Study abroad scholarships

Scholarships for study abroad come from four main places: governments, universities, programme providers and private foundations. The biggest awards are competitive, but many smaller grants receive surprisingly few applications. A systematic search beats a single long-shot application.

1. Government scholarships

Many governments fund international students to study in their country, both to build ties and to attract talent. Others fund their own citizens to go abroad. The best-known programmes include:

• Fulbright Program: US Government's flagship exchange programme for graduate study, research and teaching abroad.
• Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship: US Department of State award for Pell Grant recipients studying or interning abroad.
• Boren Awards: Funding for US students studying less commonly taught languages in regions important to US security.
• Chevening Scholarships: UK Government scholarships for one-year master's degrees at any UK university.
• Commonwealth Scholarships: Commonwealth Scholarship Commission awards for master's and PhD study in the UK.
• Erasmus+: The EU's programme for education, training, youth and sport, funding exchanges at partner universities.
• Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters: Catalogue of joint master's degrees taught across several countries, many with full scholarships.
• Eiffel Excellence Scholarship: French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs scholarship for international master's and PhD students at French institutions.
• Marshall Scholarships: Funding for high-achieving Americans to study graduate degrees in the UK.
• Rhodes Scholarships: Postgraduate scholarships at the University of Oxford for students from many countries.
• Gates Cambridge: Full-cost postgraduate scholarships at Cambridge for applicants from outside the UK.
• US-UK Fulbright Commission: Fulbright awards and summer institutes between the UK and the US, plus free advice on studying in the US.
• Australia Awards: Australian Government scholarships for students from partner countries in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
• Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships: New Zealand Government scholarships for students from eligible developing countries.
• Swedish Institute Scholarships: Scholarships for global professionals from eligible countries to take master's degrees in Sweden.

Several national study portals also run their own awards, including Germany’s DAAD, Japan’s MEXT scholarship, the Global Korea Scholarship and Stipendium Hungaricum. You will find the official portal on each country page.

2. Your own university

Ask your study abroad office about travel grants, departmental awards and exchange funding. Exchanges often let you pay home tuition while studying abroad, which is a form of scholarship in itself.

3. The host university

Universities that welcome visiting students sometimes offer fee reductions or merit awards, especially for full-degree students. Look on the international or admissions pages of each university on our country pages.

4. Programme providers

Most of the large providers, including CIEE, IES Abroad, AIFS Abroad and CEA CAPA, run need-based and merit scholarships, and some match university or government awards. Check each provider’s website for deadlines, which are often earlier than programme deadlines.

How to write a stronger application

• Answer the funder’s question. Government awards care about leadership and links between countries; provider grants care about access and diversity.
• Be specific. Name the courses, people or places that make this programme the right one for you.
• Show what happens next. Explain how the experience feeds into your studies, career or community.
• Apply widely. Five small grants can add up to more than one large one.