The Felix Scholarship was founded to offer gifted underprivileged students from India and certain other developing countries the opportunity of furthering their postgraduate education by attending a university in the UK.
The primary objective of the Felix Scholarship is to stimulate the Felix scholars by exposing them to academic study, cultures, experiences and friendships that they would not otherwise have had the chance to sample. It is hoped that this in turn will endow them with skills and visions, enabling them, when returning to their country of origin, to contribute to the culture and welfare of their home communities.
Felix scholarships are offered at three universities – the University of Oxford, the University of Reading and the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), part of the University of London. The Scholarships are awarded on the basis of outstanding academic merit and financial need.
The first six scholarships were awarded for the year 1991/1992. The number of scholarships available has now risen to approximately 20 per academic year. A total of 428 scholarships have been awarded since the scheme began, of which 40 have been to students from countries other than India.
Since 2001, Felix scholarships have been awarded to gifted underprivileged students from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Cameroon, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Belarus, Peru, Czech Republic, Kenya, Ghana, Turkey, South Africa, Egypt, Nepal, Hungary and Lebanon.
Who is eligible?
- Academically gifted and underprivileged nationals of India, who must hold at least a first-class Bachelor’s degree from a recognized Indian university or a comparable institution
How to apply
Candidates should note that an application can be made to only one institution.
Candidates for the Felix Scholarships at Oxford should note there is no separate application process: in order to be considered, you must submit your application for graduate study by the relevant January deadline for your course. The following link to the Oxford website gives more details.
Candidates for the Felix Scholarships at Reading should not complete the Felix application forms initially. Instead they should follow the application procedures detailed at http://www/reading.ac.uk/gs-felix.aspx
Candidates for the Felix Scholarship at SOAS should not complete the application form. Instead they should follow the application procedure detailed at:https://soas.ac.uk/registry/scholarships/felix-scholarships
The closing dates for the receipt of Felix Scholarship application forms are as follows:-
Oxford: Appropriate January deadline
Reading: 30th January
SOAS: 31 January
Is there a specific subject for which these awards are given?
No. All subjects offered by the participating universities, except for medicine, are considered. The Selection Committees do not have a bias towards/ against any particular subject.
The selection procedure:
If you have successfully gained a confirmed offer of admission at your chosen university and have applied for a Felix Scholarship, your chosen university will draw up a shortlist of candidates. The shortlists will, in the case of Indian nationals, be provided to the Selection Committees. Short-listed candidates will be contacted individually for interviews. The interviews are held separately for each of the three universities.
Where are the interviews held?
For Indian Nationals, they are held in New Delhi and Bangalore. Please note that no expenses are paid to applicants in respect of travel/accommodation costs for attending the interview.
