British Council's Rs.100 mn scholarships for Indian students

The British Council has announced its largest-ever 370 scholarships programme valued at nearly Rs.100 million (one million pounds), an official said here Monday.

The scholarships shall be given for 260 undergraduate and postgraduate courses in 36 participating universities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, according to British Council India Director Rob Lynes.

Besides, an Education UK exhibition will be held in Mumbai Tuesday to guide and assist students to Britain for the semesters starting September 2014 and January 2015.

The British Council has also launched the Great Career Guide which will help Indian students choose to study in Britain and learn about opportunities available in that country.

"We want India's brightest and best students to come and study at our universities. There are no limits on the numbers who can come and then stay on to work in Britain after studies," said Andrew Soper, counsellor (Prosperity) with the British High Commission in New Delhi.

"With the Great Scholarship and Great Career Guide, we aim to empower aspiring Indian students to choose the right course in Britain. It will be followed by series of Education UK exhibitions in India to help them meet recruiters and international managers of leading British institutions," Lynes said.

After the Mumbai launch, the Education UK will travel to Bangalore (Nov 27), Kolkata (Nov 29) and New Delhi (Nov 30).

Since over a century, UK universities have attracted students from all over the world. Annually, around 400,000 foreign students study there of whom nearly 30,000 are from India.