Lucknow, August 8, 2025 — In a big win for students, the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has greenlit the Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee-Chevening Uttar Pradesh State Government Scholarship Scheme. This exciting program will send five talented students from Uttar Pradesh to top UK universities every year for a one-year master’s degree, starting from the 2025-26 academic session. The announcement has sparked enthusiasm across the state, offering a golden opportunity for young scholars to chase their dreams abroad.
A Game-Changer for Higher Education
The scholarship, named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, is a joint effort between the Uttar Pradesh government and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). It aims to support bright students, especially those from financially weaker backgrounds, to study at prestigious institutions like Oxford, LSE, or Imperial College London. Each student will receive funding of £38,000 to £42,000, covering tuition, exam fees, research costs, living expenses, and a round-trip economy flight. The state will chip in £19,800 (around ₹23 lakh) per student, with the FCDO covering the rest.
State Higher Education Minister Yogendra Upadhyay called it a “landmark decision” inspired by Vajpayee’s legacy of leadership and vision. “This scheme will open doors for our students to compete on a global stage,” he said during a press conference. The program will run for three years, from 2025 to 2028, with a fair and transparent selection process outlined in an MoU with the FCDO.
More Decisions from the Cabinet
The scholarship wasn’t the only big news from Thursday’s cabinet meeting at Lok Bhawan. The Yogi government also approved setting up three new private universities, including Vedanta University in Muzaffarnagar, to boost higher education. Additionally, two policies were passed to support industrial growth, including the Uttar Pradesh MSME Industrial Estate Management Policy, which will allocate industrial plots via e-auction to create jobs. An amendment to the Uttar Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act, 1959, was also cleared to streamline permissions for advertisements and signage.
A Bright Future for UP’s Youth
The scholarship scheme has been hailed as a bold step to empower Uttar Pradesh’s youth. Social media is buzzing with excitement, with many calling it a chance to make the dream of studying in London a reality. As the state gears up to implement this initiative, students are eager to learn more about the application process, which promises to be inclusive and merit-based.
