HESPAL - Higher Education Scholarships for Palestinians
This British Council partnership supports junior academics from Gazan universities to complete a Southampton master's degree.
Key information
- Funding type
- Fully funded
- Total value
- Full tuition fees, a living allowance, travel costs and allowances
- Application deadline
- Closed
- Eligibility
- Palestinian junior academics employed and nominated by a university in Gaza
Overview
HESPAL scholarships are offered by the British Council Palestine in partnership with the University of Southampton. They support junior academics working at Palestinian universities to study a full-time master's degree at the University of Southampton. The scholarship is available for any master's programme offered by the University.
HESPAL aims to support the next generation of senior academics in Palestine. It also helps build long-term partnerships between Palestinian and UK universities and supports professional networks that can benefit scholars throughout their careers.
What you get
- Tuition fees
- A monthly living allowance
- Return travel costs
- An allowance package
- Allowance to contribute towards your visa and health insurance
Deadline
Closed
Eligibility
To get this scholarship you must:
- be Palestinian and from the Gaza Strip, including if you have been displaced
- apply for a postgraduate master's degree at the University of Southampton
- be employed by, or be a member of the academic staff at, a university in Gaza
- be nominated by your university in Gaza
- meet the University of Southampton's academic and English language requirements
Women, displaced academics, and individuals with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.
Permanent residency
Permanent residency
We consider your permanent residency to be where you have lived for 3 or more years before the start of the course.
This does not include where you have been living solely for study purposes if it is different from your permanent place of residency.
How to apply
Scholarship applications for 2026-27 are now closed.
This information is for guidance only.
- Apply to study a postgraduate master's programme
You must indicate on your application form that you wish to be considered for HESPAL Scholarship funding.
- Complete the HESPAL scholarship application form
Applicants nominated by their Gaza universities must follow the process outlined in the application guidance notes and submit their HESPAL application by the specified deadline.