What Aston University Is Actually Offering
Three scholarships. Thirty. That is not a typo, only three people will receive this award for the September 2026 intake. That tells you two things immediately: the competition is serious, and you need to approach this like a job application, not a form-fill.
Here is what each of the three winners receives:
Full tuition fee cover worth £22,500 — that is your entire year's tuition paid in full
£6,000 contribution towards living costs — paid to help with rent, food, and daily expenses in Birmingham
Total package value: £28,500 per scholar
To put the living cost figure in context, Birmingham is one of the more affordable major UK cities. Students generally budget around £12,000–£14,000 for a full year of living costs, so the £6,000 covers roughly 40–50% of your annual living expenses. You will still need to fund the rest yourself — which leads to an important point covered in the eligibility section below.
Eligible Courses
The Aston University Ferguson Scholarship is only available for the following postgraduate taught programmes at Aston University's College of Health and Life Sciences:
MSc Pharmaceutical Sciences
MSc Drug Delivery
MSc Pharmacokinetics
MSc Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine
MSc Biotechnology
MSc Psychology (Conversion programme)
MSc Neuroscience for Drug Discovery
MSc Addiction and Mental Health
MSc Bioinformatics and Genomic Medicine
Master of Public Health (MPH)
If your intended course is not on this list, this scholarship does not apply to you — full stop.
Is The Aston University Ferguson Scholarship Right for You?
Apply if you are:
An African national with a strong science or health background
You hold a 2:1 degree (or equivalent) in a subject relevant to the MSc you are applying for
You are from an African country or India — this scholarship is exclusively for these nationalities
You have already applied for (and received a conditional or unconditional offer for) one of the ten listed programmes
You are self-funding your studies — meaning you are not on another scholarship or government-sponsored programme
Someone genuinely considering studying in the UK who needs financial support to make it work
The Ferguson Trust was set up specifically for students who would not otherwise be able to consider studying in the UK. That framing matters — your application should reflect genuine financial need alongside academic merit
Do not waste your time applying if:
Your nationality is not African or Indian — there are no exceptions to this
You are applying through a recruitment agency or education consultant who "referred" you to Aston — agency-referred candidates are automatically disqualified and their submissions removed without review. This is non-negotiable
Your undergraduate degree is below a 2:1 or its international equivalent
You have not yet applied for one of the eligible courses — you need a course application number (a 9-digit number beginning with 25) before you can complete the scholarship webform
Your intended MSc is not on the ten-course list above
One critical detail buried in the eligibility section that many students miss: if you are awarded this scholarship, UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) will require you to show evidence that you can fund the remaining portion of your living costs. The £6,000 contribution is not enough on its own to satisfy UK student visa requirements. You will need to demonstrate access to additional funds. Plan for this before you apply — arriving at the visa stage without this evidence will cost you the scholarship.
Tips Nobody Tells You
1: Apply for your course first — your scholarship application depends on it
The scholarship webform requires your 9-digit Aston application number (beginning with 25...). You cannot complete the scholarship form without it. Many students find out about this scholarship before they have applied for a course and then try to do both simultaneously in May. Do not do that. Apply for your MSc programme immediately — even if you are still gathering documents — so your application number is ready. The scholarship window closes 29 May 2026, and you need both applications in place before then.
2: Only three people will win — write your personal statement like you know that
Most scholarship personal statements are written as if the reviewer has all the time in the world. They do not. With only three awards available across all ten courses and the entire African continent plus India, your statement needs to earn its place in the first paragraph. Lead with what makes your situation and your goals specific — not general passion for science, but the precise reason why this particular MSc at Aston is the right next step for you, and why the Ferguson Trust's mission (helping students who could not otherwise study in the UK) applies to your circumstances.
3: Do not go through an agent — apply directly, period
This cannot be overstated. The scholarship page explicitly states that agency-referred candidates will be automatically disqualified and their submissions removed. If you used an agent to help with your Aston course application, that is a separate matter — but the scholarship webform itself must be completed by you, independently, without any agency involvement. If your agent is telling you they can help you with the Ferguson Scholarship specifically, walk away from that conversation.
Why This Scholarship Is Worth Pursuing Despite the Odds
Three slots sounds discouraging. Here is why it is actually a reason to apply harder, not a reason to scroll past.
Most African students applying for UK postgraduate scholarships are targeting the same high-profile awards — Chevening, Commonwealth, DAAD. These are well-known, heavily subscribed, and extremely competitive. The Ferguson Scholarship is less well-known outside of specialist scholarship communities, which means the applicant pool — while competitive — is almost certainly smaller relative to its value than the marquee awards.
The fields covered are also highly strategic. Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bioinformatics, Public Health, Neuroscience for Drug Discovery — these are exactly the disciplines that African governments and international health organisations are investing in as the continent builds post-pandemic health infrastructure. An MSc from Aston in any of these areas, funded by the Ferguson Scholarship, is a strong professional credential for roles in the African pharmaceutical sector, public health policy, and international health organisations like WHO AFRO, Africa CDC, and GAVI-supported programmes.
How to Apply (Step by Step)
Apply for your chosen MSc course at aston.ac.uk — select "Apply Now" on your programme's course page. Note your 9-digit application number (begins with 25...)
Receive a conditional or unconditional offer for your programme
Complete the Ferguson Scholarship webform by clicking on the Apply Button below— before 29 May 2026
You will need your 9-digit application number to complete the scholarship form
Await results announced in June 2026 via email
For questions: Contact Bhavisha Koner at HLS_Exchange@aston.ac.uk