Scholarship Guides
Step-by-step guides to the world's biggest scholarship programmes — agency numbers, documents, deadlines and the full application procedure.
China
Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC): Agency Numbers & Application Guide
Every Chinese university that hosts the Chinese Government Scholarship, its agency number for the CSC portal, the required documents and the step-by-step application procedure.
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UK
Chevening Scholarship (UK): How to Apply
Chevening funds emerging leaders to study for a one-year master's degree at any UK university. It is the UK government's global leadership programme. The application is entirely online and runs on a single yearly cycle.
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USA
Fulbright Foreign Student Program (US): How to Apply
The Fulbright Foreign Student Program funds graduate students, young professionals and artists from abroad who want to study or research in the United States. Applications are not submitted centrally. You apply through the Fulbright Commission or U.S. Embassy in your country of citizenship, and each country's program runs its own track.
Open the guideEurope (EU)
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EU): How to Apply
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters are international master's degrees designed and delivered by a consortium of at least three higher-education institutions from at least three countries. You study at several of these institutions across Europe and beyond. Each programme runs its own admission process, so you apply directly to the programme (the consortium), not to a central Erasmus body.
Open the guideGermany
DAAD Scholarships (Germany): How to Apply
DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) is Germany's organisation for international academic exchange and offers hundreds of scholarship programmes for international students, graduates, PhD candidates and researchers. There is no single "DAAD scholarship", each programme in the DAAD scholarship database has its own purpose, eligibility, documents and deadline. A key rule for many programme-specific awards (for example the Development-Related Postgraduate Courses, EPOS): applications go directly to the chosen course or university, not to DAAD.
Open the guideJapan
MEXT Scholarship (Japan): How to Apply
The Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship supports international students studying at Japanese universities, from undergraduate to research (graduate) level. There are two main application routes, the Embassy Recommendation and the University Recommendation. Which one you can use depends on your nationality and the university. Applications never go directly to MEXT.
Open the guideHungary
Stipendium Hungaricum (Hungary): How to Apply
Stipendium Hungaricum is the Hungarian government's main scholarship. It funds bachelor's, master's, one-tier master's, doctoral and non-degree study at Hungarian higher-education institutions. You apply through the official online system (apply.stipendiumhungaricum.hu) and in parallel through your country's sending partner, a Hungarian embassy, ministry or council, which must nominate you.
Open the guideAustralia
Australia Awards Scholarships: How to Apply
Australia Awards Scholarships are long-term awards from the Australian Government. They support students from developing countries, mainly in the Indo-Pacific, to study in Australia. Applications are made online through the OASIS system, and the program in your country sets its own eligibility limits and closing date.
Open the guideUK (Commonwealth)
Commonwealth Scholarships (UK): How to Apply
Commonwealth Scholarships support students from eligible low- and middle-income Commonwealth countries for postgraduate study in the UK (Master's, PhD and Split-Site programmes). You apply on the CSC's online system (CSC Central), and the application must also go through a nominating body in your country. The CSC does not accept direct applications.
Open the guideSweden
SI Scholarship for Global Professionals (Sweden): How to Apply
The Swedish Institute Scholarship for Global Professionals (SISGP) funds professionals for a fully funded, one- or two-year English-taught master's in Sweden. The process has two stages and two separate online applications. First, and in advance, you apply to eligible Swedish master's programmes through University Admissions. Later you apply for the SI scholarship itself through SI's own portal. Eligibility is limited to citizens of about 34 countries.
Open the guideFrance
France Excellence Eiffel Scholarship (France): How to Apply
The France Excellence Eiffel scholarship supports international students for Master's and PhD study in France across priority fields (STEM, economics and management, law and political science). Students do not apply directly. A French higher-education institution must submit your application to Campus France on your behalf.
Open the guideGlobal (AKDN)
Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Programme: How to Apply
The Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Programme (AKF ISP) supports postgraduate students from selected countries who have no other means of financing their studies. The programme has run every year since 1969 and awards a limited number of new scholarships each cycle, structured as 50% grant and 50% interest-free loan.
Open the guideGlobal (Rotary)
Rotary Peace Fellowships: How to Apply
The Rotary Peace Fellowship supports professionals who want to study for a Master's degree or a post-graduate certificate in peace and conflict prevention and resolution at designated Rotary Peace Centers, which are partner universities, plus one-day and week-long certificate options. The fellowship is fully funded and built around leadership development. You must be endorsed by a local Rotary district, or a Rotary club or district for the certificate, before you can apply. The district runs its own interview and sets its own deadline.
Open the guideUK (Cambridge)
Gates Cambridge Scholarship: How to Apply
Gates Cambridge is a postgraduate scholarship programme at the University of Cambridge for students from outside the UK. It funds a full-time postgraduate degree (PhD, MPhil/MLitt, or one-year postgraduate course). There is no separate Gates Cambridge application. You apply through the University's single Graduate Application Portal and tick the Gates Cambridge box in the funding section.
Open the guideUSA (Stanford)
Knight-Hennessy Scholars (Stanford): How to Apply
Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS) builds a community of future leaders and funds them to pursue any graduate degree at Stanford University (PhD, master's, or professional degree such as MBA, JD, MD). Roughly 90 to 100 scholars are selected each year. You must complete two separate applications, the Knight-Hennessy application and your Stanford graduate degree program's application, and meet both deadlines.
Open the guideChina (Tsinghua)
Schwarzman Scholars (Tsinghua): How to Apply
Schwarzman Scholars is a fully funded, one-year master's program in global affairs at Tsinghua University in Beijing. It builds a network of future leaders who understand China's role in the world. There are two separate application tracks, the U.S./Global track and the China track, with different deadlines. The application is entirely online and late submissions are not accepted.
Open the guideUK (US citizens)
Marshall Scholarship (US to UK): How to Apply
The Marshall Scholarship funds up to 40 young Americans per year for graduate study (one or two years, or a three-year PhD pathway) at any UK university, deepening UK-US understanding. You cannot submit the application alone. It must be endorsed by the President, Provost, or Academic Dean of your US undergraduate institution, which submits it to the regional committee.
Open the guideGlobal (Oxford)
Rhodes Scholarship (Oxford): How to Apply
The Rhodes Scholarship is one of the world's oldest international scholarships. It funds students for two to three years of postgraduate study at the University of Oxford. You apply to the Rhodes Trust through your country or region's constituency, not directly to Oxford, and only after being selected as a Rhodes Scholar do you apply for admission to Oxford.
Open the guideUSA
Truman Scholarship (US): How to Apply
The Truman Scholarship supports US college juniors who plan careers in public service. It provides up to US$30,000 for graduate study, plus leadership training and a network of public-service professionals. You cannot apply directly to the Foundation. Your undergraduate institution must first nominate you through its own campus process, and only nominated candidates submit the Foundation application.
Open the guideUK
British Council Scholarships for Women in STEM (UK): How to Apply
The British Council Scholarships for Women in STEM fund women from eligible countries to study a full-time postgraduate (master's) degree in science, technology, engineering or mathematics at a participating UK university. You apply directly to the university, which runs its own application and shortlist. The British Council does not accept applications itself. Roughly four scholarships are available at each partner university.
Open the guideChina (developing countries)
MOFCOM Scholarship (China): How to Apply
The MOFCOM Scholarship (MOFCOM Scholarship-CSC Program) is a full scholarship from China's Ministry of Commerce for students and professionals from developing countries. It funds English-taught master's and doctoral degrees at designated Chinese universities in fields such as economics, trade, public administration and engineering. You do not apply to the university or the CSC portal directly. The application goes through the Chinese Embassy (or relevant authority) in your home country, which submits candidates to the program.
Open the guideGermany
Humboldt Research Fellowship (Germany): How to Apply
The Humboldt Research Fellowship sponsors postdoctoral and experienced researchers of all nationalities and research fields to conduct their own research in Germany, with a host at a German research institution of their choice. Applications are submitted online only to the Humboldt Foundation, and you cannot apply alone. You must first secure a host in Germany who provides a mentoring agreement, confirms research facilities, and uploads their own documents before the Foundation will forward your application.
Open the guideSouth Korea
Global Korea Scholarship (GKS): How to Apply
The Global Korea Scholarship (GKS, formerly KGSP) is the Korean government's main scholarship. It funds international students for Korean language training plus degree programs at designated Korean universities. You choose one of two mutually exclusive tracks, the Embassy Track (apply through the Korean Embassy in your home country) or the University Track (apply directly to a GKS-designated Korean university). Every applicant goes through a two-stage selection process.
Open the guideSwitzerland
Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships: How to Apply
Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships let foreign researchers and artists pursue doctoral research, postdoctoral research, research stays, or, for select countries, master's degree programs at Swiss institutions. Applications are submitted online through the GO ESKAS portal. Most categories also require approval or endorsement from the Swiss diplomatic representation in your home country, and the application process is free of charge.
Open the guideFrance
French Government Scholarships (BGF): How to Apply
The Bourse du Gouvernement Français (BGF) is France's bilateral government scholarship. It funds studies, internships, language training and artist residencies for foreign students from priority countries. There is no central application. Everything goes through the French Embassy (its SCAC department) and the Campus France office in your home country, which set their own deadlines, criteria and quotas. This is the embassy-channel programme, distinct from the Eiffel Excellence programme, which is filed by French institutions.
Open the guideNetherlands
NL Scholarship (Holland Scholarship): How to Apply
The NL Scholarship (formerly the Holland Scholarship) is the Netherlands' national scholarship for international students from outside the European Economic Area (EEA), and for Dutch students who want to study abroad. It supports a full-time bachelor's or master's at a participating Dutch institution. There is no central application portal. You apply for the scholarship directly to the university you are applying to, and each university runs its own selection and deadlines.
Open the guideItaly
Italian Government Scholarships (MAECI): How to Apply
The Italian government funds international study through two main channels. The MAECI scholarships cover master's, PhD, research stays and Italian language courses for foreign citizens and Italian citizens resident abroad. The Invest Your Talent in Italy (IYT) programme funds English-taught master's degrees at Italian universities with internships. MAECI scholarships are applied for through the Italian Embassy or Consulate in your home country. IYT applications are submitted directly on the IYT online portal. Each has its own deadline and process.
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