Top 10 Fully Funded Scholarships for International Students (2026/2027 Guide)

Most “fully funded” lists online mix genuine government awards with partial tuition discounts, and they rarely tell you which deadlines have already passed. This guide covers ten programmes that pay tuition plus a living allowance, with the figures and dates checked against the 2026/2027 application cycle. Where a deadline has closed, you will see when the next window is expected so you can plan rather than scramble.

Quick Comparison: Stipends and Application Windows

The table below gives you a one-glance view of each scholarship’s level, monthly allowance, and where the 2026/2027 window stands as of mid-October 2026. Use it to sort which applications need attention this month and which can wait until early 2027.

UK Government Scholarships

1. Chevening Scholarships

Chevening funds one-year master’s degrees at any UK university and is aimed at people with leadership potential rather than pure academic stars. The award pays full tuition, a monthly stipend, return travel to the UK, the visa application cost, and a grant for attending Chevening events. You also need at least two years (2,800 hours) of work experience before applying, which rules out most fresh graduates.

The 2027/2028 round is already closed, since applications ran from 4 August 2026 and shut at midday GMT on 6 October 2026. If you missed it, use the next ten months to build your work hours and draft your four essays early. One condition catches people off guard: Chevening scholars cannot switch to the Graduate Route visa and must agree to return home for two years after the award ends.

2. Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships

This is the more development-focused UK option, open to citizens of lower and middle-income Commonwealth countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Applicants must be permanently resident in an eligible country and hold at least an upper second-class degree by September 2027, or a lower second plus a relevant postgraduate qualification. MBAs and research master’s degrees are not funded under this scheme.

Timing is the biggest friction point right now. The CSC Central portal closes at 16:00 BST on 20 October 2026, and the CSC does not accept applications that skip a national nominating agency. Your country’s nominating body (for Nigerians, the Federal Scholarship Board) often sets an earlier internal deadline, so check that date before assuming you still have time.

European Scholarships

3. Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters

Erasmus Mundus is not one scholarship but a catalogue of joint degrees, each run by a consortium of universities in at least two countries. For 2027 entry, the European Commission announced 37 newly selected programmes on 16 July 2026, adding to well over a hundred existing ones. You move between countries during the degree, which means more visa paperwork but also a wider professional network.

Scholarship holders receive up to €1,400 per month for as long as 24 months, and they pay no tuition or mandatory participation costs. There is no central portal, so you apply directly through each consortium’s own site, and you can apply to a maximum of three programmes in a single academic year. Most programmes accept 2027 applications between October 2026 and January 2027, which makes this the window to act on now.

4. DAAD EPOS (Germany)

EPOS funds development-related postgraduate courses for professionals from developing countries, typically requiring at least two years of relevant work experience. Master’s scholars receive €992 a month plus health, accident, and liability insurance and a travel allowance, with rent and family subsidies possible in some cases. Tuition is waived as well.

The application structure trips up many first-timers. You choose up to three eligible courses and apply directly to each programme, not to DAAD itself. Deadlines are course-specific, and some 2027/2028 courses closed on 15 October 2026, so pull the official EPOS deadline list from daad.de/epos and sort your options by date.

5. Stipendium Hungaricum (Hungary)

Hungary’s government scholarship covers tuition at bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD level for citizens of partner countries, and Nigeria is among them. The catch is the living allowance, which is small for non-doctoral students. Bachelor’s and master’s scholars get HUF 43,700 a month (roughly €110 to €130), plus either a free dormitory place or HUF 40,000 a month toward rent.

You should plan for personal savings or part-time work, because the housing contribution will not cover full rent in larger cities, especially Budapest. Based on the usual cycle, applications are expected to open in November 2026 and close around 15 January 2027 at 14:00 CET. Your home country’s sending partner must also nominate you, so check their separate requirements early.

6. Swedish Institute Scholarships for Global Professionals

SISGP targets early-career professionals with demonstrated leadership experience from a fixed list of eligible countries. The award pays tuition directly to your Swedish university, plus SEK 12,000 a month for living costs and a SEK 15,000 travel grant for most nationalities. Work and leadership evidence carry real weight in selection, so a strong academic transcript alone will not carry you.

The two-step process is where people lose out. You must first apply to an eligible master’s programme through University Admissions in Sweden, and the scholarship does not reimburse that application fee. Last cycle’s university admissions window ran from 16 October 2025 to 15 January 2026, with the SI portal open for just two weeks in February, so expect your university application to be due by mid-January 2027.

Asian Government Scholarships

7. MEXT Scholarship (Japan)

Japan’s government scholarship supports undergraduate, research (master’s and PhD), and several specialist categories, mostly through the Embassy Recommendation track. For 2027 research students, monthly payments are ¥143,000 during preparatory study, ¥144,000 in regular master’s programmes, and ¥145,000 at doctoral level. Undergraduate scholars receive ¥117,000 per month.

MEXT runs a year ahead of most scholarships, so you apply in one year for entry the following year. Embassy deadlines for the 2027 intake fell mostly between April and early June 2026, meaning your realistic target now is 2028 entry. Use the gap to contact Japanese professors and draft a focused research plan, since interviewers ask about your research plan, why Japan, your chosen university, and your plans after graduation.

8. Global Korea Scholarship (GKS)

GKS covers tuition, airfare, Korean language training, and a monthly allowance through two routes: the Embassy Track and the University Track. Age limits are under 25 for undergraduate applicants and under 40 for graduate programmes. Each country has a quota under the Embassy Track, which can make some nationalities far more competitive than others.

The undergraduate Embassy Track for 2027 closed on 30 September 2026 at 18:00 Seoul time, but the graduate call has not been released yet. The graduate cycle usually opens around February, and recent summaries list the graduate monthly stipend at KRW 900,000. Confirm the exact allowance in the official NIIED notice when it drops, as figures have shifted between cycles.

9. Türkiye Bursları (Turkey)

Turkey’s scholarship is one of the most accessible for applicants without IELTS, since many programmes are taught in Turkish after a funded preparatory year. The most recently published monthly stipends are TL 4,500 for bachelor’s students, TL 6,500 for master’s, and TL 9,000 for PhD, alongside tuition, accommodation, health insurance, and flights. Given Turkish inflation, check whether YTB revises these figures in the 2027 call.

The 2027 window is expected to run from 10 January to 20 February 2027 through the TBBS portal, and applying is free. You get one application per cycle but can list up to 12 university and programme preferences, so research your choices carefully. Age caps apply too: undergraduate applicants must be under 21, with higher limits for master’s and doctoral candidates.

North American Option

10. Fulbright Foreign Student Program (USA)

Fulbright funds graduate study in the United States and is run country by country through US embassies or binational Fulbright commissions. Funding typically covers tuition, a living stipend, airfare, and health coverage, although exact amounts depend on your host university and country agreement. Many grantees enter on a J-1 visa that carries a two-year home residency requirement, so read the visa terms before accepting.

Because each country sets its own calendar, there is no single global deadline. Some countries open applications in February and close by May, while others work on a different timeline entirely. Bookmark your local US embassy’s education page and check the Fulbright foreign student portal for your country’s current notice.

How to Pick Your Shortlist This Cycle

Applying to all ten is not realistic, and it usually produces ten weak applications. A better approach is to match each programme’s eligibility rules against your profile before writing a single essay.

These are the questions that will quickly narrow your list:

• Do you have two or more years of work experience?If not, Chevening, DAAD EPOS, and SISGP are likely out for now.
• Is your degree classification a 2:1 or higher?Commonwealth and several Erasmus Mundus consortia filter heavily on this.
• Can you handle a language preparatory year?MEXT, GKS, and Türkiye Bursları often include one, adding a year to your timeline.
• Do you need a stipend that fully covers living costs?Stipendium Hungaricum will likely require extra personal funds.

Once you have three to five realistic targets, map their deadlines on one calendar. Documents like translated transcripts, police clearance, and medical certificates can take weeks to process, so start them before you finalise any essay.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which fully funded scholarships are still open in October 2026?

The Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships close on 20 October 2026, and several DAAD EPOS courses still accept applications into November. Most Erasmus Mundus programmes open between October 2026 and January 2027, with Stipendium Hungaricum expected to open in November.

Can I apply for a fully funded scholarship without IELTS?

Yes, several options accept alternatives. Türkiye Bursları and GKS place many students in language preparatory years, and some Erasmus Mundus consortia accept a medium of instruction letter, though each programme sets its own rule.

Is there an age limit for fully funded scholarships?

It depends on the programme. GKS caps undergraduate applicants at under 25 and graduate applicants at under 40, while Türkiye Bursları requires undergraduates to be under 21, and Erasmus Mundus has no age limit at all.

Can I apply to Chevening and Commonwealth in the same year?

You can apply to both, but you cannot accept both awards. Many applicants submit to each because the eligibility criteria and selection focus differ, with Chevening emphasising leadership and Commonwealth emphasising development impact.

Do I need university admission before applying for these scholarships?

For Chevening and Commonwealth, you can apply before securing admission, but you must hold an unconditional offer later in the process. For SISGP and DAAD EPOS, your university or course application is part of the scholarship process from the start.

Which scholarship has the highest monthly stipend?

Among these ten, Erasmus Mundus pays the highest fixed rate at up to €1,400 a month. Chevening and Commonwealth stipends are also generous but are set at UK rates that vary between London and other cities.