For most international students, the question is not whether they are good enough for a top university. It is whether they can pay for it. Tuition, rent, flights and visa fees can add up to more than a family earns in years. A full ride scholarship changes that equation completely: it pays the bills so you can focus on the degree.
This is our verified 2027 list of full ride scholarships for international students. Every award below has been checked on its official page, and each links to our detailed guide with eligibility, deadlines and application steps.
A full ride scholarship covers tuition plus living costs, and often travel and visa fees too. Many awards that call themselves "scholarships" cover only part of tuition, so read the official funding page before you plan around one.
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What Counts as a Full Ride Scholarship?
A true full ride usually pays for:
- Full tuition for the length of the programme
- A living allowance or stipend that covers rent and food in that city
- Travel to and from your home country (many, not all)
- Visa and health insurance costs (many, not all)
If an award covers only tuition, or only a fixed amount, it is a partial scholarship. Partial awards can still be worth it, but you will need a plan for the gap.
Full Ride Scholarships for Master's and PhD Students (2027 Intake)
| Scholarship | Country | Level | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gates Cambridge | UK | Master's, PhD | 8 Dec 2026 |
| Clarendon (Oxford) | UK | Master's, DPhil | Your course's December or January deadline |
| Weidenfeld-Hoffmann (Oxford) | UK | Master's | 1 Dec 2026 |
| Yenching Academy | China | Master's | 30 Nov 2026 |
| ETH Zurich ESOP | Switzerland | Master's | 30 Nov 2026 |
| Swiss Government Excellence | Switzerland | PhD, research | 27 Nov 2026 (varies by country) |
| Eiffel Excellence | France | Master's, PhD | 6 Jan 2027 (via your university) |
| ENS International Selection | France | Master's to PhD | 15 Dec 2026 |
| Maastricht NL-High Potential | Netherlands | Master's | 10 Dec 2026 |
| Erasmus Mundus (many programmes) | Europe | Master's | Varies, mostly Dec to Jan |
| Hong Kong PhD Fellowship | Hong Kong | PhD | 1 Dec 2026 |
| HBKU Graduate Scholarship | Qatar | Master's, PhD | 1 Feb 2027 |
Deadlines are taken from our individual guides, which link to each official page. Always confirm on the official site before you submit, because some universities set earlier internal deadlines.
The Big Names, Explained
Gates Cambridge Scholarship (UK)
One of the most competitive awards in the world. It covers the full cost of a postgraduate degree at the University of Cambridge for applicants from outside the UK, and selection rewards academic excellence, leadership and a commitment to improving the lives of others. Read our Gates Cambridge 2027 guide.
Clarendon Scholarship (Oxford, UK)
Clarendon is unusual because there is no separate application: you are considered automatically when you apply for an eligible Oxford graduate course by the right deadline. See our Clarendon 2027 guide and the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarship, which adds leadership training to a fully funded Oxford master's.
Yenching Academy (Peking University, China)
A fully funded master's in China Studies at one of Asia's top universities, open to graduates from any background. Details in our Yenching Academy 2027 guide.
ETH Zurich and the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships
ETH Zurich's ESOP award covers tuition and pays CHF 13,500 a semester for top master's students (our ESOP guide). For doctoral and research stays, the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships pay CHF 2,450 a month (our Swiss Government guide).
France: Eiffel and ENS
The France Excellence Eiffel Scholarship pays up to 2,000 euros a month for master's and PhD study, but you apply through a French university, not directly (our Eiffel guide). The ENS International Selection offers 1,000 euros a month and a room in Paris for three years (our ENS guide).
Erasmus Mundus (Europe)
Erasmus Mundus joint master's degrees let you study in two or more European countries, and top-ranked applicants receive scholarships that cover tuition and a monthly allowance. Each programme runs its own application. See our guides to Erasmus Mundus MAPP, DEAI and GLOCAL.
Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme
Around 400 awards with a yearly stipend of HK$344,400 for PhD study at Hong Kong universities. See our Hong Kong PhD Fellowship guide.
What About MBA Scholarships?
Full ride MBA scholarships are rare. Most business schools award partial merit scholarships, and a few offer full tuition to a small number of admitted students. The best route is to apply to schools early, in round one, when scholarship budgets are largest, and to ask each admissions office directly which awards international students can receive. Some government schemes, such as Chevening in the UK, fund one-year master's degrees that can include business programmes. Chevening applications for 2027/28 opened in August 2026 and closed in October 2026, so prepare now for the next cycle.
How to Win a Full Ride Scholarship
- Start 12 months early. Most deadlines fall between October and January for study starting the next autumn.
- Apply to the university on time. Many awards, like Clarendon and Gates Cambridge, only consider you if your course application meets an earlier deadline.
- Tell one clear story. Your essays should connect your past work, the degree and the impact you plan to make at home.
- Get strong references early. Give your referees your CV, your goals and the deadline at least a month ahead.
- Apply widely. Competition is fierce, so apply to several awards across different countries.
- Beware of fees. Real scholarships never ask you to pay to be considered beyond normal university application fees.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Are there full ride scholarships for international students with no application fee?
The scholarships themselves rarely charge a fee, but the university application usually does. Some universities waive the fee for applicants from certain countries or with financial need, so check each admissions page.
Which countries offer the most full ride scholarships?
The UK, Switzerland, France, the Netherlands and wider Europe through Erasmus Mundus offer many well-known awards for master's and PhD study. Hong Kong, China and Qatar also fund international students generously.
Can African students apply for these scholarships?
Many of them accept African applicants, but eligibility differs by award and by country. Check the Who Can Apply section of each guide and the official page before you start.
Are PhD scholarships easier to get than master's scholarships?
Often, yes. Many PhD places come with funding as standard, paid through a stipend and tuition waiver, while fully funded master's places are far more competitive.
The bottom line: full ride scholarships for international students are real, but they reward early, careful applicants. Pick three to five awards from this list, note every deadline, and start your applications this month.
