Scholarships After A Levels: Where to Apply and How to Win

A levels are done — results are in, and university applications are open. The good news: A level graduates are the single biggest target group for scholarships worldwide. The challenge is knowing which ones are worth your limited time.

Here's how to prioritise scholarship applications after your A levels, whether you scored straight As or a more modest set of grades.

Top-tier scholarships for top A level results

If your results are strong (AAA/A or better at H2, or 3–4 A*s at international A level), aim for:

• KAIST Global Presidential Scholarship (Korea) — 100% tuition plus roughly ₩1,000,000/month for four semesters, for top applicants with strong maths and science results
• SUSTech Undergraduate Scholarship (China) — a full-ride award for top-ranking applicants in STEM
• MEXT Scholarship (Japan) — tuition, airfare and a ¥117,000 monthly stipend with a one-year language programme, applied through the Japanese embassy
• Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) — Undergraduate — full tuition, monthly allowance, airfare, language training and insurance
• NUS / NTU / SMU merit scholarships — if you're staying in Singapore, these remain the most generous local awards for A level high achievers

Solid options for good (not perfect) results

You don't need a perfect score to win funding. Tiered awards reward strong-but-not-stellar applicants:

• Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) — tuition reduction of 30%, 50%, 65%, 80% or 100% based on entry results; awarded to roughly 80% of entering international students
• Ritsumeikan University Tuition Reduction — first-year reduction set by admission results, renewable on performance
• Wenzhou-Kean University International Scholarship — tuition awards based on prior academic performance, at an English-medium joint-venture campus
• Ewha Global Partnership Program (EGPP) — a fully funded bachelor's award for women from partner developing countries — unusual among Korean scholarships for being open at undergraduate level

How to build a shortlist (and not burn out)

1. List 6–10 scholarships, not 30. Two full-ride "reach" awards, four solid partial-funding options, and two safety awards
2. Check deadlines first — embassy-track awards (MEXT, GKS) usually open once a year. Filter scholarships by deadline on ScholarPath and sort by soonest
3. Draft one strong personal statement — you'll adapt it for every application. Cover: why this field, why this country, what you've done outside the classroom, and what you'll do with the opportunity
4. Ask two teachers for references now — they get flooded during results season
5. Save every scholarship you apply for — so deadline reminders can track your applications

What scholarship committees look for beyond grades

• Leadership evidence — CCA leadership, community service, organising anything at scale
• A coherent story — why this degree at this university advances a plan that makes sense
• Specificity — "I want to study biomedical engineering because of my hospital volunteering" beats "I am passionate about science"

Your next step

• Browse all Bachelor's scholarships on ScholarPath and filter by your target country
• Take the free assessment — tell us your grades and target country and we'll tell you which awards you realistically qualify for
• Turn on deadline reminders so nothing closes while you're drafting

A level graduates who win multiple scholarships almost always started early and applied to the right mix of awards — reach, match and safety — rather than spraying applications everywhere.