Cardiff University Nursing Scholarship UK 2027
The Burdett Fellows scholarships are two awards at Cardiff University Nursing Scholarship UK for registered nurses who join the full-time MSc Advanced Healthcare Practice. One award is for a UK (home) student and one is for an international student. Each pays the tuition fees plus a monthly stipend across the 18-month course. For September 2027 entry, the online application deadline on the official page is 3 May 2027.
If you are a nurse from Pakistan, the international award is the one that applies to you. This guide covers who can apply, what the award pays, what you must submit, and where applications can go wrong. Everything below was checked against the official Cardiff pages on October 6, 2026.
Burdett Fellows Scholarship at a Glance (Cardiff University Nursing Scholarship UK)
| Scholarship | Burdett Fellows (postgraduate nursing scholarships) |
| Where | Cardiff University, School of Healthcare Sciences, Wales, UK |
| Funded by | The Burdett Trust for Nursing |
| Course | MSc Advanced Healthcare Practice, full time, 18 months |
| Number of awards | Two: one for a home (UK) applicant and one for an international applicant |
| Course start date | 27 September 2027 |
| Scholarship deadline | 3 May 2027, for home and international applicants |
| Who can apply | Registered nurses applying for this MSc, home or international |
Eligibility: Who Can Apply for the Burdett Fellows Scholarship
The scholarship page says all registered nurses applying for the full-time MSc can be considered, whether they are UK or international students. Teaching is on campus, so you must be in Cardiff during the academic year. You also need to meet all four essential criteria:
- A registered nurse with at least two years of experience since registration.
- An honours degree in Nursing.
- An IELTS Academic score of 6.5 overall, with at least 5.5 in each sub-skill.
- An application to the MSc, with an offer of a place as a full-time student.
The two awards are decided by looking at your past academic results, your nursing experience, a personal statement explaining why you want the scholarship, and an interview.
One detail is easy to miss. For general entry, the MSc course page accepts a healthcare honours degree or diploma, or an equivalent international qualification. The scholarship criteria are narrower and name an honours degree in Nursing. If your degree title or length differs from a UK honours degree, ask Cardiff before you apply, because the pages do not explain how overseas nursing degrees are compared.
What the Scholarship Pays
The award covers the tuition fees for the programme and a stipend paid in monthly instalments over the 18 months. Cardiff describes the stipend as support with living costs, so it should not be read as covering every expense.
| Applicant category | Tuition fees | Stipend (18 months) | Approx. monthly payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home (UK) | Covered | £10,250 | about £569 |
| International | Covered | £17,425 | about £968 |
These figures come from the scholarship page and apply to the Burdett Fellows award only, not to other Cardiff scholarships.
For context, the course page lists tuition for 2027 entry at £10,450 for home fee status and £25,450 for overseas fee status, and the overseas fee carries a £3,000 deposit. On this scholarship, Cardiff says the Burdett Trust pays the programme deposit directly and the university handles that payment for you.
Fellows also take on some duties. You complete an empirical dissertation project that must be relevant to nursing. At the end of your studies you write a personal statement about the impact of the scholarship. Cardiff will require you to make a podcast about your experience, and you may be asked to take part in marketing for future scholars. You will also be invited to events run by the Burdett Trust for Nursing.
How to Apply
- Apply for the MSc Advanced Healthcare Practice through Cardiff. The course application asks for your degree certificate and transcripts, your IELTS certificate, and a personal statement.
- In that personal statement, add a short sentence saying you have also applied for the Burdett Fellows scholarship and how it would affect you and your local or professional community.
- Complete the scholarship application form linked from the scholarship page.
- Prepare the supporting documents listed below.
- Submit the online application by 3 May 2027.
Required Documents
- A CV of no more than two pages, with evidence of your registration as a nurse.
- Two references, with at least one from a current employer. Professional references are accepted if you finished your qualifications more than five years ago.
- An outline of your research interests and the project you might carry out during the course.
- International applicants only, if planning a research project abroad: a letter of support from your health institution backing the research, for example access to study sites for data collection.
Selection and Interviews
After the deadline, a selection panel shortlists applicants. Shortlisted applicants get a short online interview about their experience, their reasons for joining the programme, their research interests, and how the award could support their career. Cardiff expects interviews within four weeks of the closing date, says the outcome will be emailed within 10 working days of your interview, and sends a formal award letter within four weeks after that.
Important Dates and Deadlines
| Event | Date or timing | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Applications reopen | October 2026 | The page said it would reopen in October 2026 for September 2027 entry. When we checked on October 6, 2026, that notice was still showing, so confirm the status on the page. |
| Scholarship application deadline | 3 May 2027 | Home and international applicants. The page gives no time or time zone. |
| Interviews | Within about four weeks of the deadline | Online, for shortlisted applicants only. |
| Interview outcome | Within 10 working days of the interview | Sent by email. |
| MSc application close (course page) | Normally end of July | Places are first come, first served and may fill sooner. |
| Course start | 27 September 2027 | Full-time, 18-month MSc. |
Official Cardiff Scholarship Page
Information for Pakistani Applicants
Pakistan is not named on the official pages, but the scholarship is open to international applicants, so Pakistani nurses can apply for the international award if they meet the criteria.
Three things the pages do not explain, so ask the programme lead named on the scholarship page before you apply: which nursing registration Cardiff accepts as proof of registration, how a Pakistani nursing degree is compared with “an honours degree in Nursing”, and whether any English test other than IELTS is accepted for this scholarship.
Cardiff says it will guide successful candidates through the student visa steps. The scholarship page gives no visa details, so use official UK government visa guidance for that part.
Apply only through Cardiff University. The official page lists no fee or agent step, so be careful with anyone who asks for payment to arrange this award.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Two awards in total means one international place. Cardiff calls the scholarships highly competitive and does not publish how many people apply, so we cannot tell you what your chances are.
What the page does show is what the panel looks at: academic record, nursing experience, your reasons for applying, and an interview. Your research outline is the part you control most. The dissertation project must be relevant to nursing and contribute to the profession, so an outline tied to a specific problem in your own clinical area is likely to fit better than a broad topic. That last point is our reading of the criteria, not a statement from Cardiff.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cardiff describes it as covering tuition fees plus a stipend that supports living costs. The page does not list visa costs, travel or other expenses as covered, so plan for those separately.
The scholarship is for the full-time, 18-month MSc, and you must be in Cardiff for on-campus teaching and face-to-face contact.
The scholarship page asks for a registered nurse with evidence of registration but does not name the register. The course page asks for current UK registration only for the optional Advanced Clinical Practice Portfolio module (HCT353), while the scholarship page says Fellows complete the Empirical Dissertation module (HCT117). Confirm the exact requirement with Cardiff before applying.
Official Sources
- Cardiff University: Postgraduate Nursing Scholarships, The Burdett Fellows (eligibility, funding, application steps and deadline)
- Cardiff University: MSc Advanced Healthcare Practice (course entry requirements, start date and tuition fees)
- The Burdett Trust for Nursing (website of the scholarship funder)
Information in this guide was checked against the official pages above on October 6, 2026.
Scholarship requirements, deadlines, and funding details can change. Always verify current information directly with the official provider before applying.
ScholarshipOrbit is an independent guidance resource and is not affiliated with Cardiff University, the Burdett Trust for Nursing, or any organization mentioned above.
