International Merit Scholarship 2027 | Study in United Kingdom — Aston University
Grades that clear a tier threshold by even a single point can be the difference between two very different scholarship outcomes under a system built entirely around fixed academic bands.
About the Scholarship
Aston University’s International Merit Scholarship rewards self-funded international undergraduate applicants with an automatic tuition fee discount based on their entry grades, applied without any separate scholarship application. Applicants achieving ABB or an equivalent entry grade point qualify for the higher Tier 1 award, while those achieving BBB or an equivalent qualify for the slightly smaller Tier 2 award. The scholarship is reserved for direct entry to Year 1 of a full-time, taught undergraduate degree delivered on Aston’s own campus, and a short list of clinical and health-related courses, including Medicine, Pharmacy, Optometry and several nursing and audiology programmes, are excluded.
Scholarship Benefits
- An automatic tuition fee discount based on entry grades, with no separate application
- A higher Tier 1 award for ABB or equivalent entry grades
- A Tier 2 award for BBB or equivalent entry grades
- Applied to one academic year of study
- Available across most full-time, campus-based undergraduate degrees at Aston
Eligibility Criteria
- Be a self-funded international undergraduate offer holder for direct entry to Year 1
- Hold an offer for a full-time, taught undergraduate degree delivered on campus at Aston
- Achieve ABB or equivalent for Tier 1, or BBB or equivalent for Tier 2
- Not be applying for an excluded course, including Medicine, Pharmacy, Optometry or specific nursing and audiology programmes
- Not be a sponsored student, since sponsored students are not eligible
- Hold only one Aston scholarship per programme, since awards cannot be combined
Fields of Study Covered
The scholarship applies across most full-time, campus-based undergraduate degrees at Aston, spanning business, engineering, computer science, the social sciences and the humanities, with the specific exclusion of Medicine, Pharmacy, Optometry and several nursing and audiology courses.
Required Documents
- A confirmed offer letter for an eligible Aston undergraduate degree
- Final or predicted grades meeting the ABB or BBB threshold
- Proof of self-funded international fee status
- Standard UCAS application documents already submitted for your course
How to Apply (Step-by-Step)
- Apply through UCAS for an eligible Aston undergraduate degree for September 2027 entry
- Confirm your course is not on the excluded list, including Medicine and Pharmacy
- Aim to achieve the ABB threshold for the higher tier, or BBB for the standard tier
- Receive and accept your confirmed offer from Aston
- Allow the university to automatically assess and apply the appropriate scholarship tier once grades are confirmed
- Contact Aston’s scholarships office if you believe you qualify but have not received confirmation
Selection Process
There is no competitive panel for this scholarship, since eligibility and tier are determined automatically by checking each confirmed international offer holder’s final grades against the published ABB and BBB thresholds.
Tips to Improve Your Chances
- Aim clearly for the ABB threshold where possible, since this secures the higher Tier 1 award rather than Tier 2
- Confirm your specific course is not among the excluded clinical and health programmes before assuming eligibility
- Keep your UCAS application accurate and complete to avoid delays in offer processing
- Remember that only one Aston scholarship can be held per programme, so check for conflicts with any other Aston award
- Compare this with the Royal Holloway International Undergraduate Scholarship if you are weighing multiple UK universities
- Look at Great Scholarships Ghana if your country also appears on that separate scheme for postgraduate study later
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to apply separately for this scholarship?
No, it is awarded automatically once your grades and self-funded international status are confirmed.
What is the difference between Tier 1 and Tier 2?
Tier 1 requires ABB or equivalent entry grades, while Tier 2 requires the slightly lower BBB or equivalent.
Can sponsored students apply?
No, sponsored students are not eligible for this particular scholarship.
Does the scholarship apply to every year of my degree?
No, it applies to one academic year of study only.
Are Medicine and Pharmacy students eligible?
No, these and several other clinical and health-related courses are excluded from this scheme.
Can I combine this with another Aston scholarship?
No, students may normally hold only one Aston scholarship per programme.
Can the scholarship be deferred to a later year of entry?
No, the award cannot be deferred, transferred or converted to cash, so it must be used for the intake year it was granted for.
Does Aston offer anything similar for postgraduate applicants?
Yes, Aston runs separate postgraduate international scholarships, including community-focused awards, which operate under their own distinct eligibility terms.