Master’s Scholarships for International Students: 15 Programmes Compared (2026–2027)

Quick Answer

Master’s funding works differently from PhD funding — and this is the most important thing to understand before you start searching. At PhD level, funding is usually built into admission: research universities fund admitted doctoral students through assistantships, RTP grants, or employment contracts. At master’s level, this is rarely the case.

Most master’s students pay tuition unless they win an external award, and the funding must be applied for separately. Master’s funding falls into four categories: government scholarships (Chevening, Commonwealth, Fulbright, DAAD, MEXT, Australia Awards, CSC, Türkiye Bursları), university awards (partial, competitive, department-specific), research-track funding (MRes/MPhil students may be funded on the same RTP/PhD mechanism), and private/foundation awards (AAUW, Aga Khan, Gates Cambridge).

The strongest fully funded master’s awards cover tuition, living costs, airfare, and insurance — with stipends ranging from €992/month (DAAD) to ¥143,000/month (MEXT). Most successful applicants combine several smaller funding sources rather than relying on one flagship award.

Master’s Scholarships at a Glance

Master’s vs PhD Funding — The Structural Difference

Most master’s funding guides bury this insight mid-page. It belongs at the top, because it determines whether you should be searching for a scholarship at all — or applying to funded positions instead.

What this means practically: if you’re applying for a coursework master’s (MA, MSc, MEng, MBA), expect to pay tuition unless you win a competitive external scholarship. Plan to apply to several programmes and several scholarships simultaneously. If you’re applying for a research master’s, ask the department whether the position is funded before you consider external scholarships.

15 Master’s Scholarships for International Students — Compared

The most substantive master’s-level scholarships open to international students. Figures are current as of September 2026 and verified against each programme’s official page. All are fully or substantially funded unless noted.

Notable exclusions from this table: The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship is sometimes listed as a master’s option, but it is not — it requires applicants to already hold a Master’s degree and funds PhD, research, and postdoctoral study. The only Master’s-level track is a narrow Art Scholarship open to a limited country list. For Swiss master’s funding, look at individual university awards or the ETH Zurich Excellence Scholarship (Master’s-level).

Master’s Funding by Destination

Where you study changes which funding layer you’re actually eligible for. Here is the structural difference by destination.

Cost of a Master’s — What You’ll Actually Pay

The funding gap between a scholarship and the full cost of attendance is where most master’s applicants get caught out. Even a full-tuition award leaves living costs to cover.

Typical funding gap after a partial scholarship: £10,000–£25,000 depending on destination and award. Plan for this from the start — the funding gap is what most applicants underestimate, not the tuition itself.

How to Apply for a Master’s Scholarship

1. Decide research-track or coursework-track first. If research-track (MRes, MPhil), treat it as a PhD funding question — apply to funded positions and ask about RTP or assistantship eligibility. If coursework-track, expect to fund it through external scholarships.
2. Confirm government scheme eligibility. Chevening requires 2,800 hours (2 years) of work experience. Commonwealth requires Commonwealth citizenship. Fulbright is country-specific. DAAD requires a Bachelor’s completed within 6 years with above-average grades. Verify your eligibility before investing time.
3. Check whether a scholarship requires prior university admission. Swedish Institute requires you to have already secured admission to a Swedish Master’s. Aga Khan Foundation requires prior admission to a postgraduate programme. This changes your application sequence.
4. Apply to both the scholarship and the university in parallel. Most master’s scholarships cannot be claimed until you hold an offer of admission. Most university awards cannot be applied for separately — they are tied to the admission offer.
5. Prepare documents in advance. Transcripts, CV, statement of purpose, 2–3 recommendation letters, and proof of English proficiency. For research-track applications, a research proposal is essential. See our Scholarship CV guide and essay guide.
6. Plan for the funding gap. Pre-arrival costs (visa, airfare, first-month accommodation, health surcharge in the UK) are rarely covered by partial awards. Budget £2,000–£4,000 to cover the gap before the first stipend lands.

Are There Application Fees?

Government schemes are free: Chevening, Commonwealth, Fulbright, DAAD, MEXT, Australia Awards, CSC, Türkiye Bursları, Swedish Institute — none charge an application fee. If a website asks for a “scholarship application fee” to submit your application on your behalf, that is a scam. Legitimate scholarship applications are always free.

University admission applications do charge fees — these are separate from scholarship applications:

• UK postgraduate: typically £50–£100 per application, varies by university
• US master’s: typically $70–$110 per application
• Germany: often free or low-cost through uni-assist
• Australia: AUD 100 typical, with fee waivers at some universities

Fee waivers for internationals with demonstrated need exist at some universities but are not universal. Check each university individually before assuming you qualify.

Frequently Asked Questions