Last verified: 17 August 2026
The University of Exeter and the A.S. Hornby Educational Trust are offering up to ten fully funded scholarships for the September 2027 intake of the MEd TESOL programme. This award is built specifically for experienced English language teachers and related professionals from low- and middle-income countries, including most of Africa, who want to bring advanced training back to their own classrooms and institutions.
The application deadline is 22 November 2026, and the process has one unusual feature that trips people up every year: you apply to the Hornby Trust first, on a separate form, and you do not need a university application to Exeter before you do. Get this sequence wrong and you risk duplicating work or missing steps other guides describe incorrectly.
A note on where this scholarship is actually hosted
If you have researched this scholarship before, you may have read that it funds study at the University of Warwick. That was true for years, and several official-looking pages, including British Council pages for multiple countries, still say it. It is no longer accurate. The Hornby Trust’s own website and the University of Exeter’s own funding page both confirm the scholarship now funds the MEd TESOL programme at Exeter, and this listing follows the two primary sources rather than the outdated country pages still circulating.
Quick facts
| Award name | A.S. Hornby Educational Trust Scholarship |
| Host university | University of Exeter |
| Programme funded | MEd TESOL only, not PGCert or PGDip |
| Administered by | A.S. Hornby Educational Trust, jointly with the University of Exeter |
| Number of awards | Up to 10 |
| Duration | One year |
| Funding | Fully funded: tuition, monthly stipend, return international travel |
| Application deadline | 22 November 2026 |
| Studies begin | September 2027 |
| Application fee | None |
| Apply via | Hornby Trust application form, separate from the Exeter university application |
What is the A.S. Hornby Educational Trust?
The Trust was established in 1961 by A.S. Hornby, the English language teaching pioneer who developed the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. For more than 60 years it has funded master’s-level TESOL study in the UK for experienced teachers from low- and middle-income countries, on the understanding that they return home and put the training to use.
This is not a scholarship for people entering the teaching profession. It is built for people already in it, with real classroom or programme experience, who the Trust believes are positioned to influence English language teaching more widely in their own country once they have the training.
What the scholarship covers
- Full tuition fees for the one-year MEd TESOL programme at Exeter
- A monthly stipend to cover accommodation and living costs
- Return international travel costs between your home country and the UK
The scholarship is not awarded alongside other scholarships. If you hold or receive another award, the Hornby Scholarship is only granted if it is worth more than the other award, and the Trust states this explicitly in its terms.
Who is eligible
You must meet every one of the following:
- Be a resident of, and work in, a country classified as Least Developed, Low Income, Lower Middle Income, or Upper Middle Income on the OECD’s DAC list. This list covers the substantial majority of African countries; check the current DAC list directly if you are unsure where your country falls, since classifications are reviewed periodically.
- Have a minimum of three years’ full-time TESOL teaching or related professional experience, counted after your first degree.
- Already hold an undergraduate degree, or equivalent, at a standard equivalent to UK upper second class honours or higher, or hold a relevant postgraduate degree.
- Not already hold a doctoral degree in TESOL, applied linguistics, English, or a related field.
- Not already hold a master’s degree from a UK university in TESOL, applied linguistics, English, or a related field. A master’s from outside the UK in these fields does not disqualify you; a UK one does.
There is no fixed age limit, and the Trust’s language throughout emphasises professional impact and potential over academic profile alone.
How to apply: the sequence matters
Step one: apply to the Hornby Trust directly, using their own application form. This is separate from any university application, and you do not need to have applied to Exeter’s MEd TESOL programme before submitting it. Exeter’s own page states this explicitly: applicants who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted afterward with instructions for the university application. Applying to the university first is unnecessary extra work, and some third-party guides get this sequence backwards, so follow the Trust’s process, not a guide that tells you otherwise.
Step two: wait to hear if you are shortlisted for interview. Shortlisted applicants are notified no later than 5 January 2027.
Step three: attend interview if shortlisted. Interviews take place between 15 and 24 February 2027.
Step four: receive your outcome. Shortlisted applicants are notified of the final result no later than 4 March 2027.
Step five: apply to the University of Exeter, if successful. All scholarship awards are conditional on a subsequent application to the university for the MEd TESOL programme. This happens after the scholarship decision, not before it, and instructions come directly from the Trust and university once you are through interview.
Applications are jointly assessed by the University of Exeter and the Hornby Trust together, not by either body alone.
Application tips for African applicants
Lead with evidence of impact, not just years served. Three years is the eligibility floor, not what wins the scholarship. The panel is explicitly looking for evidenced potential to influence English language teaching in your country, not simply time spent in a classroom. Concrete examples: curricula you developed, teachers you trained, programmes you built or improved, measurable outcomes you can point to.
Be precise about your DAC classification, and don’t assume. Most African countries qualify, but the DAC list groups countries into several income bands and is reviewed periodically. Confirm your country’s current status on the OECD’s own list before applying rather than relying on memory or an older list.
Check your degree and prior-masters status carefully before applying. The disqualifiers here are specific: a UK master’s in a related field rules you out, but a non-UK one does not. A doctorate in a related field rules you out entirely. Read these two rules twice against your own qualifications before you invest time in an application you are not eligible for.
Do not apply to Exeter’s MEd TESOL programme first. It is not required, and Exeter’s page states there is no need to. Applying to the university before the Trust has assessed you adds a step the process does not call for.
Prepare your professional narrative around return and application, not around staying in the UK. Like most awards of this kind, this scholarship is built on the expectation you take the training home. Frame your statement around what changes in your own classrooms, institution, or education system once you have completed the degree.
If you are also considering a general TESOL master’s, understand you are choosing a narrower, more prestigious route. This scholarship exists only for the MEd TESOL at Exeter specifically. If your interest is broader postgraduate ELT study generally, a wider funding search may serve you better; this one is a good fit only if the Exeter MEd TESOL itself is what you want.
Frequently asked questions
Which university hosts the Hornby Scholarship?
The University of Exeter, for the current and prior cycle. It previously funded study at the University of Warwick, and some pages online, including certain British Council country pages, have not been updated to reflect the change. Confirm directly with the Hornby Trust or Exeter if you find conflicting information elsewhere.
Do I need to apply to Exeter’s MEd TESOL programme before applying for the scholarship?
No. Exeter’s own funding page states this explicitly. You apply to the Hornby Trust first; if you are shortlisted and successful, you are then given instructions to apply to the university.
How many years of teaching experience do I need?
A minimum of three years of full-time TESOL teaching or related professional experience, counted after completing your first degree.
Which countries are eligible?
Countries classified as Least Developed, Low Income, Lower Middle Income, or Upper Middle Income on the OECD’s DAC list. This covers the large majority of African countries. Check the current DAC list directly to confirm your specific country.
Can I apply if I already have a master’s degree?
Yes, provided it is not a UK master’s degree in TESOL, applied linguistics, English or a related field. A non-UK master’s in these fields does not disqualify you. Holding a doctoral degree in a related field does disqualify you regardless of where it was awarded.
What does the scholarship cover?
Full tuition fees for the one-year MEd TESOL programme, a monthly stipend for accommodation and living costs, and return international travel between your home country and the UK.
When is the deadline?
22 November 2026, for entry to the September 2027 intake.
How many scholarships are awarded?
Up to ten each year. The Trust reserves the right not to award all ten if it does not find enough suitable candidates.
Can I hold this scholarship alongside another award?
Not on equal terms. The Trust states that Hornby Scholarships are not awarded in conjunction with other scholarships, and will only be granted if greater in value than any other award you hold.
Is there an application fee?
No.
Apply
Applications for the 2027/28 A.S. Hornby Educational Trust Scholarship close on 22 November 2026.
hornby-trust.org.uk for the Trust’s own information and background.
exeter.ac.uk/study/funding for the university’s award page and full terms.
This listing was compiled from University of Exeter and A.S. Hornby Educational Trust sources and was last verified on 10 August 2026. The scholarship’s host university has changed in recent years; some third-party sources have not been updated to reflect this. Always confirm current details directly with the Hornby Trust or the University of Exeter before applying. AfriWide Scholarships is not affiliated with the University of Exeter or the A.S. Hornby Educational Trust.