Here is an in-depth listing of fully funded scholarships for international students in Europe. These scholarships include those available in Europe and those available outside Europe, but European and potentially all international students are eligible to apply for them.
In one of our compiled guides on how to secure scholarships abroad easily, we emphasized the fact that most international and local scholarships require that applicants are already admitted into a course before they are awarded scholarships. In that sense, we wrote about universities in Europe without application fees to help international students secure admission for free, which they can use to pursue scholarships.
You can also check out our guide that reveals the cheapest European countries for students who may want to shift their interest to cut costs.
Scholarships For International Students In Europe – Fully Funded
Below is a list of scholarships for international students in Europe, as well as scholarships for both European and international students to study either in Europe or abroad. Note that these scholarships listed cover both scholarships for international students to study in Europe and scholarships for European and other international students to study in other countries. They are all fully funded.
- DAAD Scholarship for Masters and Ph.D. in Germany
- Finland Government Scholarship
- University of Canterbury Scholarship in New Zealand
- Swedish Institute Study Scholarships (Sweden)
- International Scholarship for Women in the USA
- Fulbright Foreign Student Program in the USA
- British Chevening Scholarships
- The University of Sussex Postgraduate Scholarship in England
- Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship for Foreign Students in Switzerland
- University of Oxford Clarendon Scholarships in the UK
1. DAAD Scholarship for Masters and Ph.D. in Germany
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is a German educational support organization that funds international students to study in Europe.
The DAAD Scholarship is one of the best scholarships for international students in Europe and has been available for quite a long time.
This organization offers fully-funded scholarships to study for a Ph.D. or Master’s Degree at one of the prestigious universities in Germany. Before you apply, you must have a BSc. Degree from a formal four-year course and also possess two years or more of work experience after the degree.
The scholarship details are as follows:
- Duration: 1-3 years
- Scholarship application status: still open
- Coverage of health insurance and travel allowance
- Document for employment confirmation will be required
- 2 recommendation letters will also be required
The available courses for the DAAD Scholarship are:
- Mathematics
- Regional and Urban Planning
- Agricultural and Forest Sciences
- Social Sciences
- Media Studies
- Engineering and Related Sciences
- Political Economics Sciences
- Medicine and Public Health
- Natural and Environmental Sciences
- Education and Law
- Apply Now
2. Finland Government Scholarship
This is a fully-funded scholarship offered by the Finnish government for international students at both Undergraduate and Master’s levels to study at universities in Finland. It is open to students from anywhere in the world, including Europe.
This is one of the most popular scholarships for international students in Europe, covering up to full academic fees.
All universities and universities of applied sciences in Finland have scholarship opportunities for international students who wish to study in Europe. Other details of the Finland Government Scholarship for European and International Students are:
- Duration: 2-4 years
- Scholarship application status: Ended
- Degree: Bachelor, Master’s degree
- Financial coverage: Partially and Fully funded
Eligible Courses for the Finland Government Scholarship are:
- Agricultural Sciences (forestry, fisheries)
- Arts
- Health and Welfare Sciences
- Social Sciences
- Education
- Business Administration
- Law
- Veterinary Science
- Journalism
- Information and Communication Technologies
- Social Sciences
- Humanities
- Apply Now
3. University of Canterbury Scholarship
The University of Canterbury offers scholarship opportunities to international students who wish to study in Europe. The scholarship is open to every nationality except New Zealand and Australian citizens who are not eligible.
The university offers international students fully-funded bachelor’s degree scholarships each year to all academic fields available at the university. Other details of the University of Canterbury Scholarship are:
- Duration: 2-4 years
- Scholarship application status: Ongoing
- Deadline: October annually
- Degree: Undergraduate Scholarship
- Financial coverage: Fully funded
Courses Eligible for the University of Canterbury Scholarship are:
- Arts
- Business Management
- Law
- Engineering
- Sciences
- Education
- Health Sciences
- Human Development
- Apply Now
4. Swedish Institute Study Scholarships (Sweden)
The SI Scholarship for Global Professionals is an educational scholarship offered for full-time, one- or two-year master’s studies in Sweden. The scholarship covers a wide range of study fields and over 700 of the 1000 English-taught master’s programs in Sweden.
Through the scholarship, the Swedish Institute (SI) aims to develop a network of future global leaders who will contribute to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and drive the development of their home countries forward. The scholarship is open for applications once each year, for master’s studies starting in the autumn semester. In order to apply, you must:
- Be a citizen of one of the 41 countries that is eligible for the SI Scholarship for Global Professionals;
- Apply for a master’s program that is eligible for the SI scholarship;
- Be liable to pay tuition fees at University Admissions;
- Have proven work experience;
- Have proven leadership experience from a current or previous employer, or from civil society engagement.
- About 700 English-taught master’s programs are eligible for the SI scholarship for Global Professionals, covering programs in the fields of humanities, agricultural science, medicine and public health, natural science, social science, and technology.
5. International Scholarship for Women in the USA
The application for this scholarship is currently open, so go ahead and apply for it. It is a fully-funded scholarship open to every female student in Europe and around the world except Iran, and she can apply in all academic fields of any university in the USA.
The admission will come in two batches, and the deadline for selecting the first batch is April 20th annually, while the deadline for the second batch is June 30th annually. Other details of the Scholarship are as follows:
- Financial coverage: Fully funded
- Degree type: BSc., Ph.D., and Master
- Duration: 1-4 years depending on the degree type and selected course
- Scholarship application status: ongoing
You can apply in all academic fields of any university in the USA, but you will need to submit an offer letter from the university before the deadline.
6. Fulbright Foreign Student Program in the USA
This is a scholarship program for international students and is open to students from all around the world to apply. If you are an international student who wishes to pursue a master’s or Ph.D. degree, you can apply for this scholarship grant.
This one specifically isn’t for students who want to study in Europe but for European and international students who want to study in the USA.
This grant covers everything from tuition, living expenses, health insurance, etc. It is a fully-funded financial aid that will cover the study period. You can choose any course/major offered by your selected university in the USA.
7. British Chevening Scholarships
This is a scholarship grant specifically offered to students with leadership potential, by the UK government, to pursue a master’s degree program of their choice. It is a fully-funded grant, and scholars may choose any field/major of their choice offered by their selected university.
8. The University of Sussex Postgraduate Scholarship in England
The application for this fully funded scholarship is ongoing for students who wish to pursue a master’s degree or postgraduate. Everyone from around the world can participate, even its citizens, just be quick on the application as the deadline draws near.
You can go for any major offered by the University of Sussex, and the financial coverage will cover your tuition, living costs, and health insurance.
9. Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship in Switzerland
Each year the Swiss Confederation awards Government Excellence Scholarships to promote international exchange and research cooperation between Switzerland and over 180 other countries. Recipients are selected by the awarding body, the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS). The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships are aimed at young researchers from abroad who have completed a master’s degree or Ph.D. and at foreign artists holding a bachelor’s degree.
The research scholarship (research fellowship, Ph.D., Postdoc) is available to post-graduate researchers in any discipline (who hold a master’s degree as the minimum qualification required) who are planning to come to Switzerland to pursue research or further studies at the doctoral or post-doctoral level.
Art scholarships are open to art students wishing to pursue an initial arts master’s degree in Switzerland. Art scholarships are awarded for study at any Swiss conservatory or university of the arts. This scholarship is available to students from a limited number of countries only.
10. University of Oxford Clarendon Scholarships in the UK
This is a fully-funded scholarship scheme awarded to about 140 students annually by the Clarendon Scholarship Fund. This scholarship appears to be unique as it is awarded to candidates on the basis of excellence and potential across all degree-bearing subjects at the graduate level.
The fund covers tuition fees, living costs, and health insurance, and it is currently ongoing for application.
What is a scholarship?
A scholarship is a grant or payment awarded to a student to help them further their education and can be awarded on the basis of academic achievement or other achievements.
You may begin to wonder, how does one get a scholarship opportunity? Or what are the ways you can get a scholarship? Good thing I have done a lot of research on this matter, and I have valid answers to your questions.
How International Students Can Apply for Scholarships to Study in Europe Successfully
As an international student who wants to study in Europe with a fully-funded scholarship or perhaps at least with a full-tuition scholarship, you need to consider the following factors:
1. Begin early research
It is advisable to start researching early for scholarships as gathering information on time will help you know how to go about it. Here, we assist you with this by publishing scholarship opportunities every day and you can also sign up for our free scholarship updates so we can send you a compilation of available scholarships daily.
You can also join our study abroad and scholarship telegram group to chat with other international students and get updates on available scholarships. If you follow us on Twitter, you will be the first to learn about our scholarship updates because we tweet them immediately after they are published.
Time is indeed crucial when applying for scholarships; the sooner you submit your applications, the better for you. All in all, just try to meet the deadline of any scholarship you are applying for.
Aside from meeting deadlines, we recommend you apply earlier, especially for fully funded scholarships because the competition is always very high here, coupled with the fact that numerous international students are routing for Europe, and a majority of them are seeking scholarship opportunities just like you.
2. Sign up for a scholarship search
You can use our free scholarship search engine here to search for available scholarships in any country and for any program. You can also click here directly for scholarships in Europe.
Searching for scholarships is also a way of discovering new scholarships to apply for.
Registering for a scholarship search will help you find scholarships that match your interest, skills, and activities, and you can set up customized notifications to alert you when fully funded scholarships in Europe that match your profile become available.
3. Let people close to you know about your search for a scholarship
Discuss it with your school counselor, teachers, parents, and others. Scholarships are opportunities, and they may pop up from anywhere, so it is advisable to discuss it with the people around you just in case an opportunity comes up.
In our international social groups on WhatsApp, Facebook, and Telegram, you can meet international and domestic students in Europe who could help you realize your dreams of studying abroad with a scholarship.
4. Ensure you make the right application choice always
Applying to a university/college that fits your profile is the best way to win a scholarship.
Most international scholarships require that applicants initially apply and be offered admission to a certain school before they are considered for scholarships.
In fact, some international scholarships in Europe are awarded directly just by considering a student’s former academic performance without even asking the student to sit for any scholarship exam.
FAQs on Scholarships For International Students In Europe
Can a current university or college student apply for a European scholarship?
Yes, you can; it is completely open to everyone, whether you are still in college or your final years in high school unless otherwise stated.
Every scholarship guide has application criteria; when you meet those criteria and any other qualification, you can go ahead and apply.
In fact, it is better to start the university scholarship application while you are still in high school; remember, the sooner, the better.
How many scholarships can a single person apply for?
There are millions of scholarships out there, so go ahead and apply for as many as you can. I have students who apply for up to 5-7 scholarships in a week.
Scholarships are very competitive, and the diligent will always have it. So never get tired of applying until you finally land one.
