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There are hundreds of government grants available for small businesses – saving you money, lowering start up costs and helping grow your business. Read our guide to finding and getting a government grant for your new business.
Government grants for new businesses in the UK cover a range of awards – from saving money on premises and rates, through to buying cheap plant or IT equipment. Grants come in a number of forms, with over 200 government grants for small businesses available across the UK.

While there are lots of grants available, getting a small business grant from the government can be a challenge. Government grants are often complex with lots of processes and stages, and each grant will have its own requirements and criteria for applying.

Most small business grants are awarded to help launch a start up or new business, with the aim to generate jobs and stimulate the economy. There are fewer grants available for more established businesses. Here’s our guide to applying for a government grant for a new business.

1. Where to find government grants for new businesses
Government grants are available for UK businesses, as well as via the Welsh and Northern Ireland Assemblies, and from the Scottish Parliament. If you’re starting a UK business, begin with the useful Business Finance Support Finder. The Welsh government has access to a similar list of grants at its Business Grants website. Enterprise Ireland has access to funding for small businesses up to larger enterprises, while the Scottish government’s Funding Opportunities website provides access to over 600 grants and funding options.

2. What type of new business grants are available?
Government grants are available in all kinds of forms – from reduced costs and free equipment, to cash awards to help your new business grow. Generally, government grants are either a direct grant, equity finance or a soft loan.

• Direct grant – this is money given to your new business to cover start-up essentials such as training, investment in equipment, or reaching new markets such as overseas exports. Most grants will expect your business to provide 50% of the value of the grant, but funds of up to £0.5m are available depending on your business sector.

• Equity finance – not strictly a grant, some schemes such as the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme offer up to 50% reduction in income tax on investments made in new businesses up to £100,000. Businesses have to be less than two years old and have fewer than 25 employees.

• Soft loan – These are similar to grants, but are actually loans with lower interest rates and more generous terms than can be found via other lending routes. Backed by the government, the Start Up Loans scheme offers personal loans of up to £25,000 with a 6% interest rate and access to free business support and mentoring.

3. How do I apply for a government business grant?
Each scheme is different, but check you meet the general terms and criteria before you get too far into the application process. Most grants are very specialist, such as creating a specific type of business or building a business that will help regenerate a local community. Here are our tips of successfully applying for a new business grant.

• Talk to the grant body – talk to the grant awards body to assess your chances of making a successful application.

• Read the grant objectives – take time to learn why this grant is being awarded and what it aims to achieve, such as hiring staff from a local community or developing environmentally friendly products. Write your application referring to the objectives as closely as possible to stand the best chance.

• Have a great business plan – as with other types of funding, the awards body for the grant will expect to see a professional business plan and, if you’ve started trading, examples of your business position and balance sheet.

• Focus on the grant use – grants are usually awarded for a specific project, such as buying IT equipment or funding broadband installation. Use the application to show how this will help grow your business and benefit others, rather than on the (in this case) IT equipment itself.

• Check your funding – most grants will look to match the amount you’re willing to invest, so if you’re seeking a grant of £10,000 then make sure you’ve a matching amount available.

• Start applying early – you’ve a better chance of receiving a grant if you apply when a scheme first launches. Grants may have a limited pot of money to invest – early on, there’s simply more funding available and less competition to get it.

As an international student, you won’t be eligible for funding intended specifically for US nationals. However, as US universities prioritize internationalization, the number of international scholarships to study in the US has grown. There are also some US universities that offer need-blind admission to international students.

Below is a selection of US scholarships for international students, some funded by the US government, some funded by private organizations and some funded by specific institutions. Good luck with your applications!

Government-funded US scholarships for international students
Fulbright Foreign Student Program – Perhaps the most popular government-funded US scholarships for international students, Fulbright offers scholarships for graduate students, young professionals and artists to study in the US for one year or more. Open to international students in all fields excluding medicine.
Hubert Humphrey Fellowship Program – This is a non-degree scholarship program for international, experienced professionals wishing to undertake 10 months of academic study in the US. Although the funding doesn’t support degree qualifications, students are able to study and develop their knowledge at academic institutions across the nation.
Non-governmental US scholarships for international students
#YouAreWelcomeHere Scholarship – International scholarships aimed at all overseas students studying any subject at a participating college or university in the US (of which there are 57). You should submit an essay or video demonstrate your interest and initiative in promoting intercultural learning and exchange. (The deadline for Fall 2019 entry has passed, applications will open for the 2020 round in May 2019.)
Abbey Road Summer Scholarships – Abbey Road are offering US scholarships worth US$1,000 for language and art students, as well as US$500 fellowships for “summer enrichment” at institutions within the states.
Civil Society Leadership Awards – Fully-funded scholarships are available for students from eligible countries to study in the US or another host country at master’s level.
David P. Shapiro Autism Scholarship – A scholarship worth US$1,000 open to current or prospective students in the US diagnosed with autism.
Preply Scholarship – Three winners will receive an award of up to $2,000. Open to all students (domestic and international, and at any study level) aged between 16 and 35. To enter, you’ll need to submit a 500-word essay related to online education, multilingualism, and professional development.
Surfshark Privacy and Security Scholarship – A $2,000 prize is available to a student currently enrolled in the US or another study destination as a high school, undergraduate or graduate student. You will need to submit an essay to apply and the scholarship is open to all nationalities.
Tortuga Backpacks Study Abroad Scholarship – Awarded twice a year to passionate international students wishing to study in the US. Worth US$1,000.
For Asian students:

East-West Center Scholarships and Fellowships – Scholarships to study in the US within selected institutions, aimed at international students from the Asia-Pacific region.
Japan-United States Friendship Commission – An initiative run by Japan and the US, this commission offers grant programs to Japanese students wishing to study in the US (and vice versa).
Wesleyan Freeman Asian Scholarship Program – Scholarships for 11 exceptional Asian students to study in the US at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. Covers the full cost of tuition and student fees.
For Australian students:

Fulbright Program – The Australian-American Fulbright Commission offers scholarships to Australian citizens across all career stages. Awardees take part in an academic and cultural exchange, pursuing research or study at a U.S. institution, experiencing life abroad and bringing back their knowledge and experience to share with their communities in Australia.
For female students:

AAUW International Fellowships – Fellowships offered by the American Association of University Women for female international students to study in the US.
Bat and Ball Game Women’s Sports Scholarship – A scholarship offering $1,000 to a woman currently studying a sports-related degree at any US university.
MIT-Zaragoza Women in Logistics and SCM Scholarship – US scholarships for female students of any age, ethnicity or nationality, to study at the Zaragoza Logistics Center at MIT.
More scholarships for minority female students are listed here.
For graduate students:

Rotary Peace Fellowships – Scholarships to study in the US awarded to master’s degree students studying within one of Rotary’s Peace Centers (such as at Duke University or the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill).
For students from developing countries:

Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Programme – Scholarships for postgraduate international students hailing from countries in Africa.

MasterCard Foundation Scholarships – Scholarships for African students to study in the US and Africa.
For more scholarships for students from developing regions, visit this listing.
University-specific US scholarships for international students
American University Emerging Global Leader Scholarship – Undergraduate scholarships to study in the US at American University in Washington DC. Aimed at international students who are showing leadership potential.
Brandeis University Wien International Scholarship Program – Funding opportunity for high-achieving students with an interest in student community contribution.
Clark University Global Scholars Program – Scholarships of no less than US$10,000 as well as a guaranteed $2,500 taxable stipend for a paid internship are available for first-year international applicants.

Emory University Needs-Based Scholarship Program – Funding opportunities for international students at Emory University. Students must demonstrate financial need.
Harvard University Scholarships – Harvard offers a range of (very competitive) international scholarships for students from all over the globe.
Illinois State University International Awards – Illinois State offers tuition waivers, merit awards and graduate assistantships to incoming international students.
Iowa State University International Merit Scholarships – Merit-based scholarship program for high-achieving international students.
Michigan State University International Scholarships – Various grants and scholarships for international students to study in the US at MSU.
New York University Wagner International Scholarships – US scholarships to study at NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.
University of Arkansas International Scholarships – Funding opportunities for international students of varying backgrounds and nationalities.
University of Iowa Scholarships for International First Year Students – Various scholarships for international students starting their first year in Autumn 2017.
University of Minnesota International Scholarships – Offers a Global Excellence Scholarship, as well as the #YouAreWelcomeHere Scholarship, a renewable scholarship which offers $15,000 per year.
University of Oregon International Scholarships – US scholarships to study at the University of Oregon, aimed at international students from around the world.
University of Wisconsin Superior Non-resident Tuition Waiver Program – Tuition waiver for international students demonstrating financial need at the University of Wisconsin.
For further advice and funding opportunities, consider contacting the public affairs department at the US embassy in the capital city of your home country. Often an educational advisor will be on hand to provide you with funding resources and further scholarship information. You could also download our complete guide on How To Find Scholarships To Study Abroad.