Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships 2025: Deadline and Eligibility

The Charles Wallace India Trust Fellowship is a prestigious scholarship awarded to Indian students seeking higher education in the UK. For the past 40 years, the British Council has managed the Charles Wallace India Trust scholarships in India in partnership with the Charles Wallace India Trust. Following an agreement reached between the Indian and British governments in 1981, CWIT was created as an English charitable organization. In almost 40 years, Charles Wallace India Trust scholarships have made about 3000 grants. The Scholarship is awarded by CWIT & British Council—India to mid-career artists and heritage professionals for pursuing a full-time MA program, of a maximum 1-year duration, in any university in the UK in Arts or Heritage Conservation. The Charles Wallace India Trust Fellowship covers accommodation and living expenses in UK, as well as a EUR 700 contribution towards international travel expenses.

This Story also Contains

1. What is the Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarship?
2. Fields covered by the Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarship
3. Eligibility Requirements for Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships
4. How to apply for Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships
5. Application Process for Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships

Charles Wallace India Trust scholarship eligibility includes that an applicant should be a citizen of India aged above 25 years. To apply for Charles Wallace India Trust scholarships, candidates must offer at least two and up to three confidential references, with at least one recommendation coming from outside the applicant's university.

There are several types of grants available in the CWIT scholarship, including fully funded awards, the Charles Wallace India Trust Visiting Fellowship, grants for research or professional visits, funds to pursue doctoral studies, and others. The Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships 2025 deadline for the 2025-26 round is already closed. Applications for the 2025-26 round will close on February 28, 2025.

Read the whole article to learn more about the Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships 2025 for Indian Students.

What is the Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarship?

CWIT also known as Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarship is an award provided to citizens of India to pursue academic, research, or artistic residency programmes in the United Kingdom. The scholarships are for artists and heritage workers aged 28 to 38, and allow them to build skills in their chosen fields through postgraduate study at a UK university.

Every year, CWIT provides two long-term awards. These grants are for artists and usually last 10 months. The scholarships are very competitive, and the grants committee faces challenges each year in determining which individuals are most suited to receive the award.

To study in UK, the CWIT award covers accommodation and living expenses in UK, as well as provides a EUR 700 contribution towards overseas travel expense. The CWIT award does not cover travel costs within India, UK visa charges, or the cost of obtaining a valid IELTS certificate.

Fields covered by the Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarship

Following are the fields that the Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarship covers:

Arts

• Visual Arts
• Performance, e.g., dance, drama, music, directing
• Film, including Script Writing and Direction
• Photography
• Design (but not Architecture)
• Curating
• Art History

Heritage Conservation

• Conservation architecture
• Management of heritage projects or sites
• Conservation of materials such as timber, stone, metal, including metal structures, armour, paintings, photographs and film
• Conservation of landscape
• Management of museums and collections

Eligibility Requirements for Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships

Candidates applying for the Charles Wallace India Trust Fellowship must meet the following eligibility criteria:

CWIT Long-Term Grants

The CWIT grant covers the cost of living and course fees in the United Kingdom. CWIT will additionally pay GBP 600 towards the overseas travel. However, one must have sufficient funds to cover additional fees, such as UK visas, insurance, and other domestic travel inside India.

The applicant should:

• Be an Indian citizen residing in India

• Be aged between 28 and 38.

• Applicants must have a secured place at a UK university.

• Have a first degree, diploma, or professional certificate in their chosen field. CWIT prefers individuals who have relevant job experience.

• Should study in the subject areas supported by CWIT.

• Have not received a CWIT grant in the past five years.

CWIT Short Research Grants

CWIT awards approximately 15 grants per year for short-term research (typically three weeks). These awards are largely for academic researchers, but practitioners working in the arts or conservation sectors can also apply.

Successful applicants will be awarded a one-time grant of EUR 1,500 to cover the costs of their short stay in the UK.

Charles Wallace India Trust scholarships eligibility for short research grants include:

• Must be an Indian citizen living in India

• Should be between the ages of 25 and 45.

• have a decent command of English

• have completed their studies and have 4 or more years of research or experience in their specialisation, or are in the final stages of their PhD.

• State clearly and precisely what they plan to achieve in the UK and which historical records they want to consult.

• Where applicable, explain whether they have contacted academic or professional contacts who have agreed to meet with them.

• State how they want to apply the experience when they return to India.

• Have not received a CWIT grant in the prior five years.

Charles Wallace India Trust Grants: Final year of Doctoral study in the UK

CWIT provides a few fellowships to Indian students in the final stages of completing doctorates at UK universities. Topics covered include the humanities, the arts, and heritage conservation. The amounts awarded are minimal, typically between EUR 500 and EUR 600 (Rs 45,933-Rs. 55,120). Applicants applying for Charles Wallace India Trust Grants should be:

• Students studying in CWIT areas

• They must be Indian residents who live in India and want to return after completing their studies.

• Between 25 and 38 years of age

• Not received a CWIT award in the preceding five years.

Charles Wallace India Trust Visiting Fellowship

The Charles Wallace India Trust (CWIT) has established numerous partnerships with UK universities. Fellowships (typically 3-5 months) are provided to the early to mid-career in humanities, as well as writers and translators. To be considered eligible for the Charles Wallace India Trust Visiting Fellowship, the applicant should:

• Be an Indian citizen residing in India.

• Age between 25 and 45 (no higher age limit for translator fellowships).

• Have completed postgraduate courses and/or at least 5 years of professional or academic experience.

• Provide a proposal that clearly states what they intend to do at the host institution and how they plan to apply the experience upon returning to India.

• Not having received a CWIT grant in the previous five years.

Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships 2025

Also read: Scholarships in UK

How to apply for Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships

Candidates applying for Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships are shortlisted based on their applications and are then invited to the British Council for an interview in New Delhi in February by a panel of Indian experts. The results of the interviews will be announced in early April.

To enhance their application, students must include a Statement of Purpose, clearly describing their course, plan for studying in UK, and how they will use their education after returning to India. Students are also required to provide an IELTS Certificate, proof of unconditional acceptance of the course, and a portfolio with appropriate online links, pictures, or relevant documents

Application Process for Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships

The application form should include:

• Statement of Purpose, stating clearly which course you plan to follow, what you want to do in the UK, and how you plan to put this into use on returning to India
• An IELTS Certificate
• Photocopies of proof of educational qualification
• Portfolio submission where appropriate in either online links or uploading pictures or relevant documents
• Passport-sized photographs
• Evidence of unconditional acceptance on the course, program, attachment, or internship for which you have applied, or evidence of progress towards acceptance.