Top 10 fully funded scholarships for international students

A fully funded scholarship is the difference between studying abroad and only thinking about it. Tuition is only part of the bill. Rent, flights, visas and health insurance can cost as much again, and those are the costs that most partial awards leave to you.

The ten scholarships below cover tuition (or there is none to pay) and give you money to live on. At the top is DAAD, Germany’s academic exchange service, which funds master’s, PhD and postdoctoral study through many separate programmes. Between them they are open to applicants from almost every country, though some are limited to certain regions.

Each entry says who can apply, what is paid and when the next deadline is. We checked every detail on the official website on October 30, 2026. Deadlines move each year, so confirm them on the official page before you start an application.

The list at a glance

#	Scholarship	Where	Level	Next deadline
1	DAAD Scholarships	Germany	Master’s, PhD, Postdoc	Depends on programme
2	MEXT Japanese Government Scholarship	Japan	Undergraduate to PhD	Set by embassy or university
3	Global Korea Scholarship	South Korea	Undergraduate to PhD	Not announced yet
4	Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme	Hong Kong	PhD	December 1, 2026
5	ETH Zurich Excellence Scholarship (ESOP)	Switzerland	Master’s	November 30, 2026
6	University of Melbourne Graduate Research Scholarships	Australia	Research master’s, PhD	With your course application
7	Heinrich Böll Foundation Scholarships	Germany	Master’s, PhD	March 1, 2027
8	Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships	United Kingdom	Master’s	Not announced yet
9	Government of Ireland International Education Scholarships	Ireland	Master’s, PhD	Not announced yet
10	Rotary Peace Fellowship	Several countries	Master’s	Opens February 2027

1. DAAD Scholarships (Germany)

The German Academic Exchange Service funds graduate study and research in Germany. It pays a monthly allowance (the official page gives examples of 992 EUR for students and 1,300 EUR for doctoral candidates), a travel allowance, and often health insurance.

• Who can apply: graduates, doctoral candidates and postdocs from abroad. Some programmes are only for applicants from developing and emerging countries.
• Deadline: each programme has its own; search the DAAD scholarship database for yours.
• Why it ranks first: it covers three levels of study, almost every nationality and many fields, through many separate calls each year.

Read the full DAAD listing

2. MEXT Japanese Government Scholarship (Japan)

Japan’s government scholarship waives tuition and pays a monthly stipend and round-trip airfare. It has categories from undergraduate to research students.

• Who can apply: international students recommended by a Japanese embassy or consulate, or by a Japanese partner university. Places and rules vary by country.
• Deadline: embassy applicants follow their local embassy’s schedule; university applicants follow the university’s.
• Why it ranks here: it fully funds undergraduate degrees as well as graduate study, though you need a recommendation first.

Read the full MEXT listing

3. Global Korea Scholarship (South Korea)

The Korean government covers airfare, one year of Korean language training, tuition and a monthly allowance.

• Who can apply: non-Korean applicants whose parents are also non-Korean. Undergraduate applicants must be under 25 and graduate applicants under 40, with strong grades (around 80% or above).
• Deadline: the graduate track is usually announced in February and the undergraduate track in September. Exact dates change each year.
• Why it ranks here: full funding at every level, plus a year of language study before the degree.

Read the full GKS listing

4. Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (Hong Kong)

Hong Kong’s Research Grants Council funds PhD study at eight Hong Kong universities. The stipend is HK$344,400 a year for 2026/27, plus a travel allowance, for up to three years.

• Who can apply: new full-time PhD applicants of any nationality. Selection looks at academic excellence, research ability, communication and leadership.
• Deadline: December 1, 2026 (12:00 noon Hong Kong time for the fellowship application).
• Why it ranks here: open to every nationality with one of the highest PhD stipends on this list, and the deadline is soon.

Read the full HKPFS listing

5. ETH Zurich Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme (Switzerland)

ETH Zurich covers living and study costs (CHF 13,500 per semester from autumn 2027) and waives tuition for the whole master’s.

• Who can apply: top-performing bachelor’s graduates (roughly the top 10%) applying for an ETH master’s, with a thesis pre-proposal and professor references.
• Deadline: November 30, 2026, for a master’s starting in autumn 2027.
• Why it ranks here: generous funding at one of the world’s leading technical universities, but very competitive.

Read the full ESOP listing

6. University of Melbourne Graduate Research Scholarships (Australia)

Melbourne offers a full fee offset, a yearly living stipend and a relocation grant for research master’s and PhD students.

• Who can apply: domestic and international applicants admitted to a graduate research degree, on merit.
• Deadline: there is no separate scholarship application; you are considered automatically when you apply for your course by its closing date.
• Why it ranks here: no extra application, and open to all nationalities.

Read the full Melbourne listing

7. Heinrich Böll Foundation Scholarships (Germany)

This German foundation pays a monthly allowance for master’s and PhD study in Germany (992 EUR for master’s students and 1,500 EUR for doctoral candidates), with support for health insurance and possible reimbursement of tuition and language courses (Heinrich Böll Foundation).

• Who can apply: students from developing (DAC list) countries who completed their previous degree abroad. Applicants not yet living in Germany get priority. German at B2 level (or DSH II) is required (application flyer).
• Deadline: March 1, 2027 for the spring round (opens January 15). There is a second round from July 15 to September 1, 2027.
• Why it ranks here: two application rounds a year, but limited to applicants from certain countries and you need good German.

Read the full Heinrich Böll listing

8. Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships (United Kingdom)

The UK funds a one-year taught master’s at a UK university, covering tuition, return airfare and a monthly stipend.

• Who can apply: citizens and residents of eligible Commonwealth countries with at least a 2:1 degree (or equivalent) who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK. You apply through a nominating agency in your country.
• Deadline: the 2027/28 round closed on October 20, 2026; the next round’s dates are not yet published.
• Why it ranks here: full UK funding, but only for Commonwealth countries and through a nomination step.

Read the full Commonwealth listing

9. Government of Ireland International Education Scholarships (Ireland)

Ireland gives a 10,000 EUR stipend and a full fee waiver from the host institution for one year of study.

• Who can apply: students from outside the EU/EEA, Switzerland and the UK with an offer from an eligible Irish institution for master’s or PhD study.
• Deadline: the 2026 call closed on March 12, 2026; the next call is not yet published.
• Why it ranks here: open to most of the world, but it funds one year only, so it suits one-year master’s courses best.

Read the full Ireland listing

10. Rotary Peace Fellowship (several countries)

Rotary funds master’s degrees in peace and development at partner universities, covering tuition, room and board, travel and field-study costs.

• Who can apply: professionals with work experience in peace or development and a commitment to community and international service.
• Deadline: the 2028-29 application opens in February 2027.
• Why it ranks here: fully funded and open internationally, but you need relevant work experience first.

Read the full Rotary listing

How we ranked them

This is an editorial ranking, not a formula. We weighed three things: how many levels of study it funds, how complete the funding is (tuition, living costs and travel) and how open it is (which nationalities can apply, and whether extra steps such as nominations, recommendations or a second language are needed). No single factor decides the order, so a scholarship that funds several levels can sit above one that is more open but funds only a PhD. No scholarship or university paid to be included or to rank higher.

Some well-known programs, such as Chevening, Fulbright and Erasmus Mundus, are not in this list yet because we are still checking their latest details against the official pages.

Frequently asked questions

What does “fully funded” mean?

It means the scholarship pays your tuition (or the university charges none) and gives you a living allowance. Many also pay for flights and health insurance, but check each official page, because what is included differs.

Can I apply for more than one of these?

In many cases, yes, but some scholarships have rules about applying to or holding other awards at the same time. Read the conditions on each official page.

Do I need an English test?

Most English-taught programs ask for proof of English, and the scholarships follow the university’s rules. Some accept other evidence, such as a previous degree taught in English. See our guide to IELTS, TOEFL and the Duolingo English Test.

Are these scholarships open to students from every country?

Some are, such as the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship and Melbourne’s graduate research scholarships. Others are limited: Commonwealth scholarships to Commonwealth countries, Heinrich Böll to developing countries. Each entry above says who can apply.

Before you apply

Most of these scholarships ask for a motivation letter or personal statement. Read our guide on how to write a scholarship motivation letter, and check which English test your university accepts in IELTS vs TOEFL vs Duolingo English Test.

Browse every listing, sorted by the soonest deadline, on our Scholarships page.