Dreaming of an international degree but sweating over the price tag?
Relax—more than thirty major programmes will pay every Kobo of your tuition, flights, and living costs if you meet their criteria.
Below you’ll find the crème-de-la-crème of fully funded awards, grouped by region, with quick facts, deadlines, and links to their official pages.
| Scholarship | Level(s) | Key Benefit | Next Deadline* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevening (UK) | Master’s | £ living stipend + air fare | Oct 2025 |
| Commonwealth Shared (UK) | Master’s | Full fees + £ stipend | Dec 2025 |
| Rhodes (Oxford) | PG | £ 19 800/yr stipend | Aug 2025 |
| Mastercard Foundation | UG/PG | Full ride + flights | Varies by partner |
| DAAD Helmut-Schmidt (DE) | Master’s | € 992/mo stipend | 31 July 2025 |
| Erasmus Mundus (EU) | Master’s | € 1 400/mo stipend | Oct–Dec 2025 (per course) |
| Stipendium Hungaricum | UG/PG | Free tuition + housing | 15 Jan 2026 |
| Türkiye Bursları | UG/PG | 4 500–9 000 TL/mo | Feb 2026 |
| Fulbright (USA) | Master’s/PhD | Tuition + living stipend | Apr 2026 |
| Romania Gov’t | UG/PG | Tuition + € 80/mo | 12 Mar 2026 |
*Deadlines reflect the most recent calls but always reconfirm on each programme’s site.
UK & Commonwealth Heavyweights
1. Chevening Scholarship
The UK Government’s flagship award funds a one-year master’s at any UK university.
It covers full tuition, visa, flights, and a monthly living stipend pegged to London costs. Applications open every August; unconditional-offer paperwork is due by 10 July 2025.
Pro tip: Pick three courses in the same career lane to show focus. Apply here.
2. Commonwealth Shared Scholarship
Targeted at students from low-income Commonwealth nations—including Nigeria—this scheme funds select master’s courses that align with development themes.
Benefits: full tuition, return airfare, thesis grant, and a monthly stipend (≈ £ 1 347 in London).
Applications normally run November → December. See eligible courses.
3. Rhodes Scholarship
The oldest international scholarship at Oxford covers any full-time postgraduate course.
Beyond tuition, each scholar receives an annual stipend of roughly £ 19 800 (£ 1 650/mo) for living expenses, plus flights to and from the UK.
Nigeria belongs to the “Rhodes West Africa” constituency—only two slots, so craft a stellar leadership narrative.
4. Gates Cambridge
Funded by the Gates Foundation, this award pays the full cost of pursuing any graduate degree at Cambridge and offers discretionary funding for conferences or family support.
5. Clarendon Fund (University of Oxford)
Automatically considers all full-fee DPhil and master’s applicants; covers tuition plus at least £ 17 668/year for living costs.
Europe’s Golden Tickets
6. Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s
A consortium-based programme that rotates you across three EU universities in two years.
The award includes full tuition, insurance, and a generous € 1 400 monthly stipend.
Each course sets its own October–December deadline. Funding breakdown.
7. DAAD Helmut-Schmidt Programme (Germany)
Perfect for future public-policy leaders. Offers master’s study in Governance, Development, or Public Management—with a € 992 monthly stipend, health insurance, travel grant, and six-month German course.
8. Deutschlandstipendium
A € 300/mo merit award co-funded by German industry; open to internationals already accepted at a German university.
9. Swedish Institute Scholarship for Global Professionals (SI-SISGP)
Covers tuition, flights, insurance, and SEK 11 000/mo living allowance for 600 global change-makers.
10. VLIR-UOS ICP Connect (Belgium)
Funds 15 scholars per eligible master’s, covering tuition and a € 1 150/mo stipend plus boot allowance.
11. Stipendium Hungaricum
Hungary’s flagship programme waives tuition, offers a dorm place or housing stipend, and pays a monthly allowance (42 000 HUF ≈ € 110) for bachelor’s; higher for master’s/PhD. Deadline mid-January. Official call.
12. Romanian Government Scholarship
Covers full tuition, accommodation, and a monthly stipend up to € 80 for bachelor’s (more for PG). Application window: 29 Jan → 12 Mar 2026. Programme page.
North America’s Big Guns
13. Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
Partners like UofT, UBC, McGill, and Arizona State give full tuition, flights, and a monthly stipend through funding from the Mastercard Foundation. Each partner sets its own calendar—most open August/September.
14. Fulbright Foreign Student Program (USA)
About 4 000 scholars worldwide win each year. Awards cover full tuition, a monthly stipend benchmarked to local cost of living, health insurance, and J-1 visa support.
15. Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships
For PhDs only—worth CAD 50 000/year for three years, focusing on research potential and leadership.
Asia, Middle East & Africa Opportunities
16. Türkiye Bursları
Pays tuition, Turkish-language year, flights, and a monthly stipend of 4 500 TL (UG) to 9 000 TL (PhD). February deadline. Benefit table.
17. Asian Development Bank-Japan Scholarship (ADB-JSP)
Funds master’s in economics, engineering, or development at 30+ partner universities across Asia & Pacific; includes return airfare and monthly living allowance.
18. Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC)
Covers tuition, on-campus housing, medical insurance, and a ¥ 3 000-3 500/month stipend for master’s and PhD.
19. KNB Scholarship (Indonesia)
Government of Indonesia award giving IDR 2 950 000–3 550 000/month plus tuition and Bahasa course.
20. Mohammed bin Zayed University Scholarship (UAE)
For AI master’s/PhD in Abu Dhabi; includes full tuition, accommodation, health insurance, and competitive stipend.
21. African Union Scholarship
Jointly run with Pan-African University; covers tuition, stipend, and travel for master’s/PhD in STEM fields.
Home-Grown Nigerian & Regional Awards
22. PTDF Overseas Scholarship
Petroleum Technology Development Fund sends Nigerians to top global universities for Oil & Gas-related MSc/PhD—tuition, flights, £ stipend.
23. NNPC/SNEPCo National University Scholarship
Covers full Nigerian tuition plus ₦ 200 000 yearly grants for engineering & geoscience students.
24. MTN Foundation Scholarship
Offers ₦ 300 000 per year until graduation for STEM undergraduates with CGPA ≥ 3.5/5.0.
25. Jim Ovia Scholars
Up to ₦ 150 000 yearly plus leadership bootcamps for undergraduates in any Nigerian university.
26. Agbami Medical / Engineering Scholarship
Chevron-supported grant of ₦ 200 000 per year for MBBS and engineering students.
Other Noteworthy Global Awards (Bringing us to 30 +)
- 27. Eiffel Excellence Scholarship (France)
- 28. Orange Knowledge Programme (Netherlands)
- 29. Italy MAECI Scholarship
- 30. Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship
- 31. ADB–Japan Fully Funded MBA at Hitotsubashi ICS
- 32. New Zealand Government Manaaki Scholarship
How to Build a Winning Application (5-Step Cheat Sheet)
- Start 10 months out. Most top programmes open Aug–Oct and close before year-end.
- Craft a single “impact” story. Show measurable community change in 300 words.
- Collect transcripts early. Unis like UNN can take weeks; order now.
- Pick referees who know your work. Two average letters beat one superstar who barely remembers you.
- Proofread aloud. Grammarly + a friend’s read-through catches tone errors.
Internal Resources to Keep Handy
- Need a bargain UK university? Check our 7 Cheapest UK Universities That Accept WAEC English.
- Heading to Canada later? Estimate your bank-statement target with our Proof-of-Funds Calculator (2025).
- Curious about Poland’s low-cost visas? Read Poland Student Visa From Nigeria: Step-by-Step.
- Compare stay-back options in Cheapest Post-Study Work-Visa Pathways – UK vs Canada vs Germany.
Conclusion
Funding your dream degree no longer means draining family savings.
With these fully funded scholarships, you can focus on grades, leadership, and community impact—your talent foots the bill. Bookmark this list, set deadline reminders, and start drafting those essays today.
Questions or updates? Drop them in the comments and we’ll keep the guide fresh.
