Fully Funded Scholarships for International Students in 2026/2027

Applying for a fully funded scholarship is one of the few realistic ways to study abroad without taking on debt full tuition, a monthly stipend, flights, and health insurance are all typically covered. The catch is that these programs are competitive and deadline-driven, and most students find out about them weeks too late to prepare a strong application.

Two application clusters dominate the year: October through January, when Chevening, Commonwealth, Gates Cambridge, Stipendium Hungaricum, and Erasmus Mundus all close, and February through May, when Türkiye, the Global Korea Scholarship, CSC, and Australia Awards run. Here’s what to know about the biggest programs for the current cycle, and how to actually get ready in time.

1. Chevening Scholarship (United Kingdom)

Covers: Full tuition, a monthly stipend, return airfare, and visa costs Who it’s for: Applicants with at least two years of work experience, applying to a one-year master’s degree

Chevening is the UK government’s flagship scholarship for a one-year master’s degree at any UK university. Applicants need at least two years of work experience and must apply to three eligible courses. The deadline for the 2026/2027 cycle falls on November 4, 2026.

Tip: Chevening essays reward early drafting don’t wait until the deadline window opens to start writing, since the required essays go through multiple rounds of scrutiny.

2. DAAD Scholarships (Germany)

Covers: €861–€1,200/month, health insurance, and one return flight Who it’s for: International graduate students, with over 100 different programs covering various fields

DAAD offers over 100 different scholarship programs. The most popular for international master’s students is the “Study Scholarships for Foreign Graduates,” with a deadline of October 15, 2026 for a study start in October 2027. German language skills aren’t required for English-taught programs, though B1-level German can strengthen an application.

3. Fulbright Foreign Student Program (United States)

Covers: Tuition, textbooks, airfare, living expenses, and health insurance Who it’s for: Varies deadlines and eligibility are set individually by each country’s Fulbright Commission

Fulbright deadlines are set locally by each country’s Fulbright Commission or US Embassy, typically falling between February and October, so applicants need to check their own country’s commission directly for the exact date. As a general pattern, applicants from India and Indonesia tend to see deadlines in May, while Germany and Australia close in September.

Important: Don’t rely on generic “Fulbright deadline” articles — country-specific windows open and close throughout the year, and outdated articles are one of the most common reasons students miss their chance. Always confirm directly through your country’s Fulbright Commission page.

4. Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degrees (Europe)

Covers: Full tuition, accommodation, and monthly stipends, with the chance to study across multiple European universities Who it’s for: Students in a wide range of fields, applying to specific joint-degree consortium programs

Erasmus Mundus allows students to study across multiple European universities while receiving generous funding covering tuition, accommodation, and monthly stipends. The tricky part is that applications are handled separately by each program consortium, so one program may close in December while another closes in January — there’s no single deadline to track.

Tip: Shortlist 3-5 specific joint-degree programs early and track each one’s individual deadline separately, rather than searching for one general “Erasmus Mundus deadline.”

5. Türkiye Scholarships

Covers: Full tuition, accommodation, monthly stipend, and a one-year Turkish language course Who it’s for: International students at all degree levels

This government scholarship offers full tuition, accommodation, and monthly stipends, along with a one-year Turkish language course making it one of the more accessible fully funded options for students who don’t already speak Turkish.

6. Global Korea Scholarship (GKS)

Covers: Full tuition and living stipend Who it’s for: International undergraduate and graduate students; relatively accessible academic requirements compared to other programs on this list

The Global Korea Scholarship has a minimum GPA requirement as low as 2.64/4.0, with no IELTS requirement in some tracks making it one of the more accessible fully funded scholarship options for students who might not meet the stricter requirements elsewhere.

How to Actually Get Ready (Not Just Bookmark the Deadline)

Strong scholarship essays typically need several weeks of drafting, editing, and checking against official criteria which means the real work starts long before any application portal opens.

• Start with fit, not with a random list. Identify your target countries, fields, and scholarship types first, rather than applying randomly to every well-known name.
• Track deadlines individually. DAAD deadlines vary by program and country, and Fulbright deadlines vary significantly by country, embassy, or commission so build your own simple calendar rather than relying on one generic date for each scholarship.
• Don’t judge a scholarship only by the headline funding amount. A smaller scholarship can still meaningfully help with tuition, accommodation, or living costs. Judge it by the relationship between eligibility, competition, and effort required, not just the total value.
• Prepare your documents before applications open. Transcripts, English test scores, a draft personal statement, and confirmed referees should all be ready before the application window opens not started after.
• Watch for outdated “open now” articles. Scholarship deadlines shift year to year, and a quick search often surfaces articles referencing a prior cycle’s dates. Always confirm on the scholarship’s official page before finalizing your plans.

Applying for scholarships alongside a job search? Check our guide on common scholarship application mistakes that cause rejection to make sure your application doesn’t get filtered out before it’s even reviewed.