Fully Funded Scholarships 2026: Global List for International Students

A fully funded scholarship pays for your whole degree — tuition, living costs, flights and health insurance — so you can study abroad without taking on debt. This guide lists 12 of the best fully funded scholarships for international students in 2026, with what each one covers, who can apply, and when to apply. Several 2026–27 rounds have already closed, so we mark each scholarship as open, closing soon, or preparing for its next cycle — and every figure below was checked against official sources on 9 November 2026. Always confirm the current deadline on the programme’s own website before you apply.

What “Fully Funded” Actually Covers

Not every scholarship that calls itself “fully funded” covers the same things. Before you apply, check that the award includes all five of these:

• Full tuition fees for the whole programme, not just the first year
• A monthly living allowance (stipend) for rent, food and transport
• Return airfare between your home country and the host country
• Health insurance for the full study period
• A settling-in or research allowance for books, materials and initial costs

If a scholarship covers tuition only, it is a tuition waiver, not a full scholarship — you would still need to fund your living costs, which can run to €10,000–€15,000 a year in Europe and far more in the USA or UK. Every programme in this list covers tuition plus living costs, which is why they are the most competitive scholarships in the world. Expect acceptance rates of 1–5% for the biggest names, and plan to apply to five or more programmes to spread your chances.

Fully Funded Scholarships 2026 at a Glance

Scholarship	Country	Level	Monthly value	Status for 2026–27
Fulbright Foreign Student Program	USA	Master’s, PhD	Full costs + stipend	Varies by country
Chevening	UK	Master’s	Full costs + allowance	Closed Oct 2026; next cycle Aug 2027
Gates Cambridge	UK	Master’s, PhD	Full costs	Closes 8 Dec 2026 / 6 Jan 2027
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters	Europe	Master’s	€1,400/month	Closes Dec 2026–Feb 2027
DAAD Scholarships	Germany	Master’s, PhD	€992–€1,400/month	Varies by programme
Australia Awards	Australia	Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD	Full costs + allowance	Closed Apr 2026; next opens Feb 2027
MEXT	Japan	Undergraduate, Master’s, PhD	Full costs + allowance	Embassy round opens Apr–May 2027
Türkiye Burslari	Türkiye	Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD	Full costs + stipend	Expected ~20 Feb 2027
Stipendium Hungaricum	Hungary	Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD	Tuition + stipend	Usually opens Nov, closes mid-Jan
NAWA Banach	Poland	Master’s	Tuition + stipend	See our NAWA guide
Knight-Hennessy Scholars	USA (Stanford)	Master’s, PhD	Full costs + stipend	Closed Oct 2026; next cycle opens 2027
Commonwealth Scholarships	UK	Master’s, PhD	Full costs + stipend	Usually closes December

1. Fulbright Foreign Student Program — USA

Fulbright is the United States government’s flagship exchange programme, running in more than 160 countries. It covers full tuition, a monthly living stipend, return airfare, health insurance, textbooks and visa costs for a master’s or PhD at a US university. If you are aiming for the USA, start with our guide to Scholarships in the USA for International Students to see how Fulbright compares with university-funded awards, and read our F-1 Student Visa USA Guide so you understand the visa you will need after you win it.

Deadlines are set country by country, typically between February and October of the year before you start, and you apply through the US embassy or Fulbright commission in your home country — not directly to a US university. Most recipients travel on a J-1 visa, which carries a two-year home-residency requirement after graduation. Apply at foreign.fulbrightonline.org.

2. Chevening Scholarships — UK

Chevening is the UK government’s global scholarship for future leaders, funding a one-year master’s degree at any eligible UK university. It pays full tuition, a monthly living allowance, return flights, an arrival allowance and your visa fee. There is no age limit, but you need at least 2,800 hours of work experience — roughly two years — and you must return home for at least two years after your degree.

Applications for 2027 entry closed in early October 2026, so the next window opens in August 2027. Use the waiting time well: Chevening selects on leadership and influence, so build the work experience and the four short essays the application demands. Apply at chevening.org.

3. Gates Cambridge Scholarships — UK

Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Gates Cambridge pays the full cost of a postgraduate degree at the University of Cambridge — tuition, a maintenance allowance, airfare, visa costs and health insurance — for around 80 scholars a year from outside the UK. You apply through the Cambridge graduate application itself, with a separate Gates section, and your academic department nominates you.

For 2027 entry, the deadline is 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027, depending on your course. This is one of the few fully funded awards still open in late 2026, so if Cambridge is on your list, move quickly. Check your course’s exact deadline on the university website before you submit.

4. Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters — Europe

Erasmus Mundus is the European Union’s flagship joint master’s programme: you study at two or three universities in different European countries and graduate with a joint or multiple degree. The scholarship pays your full tuition, health insurance, travel costs and a monthly allowance of €1,400 for up to 24 months — about €33,600 in total. There is no age limit and all nationalities can apply.

Each programme sets its own deadline, and most close between December 2026 and February 2027 for entry in autumn 2027 — for example, Mundus MAPP (public policy) closes 1 December 2026 and several programmes close in mid-January or mid-February 2027. You apply directly to the programme consortium, and you can apply to a maximum of three Erasmus Mundus programmes per year. Browse the catalogue at erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu.

5. DAAD Scholarships — Germany

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is the world’s largest funding organisation for academic exchange, and its scholarships are a natural fit if you want to study in Germany, where public universities already charge little or no tuition. Its Development-Related Postgraduate Courses (EPOS) programme pays graduates €992 a month and doctoral candidates €1,300 a month, rising to €1,400 from February 2026, plus health insurance, a travel allowance and, in some cases, a rent subsidy and family allowance. EPOS is aimed at graduates from developing countries with at least two years of professional experience.

DAAD also runs study scholarships for master’s degrees and research grants for PhD students, with deadlines set per programme — many fall between August and November. Because deadlines are decentralised, search the DAAD scholarship database for your subject and apply to the programme itself. Start at daad.de.

6. Australia Awards Scholarships — Australia

Australia Awards is the Australian government’s flagship programme for students from partner countries across Africa and the Indo-Pacific. It is one of the most complete packages anywhere: full tuition, return economy airfare, a one-off establishment allowance, a fortnightly contribution to living expenses, full health cover and a pre-study academic programme on arrival. Most recipients must return home for at least two years after finishing.

The 2027 intake closed on 30 April 2026, and the 2028 intake is expected to open in February 2027. Country rules differ — some countries fund master’s degrees only, others include bachelor’s and PhD — so check your country’s profile on the official site and prepare your documents now. Applications go through the OASIS portal, and no agent or fee is ever required.

7. MEXT Scholarship — Japan

The Japanese government’s MEXT scholarship funds undergraduate, master’s and PhD study in Japan, covering full tuition, a monthly allowance, return airfare and a preparatory year of language study if you need it. There are two routes in: Embassy Recommendation, where you apply to the Japanese embassy in your home country, and University Recommendation, where a Japanese university nominates you.

The embassy round for 2027 arrival has closed — embassies recruited between April and June 2026 — and the next embassy round is expected to open in April–May 2027 for 2028 arrival. If Japan is your target, use the months ahead to prepare for the embassy’s written exams and interview, and to shortlist universities for your letter of acceptance.

8. Türkiye Burslari Scholarships — Türkiye

Türkiye Burslari is the Turkish government’s full scholarship for international students at all levels, covering tuition, a monthly stipend, free dormitory accommodation, health insurance, return flights, a one-year Turkish language course and a one-off payment on arrival. It is one of the few fully funded programmes that covers bachelor’s degrees generously, and it accepts applications from almost every country.

The deadline is expected around 20 February 2027 for entry in autumn 2027. Applications are made online in one window for all levels, and you can list up to 12 university and programme choices in a single application — a rare chance to hedge across institutions without writing twelve separate applications.

9. Stipendium Hungaricum — Hungary

Hungary’s Stipendium Hungaricum programme funds bachelor’s, master’s, one-tier master’s and PhD study at Hungarian universities, covering full tuition, a monthly stipend, dormitory accommodation or a housing contribution, and medical insurance. It runs through bilateral agreements, so you apply via your home country’s sending partner as well as the Hungarian portal.

Applications usually open in November and close in mid-January for entry the following September. If you are considering Central Europe, this is worth pairing with a Polish application — see our Study in Poland guide for how a lower-cost European degree compares.

10. NAWA Banach Scholarship — Poland

Poland’s own flagship award, the NAWA Banach Scholarship, funds a full master’s degree at a Polish university for students from developing countries, covering tuition and a monthly stipend. It is the best-funded route into Polish higher education and the natural complement to a self-funded application — if you are weighing Poland against the USA or UK, read our full NAWA Banach Scholarship guide and our Study in Poland guide before you decide.

11. Knight-Hennessy Scholars — Stanford University, USA

Knight-Hennessy funds up to three years of graduate study at Stanford University in any discipline, covering full tuition, a living stipend, travel and academic enrichment funding. You must apply separately to both Knight-Hennessy and your Stanford graduate programme, and the two applications run on different timelines — a common reason strong candidates miss out.

Applications for 2027 entry closed on 6 October 2026. The next cycle opens in 2027, and because Stanford’s own departmental deadlines fall in November and December, you need to start your Stanford application months before the Knight-Hennessy deadline.

12. Commonwealth Scholarships — UK

Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Commonwealth Scholarships support master’s and PhD students from Commonwealth countries, covering tuition, a living allowance, airfare, a thesis grant and study travel. Master’s scholarships usually close in December, and PhD awards follow a separate timeline, with applications made through a national nominating agency in your home country or directly through the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission.

If the UK is your destination, also read our FAFSA Guide — US federal aid does not apply to UK study, but the guide explains how to compare funding packages and avoid borrowing more than you need.

How to Plan Your Scholarship Applications

Winning a fully funded scholarship is a project, not a single application. Work on this timeline:

1. 18 months before entry: shortlist 5–8 scholarships across at least two countries, and note every deadline in one calendar. Include one ambitious award (Fulbright, Chevening, Gates) and one less competitive one (DAAD, Türkiye Burslari, NAWA Banach).
2. 12 months before: sit your English test (IELTS or TOEFL) — most programmes want a score at least a year before departure, and a strong score is often the first filter.
3. 9 months before: ask your referees for recommendation letters and give them your CV, your draft essays and the deadline. Referees who are rushed write generic letters.
4. 6 months before: write your statement of purpose and leadership essays, and tailor every one to the programme’s values — Chevening wants leadership, Erasmus Mundus wants mobility and academic fit, DAAD wants development impact.
5. 3 months before: submit early. Portals crash on deadline day, and a missing transcript or a referee who never submits will sink an otherwise perfect application.

Apply in parallel, not in sequence: the same IELTS score, transcripts and recommendation letters can serve five applications, and your odds rise sharply with each extra submission.

5 Mistakes That Cost Applicants Their Scholarship

1. Applying to one scholarship only. The biggest awards accept 1–5% of applicants. A single application is a lottery ticket; five is a strategy.
2. Missing the country-specific deadline. Fulbright, Australia Awards and Commonwealth deadlines all vary by country. The global date on a blog is not your deadline — your embassy’s date is.
3. Using the same essay everywhere. Selection panels read thousands of essays. An essay that never mentions the programme’s values or the host country reads as a copy-paste and is scored accordingly.
4. Weak recommendation letters. A letter from a professor who barely knows you loses to a detailed letter from a supervisor who can describe your actual work. Choose referees who know you, not referees with famous titles.
5. Ignoring the return-home rule. Fulbright, Chevening and Australia Awards all require you to return home for two years after your degree. If you plan to stay abroad permanently, say so honestly — or pick a programme without that condition, such as Erasmus Mundus or DAAD.

Frequently Asked Questions

Deadlines, stipends and eligibility rules change every cycle. Figures in this article were checked against official programme websites on 9 November 2026 — always confirm the current details on the programme’s own site before you apply.