The Beit Trust funds postgraduate Master's study for outstanding graduates from Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi at leading partner universities in the UK and South Africa. It is a full-cost award: tuition paid directly, a living allowance, visa and health-surcharge costs, flights, plus laptop and arrival allowances — around 19 awards a year. The next round covers UK programmes starting September 2027 and South African programmes starting January 2028.
Why it is notable: the eligible pool is only three countries' nationals, so competition is far smaller than for open global awards; the UK track requires you to secure your university offer BEFORE applying to the Trust (conditional offers accepted); the South Africa track lets you apply with only a list of intended courses.
Funding at a glance
What it covers
Full tuition and academic fees, paid directly to the university.
Living allowance for the full course duration (amount not published).
UK student visa fee + Immigration Health Surcharge + TB test + biometric costs.
Economy-class return flights to and from the study destination.
Arrival allowance, laptop allowance and departure allowance.
Two-year UK Graduate visa period supported by the Trust where employment is relevant to the scholar's background and the scholar intends to return home afterwards (per official FAQ).
Eligibility criteria
Qualification Required
Undergraduate honours degree |for Masters
"This scholarship is offered for taught Master's programmes (one-year MSc in the UK; two-year MSc in South Africa; four-year MMed in South Africa — max one award per year)."
Who can apply
nationals of Zambia, Zimbabwe or Malawi who are permanent residents of one of these countries and live in and/or intend to return to their country after completing their studies. The Trust cannot consider applicants who have already begun a course.
Experience
No fixed requirement; relevant professional work experience is highly valued — as a guideline, at least three years with a positive employer reference significantly strengthens the application.
Language Certificate
course-dependent (UK partner universities set their own English requirements)
Other Certificates
degree certificates and transcripts; other academic certificates (awards, prizes)
Age Limit
No Age Limit
Check your eligibility
Run all three quick checks before reviewing your chosen course's full entry requirements.
1
Country checker
nationals of Zambia, Zimbabwe or Malawi who are permanent residents of one of these countries pass. All other nationalities fail (set by Act of Parliament).
2
Last degree checker
Choose your highest completed qualification to see which degree level may fit.
3
Course checker
Pick a course to see whether it falls inside this scholarship's scope.
Complete all three checks
Your combined result will appear here.
Based on published eligibility — always confirm on the official page before applying.
Application essentials
Requirements
Review each requirement before you begin the application.
01
Qualification
an undergraduate honours degree (First or Upper Second Class or equivalent). Distinction/Merit preferred; Lower Second/Pass not excluded but faces strong competition; medical degrees not graded this way are taken into account.
02
Documents
offer letter(s) or proposed-course list, degree certificates + transcripts, other academic certificates, CV, 300-word personal statement, recent photograph, valid passport copy. All uploaded in one sitting.
03
Personal statement (essay)
max 300 words on how your studies will benefit your country — why the discipline matters, how it helps develop the country; "less is more", stay on topic.
04
References
three separate references (Academic, Character, Employer where applicable), each submitted through their own form/link after you submit.
05
Professional experience (recommended)
relevant work experience highly valued; ~3 years with a positive employer reference significantly strengthens the application; medical/veterinary applicants need 18 months of internship + at least one year of in-country posting.
06
Return commitment
you must live in and/or intend to return to your home country after study; the Trust places strong emphasis on leadership and contribution to national development.
Document checklist
01Offer letter from UK partner university/ies (and/or your list of proposed courses at South African partner universities).
05Personal statement — max 300 words — on how your studies will benefit your country.
06Clear recent photograph (not a passport photo).
07Copy of valid passport (issue/expiry dates, sufficient blank pages).
08Three references: Academic, Character, Employer (employer reference where applicable).
Application fee
No fee — completely free (no fee stated anywhere on the official pages).
Visa, kept concise: Study visa type for this destination: UK — Student visa (apply after receiving the CAS from the partner university; the Trust covers visa fee, IHS, TB test and biometrics).
Application Procedure
10 steps — follow in order. Each stage prepares the next.
01
Choose one or more Beit Trust partner
universities and courses (up to four degree courses across UK and/or South African partners).
→
02
UK track: apply directly to the UK
partner university/ies via their websites and inform them you are also seeking Beit Trust funding. You must have an offer (conditional offers acceptable) BEFORE submitting the Beit application.
→
03
South Africa track
university applications open after the Beit deadline — apply to the Trust with a PDF list of the universities and courses you intend to apply to (upload where the form asks for the offer); if awarded, you must then secur
↓
06
Shortlisting → in-person interviews (Lusaka
Harare, Blantyre) usually in April → final offers.
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05
Send the reference links to your three
referees once you have submitted (you receive the links automatically; PDF reference forms are also downloadable on the official page for emailing to scholarships@beittrust.org.uk).
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04
Submit ONE online application to the Beit
Trust via the application link on the official scholarships page, uploading all required documents in a single sitting (the form cannot be saved and resumed — preview it first).
↓
07
Offer letter from UK partner university/ies (and/or
your list of proposed courses at South African partner universities).
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08
Degree certificates and transcripts.
→
09
Other academic certificates (awards
prizes, achievements).
↓
10
Curriculum Vitae (CV).
Application milestones
12 Feb 2027
Application deadline
1 Dec 2026
Application deadline
2027
Intake year
Ready to apply?
Continue on the official Beit Trust Postgraduate Scholarships 2027/28 (UK intake Sept 2027; South Africa intake Jan 2028) platform.
Can I apply before I have my university offer? A: UK track — apply to the Trust once you have your offer(s); conditional offers are acceptable. If awaiting replies from Oxford, Cambridge or Edinburgh Can I save the application form and return later? A: No — all documents must be uploaded in one sitting; preview the form before filling it in.Can my referees submit after the deadline? A: Yes — references may arrive after the deadline provided they are received promptly; PDF reference forms can be emailed directly to scholarships@beittrust.Does the scholarship cover my family? A: No — the Trust does not provide support for spouses and dependants.I already hold a postgraduate degree — can I apply? A: Generally not considered, except in exceptional cases; the Trust aims to support candidates who have not yet had the opportunity to pursue postgrCan I stay in the UK after my course? A: The Trust supports the two-year Graduate visa where employment is relevant to your background and you intend to return home afterwards.How many scholarships are awarded? A: 19 in 2026 (official Trust figure); partner-university cost-sharing allows more scholars each year.Where are interviews held? A: In person in Lusaka, Harare and Blantyre, usually in April; invitations are sent two weeks prior.
Need document or attestation help?
Detailed attestation guidance stays in Opplore's standalone Guides section, not inside this scholarship page.
Multiple countries