Studying abroad is one of the best investments you can make — but tuition, accommodation, and living costs can run anywhere from $10,000 to $80,000 a year depending on the country. Scholarships are what make that gap manageable, and there are hundreds of them across governments, universities, and private organisations.
This guide covers the major scholarships in the USA, UK, Canada, Europe, and Australia — checked against official sources, so the entries below reflect what’s actually true rather than what gets repeated across scholarship-listing sites.
Before diving in, it’s worth using NovaGrad’s Scholarship Finder to search for scholarships matched to your specific profile, and the Financial Calculator to see your likely funding gap for a given country and course — both are free and take a few minutes.
1. Scholarships in the USA
| Scholarship |
What It Actually Offers |
Official Source |
| Fulbright Foreign Student Program |
Fully funded Master’s or PhD: tuition, living stipend, travel, and health insurance. One of the most prestigious US scholarships globally. |
foreign.fulbrightonline.org |
| Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program |
Full funding for a year of non-degree professional development in the US, aimed at mid-career professionals from developing countries. Not a degree programme — worth knowing if you’re specifically after a Master’s or PhD. |
humphreyfellowship.org |
| Harvard University financial aid |
Full and partial need-based aid across Harvard’s graduate schools, including the MBA. No separate scholarship application — need is assessed after admission. |
harvard.edu |
| Stanford Knight-Hennessy Scholars |
Full funding for any Stanford graduate degree. Extremely competitive — under 2% acceptance. Requires separate admission to a Stanford graduate programme. |
knight-hennessy.stanford.edu |
| MIT financial aid |
For undergraduates, MIT meets 100% of demonstrated need for admitted students, need-blind for US applicants. At graduate level, most funding comes through research and teaching assistantships and departmental fellowships rather than a separate “scholarship” — check your specific department’s funding page. |
sfs.mit.edu |
| AAUW International Fellowships |
For women pursuing full-time graduate study in the US, now focused specifically on STEM fields. $20,000–$25,000/year depending on degree level; larger postdoctoral awards exist separately. |
aauw.org |
| Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP) |
Fully funded Master’s in a development-related field at a participating university: tuition, monthly stipend, airfare, and health insurance. Important process detail: you must already hold unconditional admission to a participating programme before you can even access the scholarship application. |
worldbank.org |
A caveat on two commonly-listed “study abroad” scholarships: Yale Young Global Scholars and Microsoft’s diversity scholarships (Black at Microsoft, Women at Microsoft, HOLA, Disability) show up often on “top scholarships” lists, but they’re not what most international students are looking for. Yale Young Global Scholars is a two-week pre-college summer enrichment programme for high schoolers — not a Bachelor’s degree scholarship. Microsoft’s diversity scholarships are for high school seniors already enrolling in a US college, not funding for international students coming from abroad. Both are worth knowing about for the right audience, just not as “study abroad” funding in the sense this guide covers.
2. Scholarships in the UK
| Scholarship |
What It Actually Offers |
Official Source |
| Chevening Scholarship |
Fully funded one-year Master’s: tuition, accommodation, travel. Open to 160+ countries, leadership-focused. MBAs are funded only up to a £22,000 tuition cap, not in full. |
chevening.org |
| Commonwealth Master’s & PhD Scholarships |
Fully funded for citizens of eligible Commonwealth countries. Does not fund MBAs or research Master’s — eligible countries are reconfirmed annually. |
cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk |
| GREAT Scholarships |
£10,000 towards tuition for a UK Master’s. Country-specific — available to applicants from a defined list that includes India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Bangladesh, and changes periodically. |
study-uk.britishcouncil.org |
| Rhodes Scholarship (Oxford) |
Fully funded, covering tuition, stipend, and flights. One of the oldest and most prestigious scholarships in the world. Eligible countries/constituencies vary — check the current list. |
rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk |
| Gates Cambridge Scholarship |
Fully funded Master’s or PhD at Cambridge, with a focus on research and social impact. |
gatescambridge.org |
| Clarendon Fund (Oxford) |
Full tuition plus a generous living stipend for graduate study at Oxford. |
ox.ac.uk |
| Edinburgh Global Scholarships |
Available for both undergraduate and postgraduate international students, though value and eligibility vary significantly by scheme. |
ed.ac.uk |
| Warwick Chancellor’s International Scholarship |
Full funding, specifically for PhD study — not undergraduate or Master’s. |
warwick.ac.uk |
Subject-specific UK options worth a direct look: LSE’s Graduate Support Scheme (Economics & Social Sciences), Imperial College London’s research scholarships (STEM), and UCL’s Global Masters Scholarship — though UCL’s award is typically a smaller, one-off contribution (around £5,000) rather than full funding, so check the current value before assuming it covers your costs.
3. Scholarships in Canada
| Scholarship |
What It Actually Offers |
Official Source |
| Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships |
CAD $50,000/year for PhD study in health, engineering, natural sciences, or social sciences. |
vanier.gc.ca |
| Canada-ASEAN Scholarships and Educational Exchanges for Development (SEED) |
Short-term study and exchange awards for students from ASEAN countries — not a full degree scholarship. |
canada.ca |
| Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships |
For postdoctoral researchers, not degree-seeking students. |
banting.fellowships-bourses.gc.ca |
| University of Toronto Lester B. Pearson Scholarship |
For exceptional incoming undergraduates: covers tuition, books, residence, and living expenses. |
future.utoronto.ca |
| UBC International Leader of Tomorrow (ILOT) Award |
Need- and merit-based, covering tuition and living costs for undergraduates. |
you.ubc.ca |
| McGill University entrance scholarships |
Available for both undergraduate and postgraduate students; amounts vary widely by programme. |
mcgill.ca |
| Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) |
Roughly CAD $5,000 per term, typically totalling around $10,000–$15,000/year for Master’s or PhD study, depending on the number of funded terms. |
ontario.ca |
| Alberta Innovates Graduate Scholarship |
For research students in technology, health, and innovation fields. |
albertainnovates.ca |
4. Scholarships in Europe
| Scholarship |
What It Actually Offers |
Official Source |
| Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Scholarships |
Fully funded joint Master’s across 2–3 EU countries: tuition, travel, visa costs, and living expenses. |
erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu |
| DAAD Scholarships (Germany) |
Full and partial funding for Master’s and PhD study, plus extra funding for German language training. Amounts vary by specific programme. |
daad.de |
| EDUFI Fellowships (Finland) |
For research and doctoral-level study, covering a monthly grant. Not a broad Master’s scholarship — mainly research-stage funding. |
oph.fi |
| ETH Zurich Excellence Scholarship |
Full funding for Master’s students at ETH Zurich. Extremely competitive. |
ethz.ch |
| Eiffel Excellence Scholarship (France) |
Monthly stipend plus tuition and travel allowance, for Master’s and PhD study. |
campusfrance.org |
| Holland Scholarship (Netherlands) |
A one-off €5,000 contribution for non-EEA students starting a Bachelor’s or Master’s — not full funding. |
studyinnl.org |
| Orange Tulip Scholarship (Netherlands) |
Country-specific partial or full scholarships for students from countries including India, Indonesia, and Vietnam, run through Nuffic Neso offices. |
studyinnl.org |
| Swedish Institute Scholarships (SISGP) |
Fully funded Master’s, with a strong focus on leadership and sustainable development. Eligible countries vary by year. |
si.se |
| Italian Government Scholarships |
Covers tuition, a monthly stipend, and housing support for study in Italy. |
study-in-italy.it |
Germany also has several political-foundation scholarships worth knowing — Konrad Adenauer, Friedrich Ebert, and Heinrich Böll Foundation scholarships all fund international students, generally with an interest in political or social engagement alongside academic merit. Check each foundation’s own site for current eligibility, since criteria and country lists shift.
5. Scholarships in Australia
| Scholarship |
What It Actually Offers |
Official Source |
| Australia Awards Scholarships |
Fully funded: tuition, living expenses, travel, and OSHC health insurance. Available to citizens of eligible developing countries, confirmed annually — India and most South Asian and African countries are currently eligible. |
dfat.gov.au |
| Destination Australia Scholarships |
AUD $15,000/year for students studying at regional (non-metro) campuses. |
education.gov.au |
| University of Melbourne Graduate Research Scholarships |
Full tuition and a stipend for research Master’s and PhD students. |
unimelb.edu.au |
| ANU Chancellor’s International Scholarship |
Partial to significant tuition coverage for high-achieving international students — check the current award tier, as the exact percentage varies by round. |
anu.edu.au |
| University of Sydney International Scholarship |
Tuition contribution plus an annual stipend for eligible international students. |
sydney.edu.au |
| Monash International Merit Scholarship |
AUD $10,000/year, merit-based. |
monash.edu |
| University of Queensland International Excellence Scholarship |
25–50% tuition fee reduction, merit-based. |
uq.edu.au |
| RMIT, Deakin, and Macquarie Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarships |
Merit-based scholarships covering part of tuition, varying by university and intake. |
rmit.edu.au |
| AGSM MBA Scholarships (UNSW) |
Merit-based scholarships covering part to full tuition for admitted MBA students. |
agsm.edu.au |
How to Choose the Right Scholarship
- Match the destination to your priorities. Broadly: the USA for top-ranked universities and research funding, the UK for leadership-focused government scholarships, Canada for research funding plus a strong post-study immigration pathway, Europe for affordability and a high number of fully funded options, and Australia for STEM and permanent residency pathways. These are generalisations, not guarantees — check your specific field and target university.
- Check eligibility carefully, including academic requirements, English test scores, leadership expectations, and country restrictions — many scholarships have eligible-country lists that change year to year.
- Prepare your documents early: Statement of Purpose, letters of recommendation, transcripts, an updated CV, and test scores (IELTS/TOEFL/GRE/GMAT) where required.
- Apply early. Most scholarships open between September and March for the following academic year, and many close well before university application deadlines.
- Apply to multiple programmes. Targeting 5–8 scholarships significantly improves your odds compared to applying to just one or two.
Tips to Improve Your Chances
- Build a strong, consistent academic profile rather than a last-minute push
- Highlight genuine leadership and extracurricular involvement, not just titles
- Show real community involvement, backed by specifics
- Write a distinct Statement of Purpose for each scholarship — reused essays are one of the most common rejection reasons
- Secure recommendation letters from people who know your actual work
- Don’t overlook lesser-known scholarships — they often have far less competition than the famous names
Funding the Gap If Scholarships Don’t Cover Everything
Even with a scholarship, many students still need to fund a gap in tuition or living costs. NovaGrad’s Financial Calculator can help you estimate that gap for your specific destination and course before you commit.
Education loan providers like Prodigy Finance offer loans for study abroad without requiring collateral or a co-signer, based instead on future earning potential. Loan and promotion offers are subject to Prodigy Finance’s eligibility, funding, and credit assessment criteria.
Final Thoughts
Studying abroad is no longer reserved for the privileged — there’s a wide enough range of country-specific scholarships that most strong applicants can meaningfully reduce their costs, if not eliminate them. Start with NovaGrad’s Scholarship Finder to see what matches your profile, shortlist a handful of country-specific and university-specific options together, and build your application timeline backward from the earliest deadline.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only. Scholarship details are sourced from publicly available and verified official sources, current as of publication. We do not guarantee the completeness, accuracy, or continued availability of any scholarship listed here — funding amounts, eligible countries, and programme scope change often, so always check the official provider’s website before applying. Some scholarships listed here (e.g. Yale Young Global Scholars, Microsoft’s diversity scholarships) are not full study-abroad funding and are noted as such above. We do not fund or decide scholarships. Any loan providers mentioned, including Prodigy Finance, are for informational purposes only; loan and promotion offers are subject to the provider’s eligibility, funding, and credit assessment criteria, and applying does not guarantee approval. We also do not guarantee admission or visa approval; always check official university and government websites for current requirements.
