Santander | British Council Online English Course 2026
Banco Santander and the British Council are launching the second call of the Santander | British Council Online English Course 2026, with 10,000 fully funded scholarships to study English online.
Applications for 2026/27 are open until Tuesday 25 August 2026, 11.59pm BST.
If you are looking to strengthen your English, Santander Bank and the British Council are offering 10,000 places on an online English course so that you can improve your English skills from home and at your own pace.
A range of levels is offered, from A1 to C1. In the course, you can expect:
- 100% online and free of charge
- Flexible learning
- Content focused on social and professional English, grammar and pronunciation
- An opportunity to enhance your academic and career prospects
Learn more about this opportunity
Santander | British Council Online English Course 2026 contact details
British Council Programme Manager
santanderopenacademy@britishcouncil.org
Eligibility
Open to students from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Germany, Mexico, Peru, Portugal, Poland, Spain, United Kingdom, USA and Uruguay.
You must be over the age of 18 at the time of registration. Applications are open to anyone of that age and above residing in the countries mentioned.
You don't need to have a university degree or be a Santander customer to apply.
You will need good internet facilities and a computer to complete the course (although it is possible to access on a mobile phone or iPad, it is recommended to use a laptop or computer).
How to apply
Application deadline: Tuesday 25 August 2026, 11.59pm BST
The results will be emailed to all applicants (successful or unsuccessful) from Thursday 3 September 2026. Students will only have a few days to accept the place. If not accepted, the place will be awarded to another student on the waiting list. It is very important to regularly check your email from 3 September onwards.
How we allocate
Selection criteria for Phase 1
- Compliance with the eligibility criteria.
- Students with the best results from the assessment test* will be selected. This is not an English level assessment. We recommend that you take the test in your native language.
*Selection is based on the tests that you do, called psychometrics. These provide an objective, standardised, and resource effective method of assessment. These assessments have been designed by a company specialized in this area, and in line with best practice, meeting the standards set by the British Psychological Society and the European Federation of Psychologists Association.
Selection criteria for Phase 2
The British Council will consider the following performance indicators (in this order of importance):
- Progress made (total online exercises completed) during phase 1
- Dates and time of completion of the online exercise lessons
- Grades on online exercises
- Number of Live 25s attended
Terms and conditions
For full terms and conditions, please visit the Santander Open Academy website.