2027 Hornby Trust Scholarship at University of Exeter, UK | Fully Funded

The A.S. Hornby Educational Trust Scholarship is open for September 2027 entry to the University of Exeter’s MEd TESOL programme. It supports experienced English language teachers and related professionals from eligible low and middle-income countries. Exeter lists up to ten fully funded awards. Applications close on 22 November 2026.

Scholarship summary

• Provider: A.S. Hornby Educational Trust and University of Exeter.
• Course: MEd TESOL.
• Entry: September 2027.
• Number: Up to ten awards.
• Duration: One year.
• Funding: Full fees, living support and return international travel.
• Deadline: 22 November 2026.

Who can apply?

Applicants need eligible nationality, residence and work location, at least three years of full-time relevant experience after their first degree, and the required academic qualification. Restrictions apply to people already holding certain related master’s or doctoral degrees. Read Exeter’s current criteria before applying.

Apply for the scholarship first

Exeter’s current instructions say you do not need to apply for MEd TESOL admission first. Complete the scholarship form; shortlisted applicants receive admission instructions. This differs from some older summaries. The Trust discourages AI-generated application material, so applicants should write their own personal answers.

Understand the course before applying

TESOL means Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Read the MEd course information carefully and identify the learning that would help your work. Look at the subject areas, assessments and research component. Consider whether the programme suits the learners and teachers you support.

Make notes on your current strengths and the areas you want to improve. You might need a deeper understanding of teacher development, language learning or how to evaluate teaching approaches. Use the actual programme information to connect those needs to the course. Avoid choosing a module based only on its title without checking what it covers.

Choose a clear professional example

Start with a teaching or teacher-support activity you know well. Describe the setting, the people involved and the problem you were trying to address. Explain your role and the decisions you made. A small activity can provide strong evidence when the account is specific and shows thoughtful action.

For example, you may have helped colleagues plan lessons, tested a classroom resource or organised a professional discussion. Use an activity that actually happened. If others helped, explain their involvement and your contribution. Do not combine several unrelated experiences into an example that appears to be one project.

Explain what changed

Describe the outcome using evidence you have. That may include feedback from teachers, changes in lesson planning or an observed improvement in participation. Explain how you collected the evidence and what it can show. If you did not measure student achievement, do not claim a proven effect on results.

Reflect on limitations as well as success. An activity may have worked for one group but need changes elsewhere. You may have found that teachers needed more time or resources than expected. Explaining these lessons shows that you can assess practice and improve it rather than simply describe an achievement.

Think about the wider teaching context

Explain the conditions that shape English language teaching where you work. These might include class size, available resources, learner needs or access to professional development. Give enough background for a reader unfamiliar with your country or institution. Avoid assuming that an acronym or local qualification will be understood.

Focus on the conditions relevant to your example and future plan. A long account of every education challenge can hide the main point. Describe the issue you can influence and the people who could help. This makes your proposed contribution more practical and easier to assess.

Plan how you would use the learning

Identify a realistic next step after the degree. You could improve an existing teacher-support activity, develop a resource or test a training approach with colleagues. Explain the knowledge you need and how the course could help you gain it. The plan should build on your own context rather than copy a model designed for a different setting.

Consider how the activity would continue after the initial effort. Ask who would maintain it, what resources it needs and how participants would give feedback. A project that depends entirely on one person may be difficult to sustain. Explain how you would share responsibility where that is practical.

Present your experience accurately

Prepare a clear employment record with dates, roles and relevant responsibilities. Check that the experience described in your answers agrees with the record. If you worked part-time or had breaks between roles, explain them accurately and follow the official guidance for calculating experience.

Choose details that show your readiness for further study and professional development. Classroom teaching, support for colleagues and reflective work may all provide useful examples. Do not use a senior title to imply responsibilities you did not hold. Specific actions give the reader better evidence than a broad label.

Check qualifications and English evidence

Read the academic and English language requirements on Exeter’s current pages. Gather degree documents and any evidence you already have. Check dates and validity before reporting a test result. If you are unsure whether evidence is acceptable, ask the university with the details needed for an accurate answer.

Keep admission conditions separate from scholarship eligibility. An applicant can be suitable for the scholarship but still need to complete an academic admission step. Follow the instructions sent at each stage and keep a record of outstanding requirements. Do not assume that progressing in selection means all conditions have been met.

Write personal, focused answers

Use your own voice and explain your own decisions. Read the questions carefully and answer the parts requested. Avoid a generic statement about loving teaching or wanting to help everyone. Show your motivation through the work you have done, what you learned and what you want to improve.

Ask someone to check whether the wording is clear, but retain ownership of the content. You should be able to discuss each example naturally. Remove claims that sound impressive but lack supporting detail. Honest reflection is more useful than presenting every activity as an exceptional success.

Before submitting

Check your contact email, experience dates and qualification details. Review every required answer and any word limits. Save a copy of the completed text and the submission confirmation. Monitor messages after applying so you can respond promptly to any request or interview invitation.