you are successful, and read the terms and conditions before applying.
What the application form asks
The form has three sections: personal details, three written questions, and the terms and conditions declaration. Use exactly the same personal details that you used on your course application, because Bristol matches the two records by them.
- Question 1 – achievements. Special skills and achievements beyond your academic studies that show ambition and the difference you made.
- Question 2 – ambassadorial potential. What you would do to benefit your community, or how you have built relationships and networks.
- Question 3 – studies and plans. Why you want to study at Bristol and what your career goals are.
Each answer is capped at 1,000 characters including spaces. You can save the form and return to it later, but once you submit you cannot change anything, so draft the three answers in a separate document first and check them before pasting them in.
Documents and steps you need before the deadline
- Apply to your Bristol course first. The scholarship form will not open usefully without an application ID, and Bristol advises leaving time for the course application itself.
- Note your application ID (Student ID, Kaplan ID or UCAS ID) and keep the same name and email on both applications.
- Draft the three 1,000-character answers: achievements, ambassadorial potential, and course plus career plans.
- Submit the Think Big 2027 form before 1:00 pm UK time on 19 March 2027. Check spam for the confirmation email – Bristol sends one when the form is received.
- If you are offered an award, accept it by the end of May 2027 and watch for the formal award letter in July 2027.
Important dates for the 2027 round
- 27 October 2026, 10:00 am UK time – scholarship applications open.
- 19 March 2027, 1:00 pm UK time – all Think Big applications close. This is a hard cut-off, not a priority date.
- Early May 2027 – outcomes shared with applicants.
- End of May 2027 – deadline for successful offer holders to accept the scholarship.
- July 2027 – scholarship award letters sent to successful applicants.
- End of November 2026 – Bristol adds more undergraduate and postgraduate partner awards to the scheme, so the list of awards you can be considered for grows during the window.
How to improve your chances
- Write to the three questions, not around them. Question 1 wants achievements outside your marks, Question 2 wants community impact or networking, and Question 3 wants a specific reason for Bristol plus a concrete career plan.
- Name the course and, where relevant, the department or research group you are targeting. A generic ‘UK degree’ answer is the most common way this form fails.
- Use your 1,000 characters for evidence – a project, a competition, a volunteering role, a measurable outcome – rather than adjectives.
- Apply well before the March deadline. Bristol adds partner awards until the end of November 2026, and the single form is judged for all of them, so an early submission loses nothing.
- Do not submit and then keep editing elsewhere: nothing can be changed after submission, so proofread the version you send.
Frequently asked questions
19 March 2027 at 1:00 pm UK time. Applications opened on 27 October 2026 at 10:00 am UK time, outcomes are shared in early May 2027, successful offer holders must accept by the end of May 2027 and award letters go out in July 2027.
Undergraduate awards are GBP 6,500 and GBP 13,000, tenable for up to four years. Postgraduate awards are GBP 3,000, GBP 6,500, GBP 13,000 and GBP 26,000, applied to the first year of a master’s. Bristol has committed up to GBP 5 million to the scheme for 2027 entry.
No. Bristol runs Think Big together with faculty, alumni and external partner awards, and one application form covers every international scholarship you are eligible for. You answer the same three questions once.
Yes, if you have overseas fee status and have applied for an eligible undergraduate or master’s course at Bristol. You need an application ID (Student ID, Kaplan ID or UCAS ID) before you start the scholarship form.
No. It is a tuition fee discount applied by the university against your course fee, so it lowers what you pay instead of being paid to you. Living costs are not covered.
1,000 characters including spaces for each of the three questions. The form can be saved and resumed, but nothing can be edited after submission.
Official links
Related reading: Think Big international scholarships – University of Bristol
Think Big application guidance (three questions, 1,000 characters each)
Think Big scholarship terms and conditions
For other UK and Europe options, our UCD Global Excellence Scholarship post covers Ireland’s 100% and 50% tuition waivers, the Manchester Global Futures Scholarship post covers a GBP 12,000 award for Indian master’s students, and the Padua International Excellence Scholarship post covers an EUR 8,000 plus fee-waiver award in Italy. More funding sits in our study abroad scholarships, international scholarships and post graduation scholarships hubs.
Related scholarship posts: UCD Global Excellence Scholarship 2027-28, Manchester Global Futures Scholarship, Padua International Excellence Scholarship.