Top 10 Research Scholarships for International Students

If you are an intelligent student who wants to excel academically, the best international scholarships are for you. Some scholarships are government-funded, some are funded by the host universities, while some are funded by organizations seeking to add values to the lives of international students.

When it comes to academic funding, one of the best-funded international scholarships is the research scholarships. Foreign governments fund some school programmes to establish authority in the area of education. The universities that wish to attract highly intelligent students to be part of their research teams also offer scholarships to that effect. We have listed the top ten best scholarship programmes globally for international students. The awards cover tuition fees and most often, living and other costs.

1. Fulbright Scholarship Program

The Fulbright Scholarship Program is a program offered by the government of the USA to 155 countries of the world. About 4000 international students with excellent academic backgrounds are awarded Fulbright scholarships. The scholarship program is specifically for students who wish to pursue a Masters’s or PhD program in the US in any field of study.

Benefit of the scholarship

The scholarship programme is fully funded and includes tuition, living expenses, airfare, textbooks and health insurance. The funding covers for the duration of the programme.

Application instruction

Eligible candidates must apply through the Fulbright Commission or the US Embassy in their home countries.

2. Chevening Scholarships

Chevening Scholarship Programme is a scholarship programme sponsored by the government of the United Kingdom through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and partner organizations. About 1 500 scholarships are provided to excellent international students who are from over 130 countries of the world. The students must be willing to pursue their postgraduate studies in any field in the UK in order to qualify for the scholarship programme.

Benefits of the scholarship

The Chevening Scholarships are fully funded scholarships that cover tuition, monthly allowances, international travels to and from the UK, as well as different additional off allowances to cover for essentials.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible candidates must:

• Be a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country.
• At least two years after the expiration of the scholarship, return to their country.
• Possess an equivalence of second class upper division and completed an undergraduate degree.
• Have at least 2 years of work experience.
• Meet the Chevening English Language requirement.

It is important to visit your individual online page at the official website of the scholarship to obtain information on how to apply.

3. Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Programme

The Eiffel Excellence Scholarship is provided to attract the best international students to study in French universities. It is funded by the French government and is available for only Masters and Doctoral students. Future decision-makers of the private and public sectors in their required areas of study will benefit more from the scholarship.

 Benefit of the scholarship

The programme is not fully funded as it does not cover tuition. It covers a monthly allowance and other numerous expenses like health insurance, cultural activities, returns trips, and so on. The award covers for a maximum of 12 months for PhD students and between 12 – 36 months for Masters students.

Eligibility Criteria

• Candidates must be of non-French origin.
• Candidates for master’s programme must not exceed 25 years at the time of application, while those of PhD must not exceed 30 years.
• The application must be submitted by French education establishments.
• Those who have previously applied for the scholarship and had failed are exempted from the application.
• The language skills of the candidates must meet the requirement of the relevant course of study.

Students are not allowed to apply directly, except through a French Higher Education Institution.

4. Gates Cambridge Scholarships

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship is a university-funded scholarship programme. They are among the top renowned international scholarship programmes. Each year, 100 international students across the world who wish to study and research in any study field at the University of Cambridge are offered this prestigious scholarship.

Benefit of the scholarship

The scholarship is a fully-funded scholarship and covers the tuition, maintenance allowances, airfare, among others.

Eligibility criteria

• Candidates must be citizens of any country other than the UK countries.
• Candidates must be interested in pursuing a certificate in Masters, PhD, or a one-year post-graduate programme.

Applicants are advised to submit their application for the admission and funding through the University’s Graduate Application Portal.

5. Wuhan University Scholarships

Wuhan University Scholarship is a Chinese owned scholarship programme. It is available for international students who are interested to study for Masters and Doctoral programmes in China.

Benefit of the scholarship

The scholarship provides full scholarships and covers areas like:

• Tuition fee
• Application fee
• Living stipend of 3 500MB per month for PhD and 3000MB for masters.
• Comprehensive medical insurance

Eligibility for the scholarship

• The candidate must be an international student and either applying for a master’s or PhD programme.
• For the Master’s programme, the applicant must possess a Bachelor’s degree and should not be above 35 years.
• For the PhD programme, the applicant must possess a Master’s degree and must not be above 40 years.
• An applicant applying for Chinese-medium programmes must possess a Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK level four certificate).
• Applicants applying for English-medium programmes must possess a score report of English Language tests like IELTS (5.5) and TOEFL (80).

Procedure for the application

• Applicant must register and submit the online application at the CSC online portal.
• Applicant must register and submit the online application at the Wuhan University Online Application System for International Students. Source of fund, which is the Chinese Government must be selected.

Necessary Documents

• Application form for Chinese Government Scholarship and another one for International Scholars and student of Wuhan University.
• Transcript and study plan with degree certificate. The study plan must not be below or exceed 800 words and must be written in English or Chinese.
• Two recommendation letters from professors or associate professors.
• Scanned copy of a valid passport which should not expire before December 31, 2020.
• Valid HSK or English level certificates.
• Acceptance letter from the professor Wuhan University.

This is an opportunity for international students who wish to acquire a Chinese certificate. Hurry to apply.

6. University of Sydney International Scholarships, Australia

Candidates who are eligible for a master’s or PhD research programme at the University of Sydney are encouraged to apply for the University of Sydney International Research Scholarship. The scholarship is valued at $350 per annum.

Benefit of the scholarship

The scholarship will cover for tuition and living expenses for up to three years.

Eligibility criteria

         Candidates must:

• Be an international student.
• Have an admission offer to study at the university, or currently enrolled in a master’s or doctoral programme at the University of Sydney.

Applications for the scholarship are opened all year. Ensure you visit the official website for more information.

7. Clarendon Fund Scholarships at the University of Oxford

The scholarship is a graduate scholarship programme at the University of Oxford. It offers about 140 scholarships yearly to eligible candidates. The major criterion for awarding the scholarship is academic excellence. Masters and PhD students applying for any degree-bearing courses at the graduate level are eligible.

Benefit of the scholarship

• The full scholarship covers tuition and college fees in full.
• Living costs are granted to full-time scholars., while part-time scholars receive a study support grant.
• The scholarship covers the duration of the programme offered by the applicant.

Eligibility criteria

• Only candidates with outstanding academic performance are considered.
• Students from all subject areas are eligible for the application.
• Students who apply for a full or part-time programme are automatically qualified for the scholarship.

Visit the official website of the application for full details on how to apply.

8. Rotary Foundation Global Scholarship Grants for Development

The Rotary Foundation offers scholarship funding through the Rotary Foundation Global Grants. It covers graduate-level coursework or research programme between 1 – 4 years. The host institution must be one of any approved universities in the countries where the Rotary club or its district is situated, but outside the home country of the applicant.

Benefits of the scholarship

The scholarship covers tuition, passport/visa, inoculation, travel expenses, living expenses, school supply, and language training courses. The minimum budget is $30 000 but does not include the personal and miscellaneous expenses of the applicant.

To know your eligibility, you are advised to visit the scholarship page of the Rotary Club of the host country you wish to apply.

9. Fully Funded Scholarships at the University of Oslo in Norway

The scholarship is named ‘Postdoctoral Fellow in Philosophy’ and it is for students who wish to obtain a PhD degree in the field of philosophy.

Benefit of the Scholarship

• Salary between the range of NOK 532 300 and 605 500 each year. This is dependent on the qualification of the research fellow.
• Welfare benefits and pension agreement.

Eligibility criteria

The following criteria are expected of the candidates to meet.

• Must hold a degree equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree in Philosophy. In some cases, a PhD in Sociology is acceptable.
• The doctoral dissertation must have been submitted before the closing date.
• Must meet the English Language condition for the admission offer.

If you are eligible for the offer, visit the official website for more information.

10. University of Sussex’ Chancellor’s International Scholarships in the UK

The University of Sussex invites international students for the postgraduate programme. About 25 scholarships are offered to eligible candidates. High-flying and highly-motivated research students from Non-EU countries are encouraged to apply for scholarships.

Benefit of the scholarship

The scholarship is not fully funded and covers only a 50% tuition fee. Only 25 candidates are to be selected.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the scholarship, candidates must meet the following criteria

• Have applied for and been offered an admission to study on a full-time Postgraduate Taught degree at the University of Sussex.
• Will pay 50% of the fees at the Non-EU rate. You must have been assessed as liable to pay overseas school fees.
• Have sufficient funds for living and other expenses.
• If you hold other scholarships from the university, you are not eligible for the offer.
• Must meet the English Language proficiency condition.

This might be your opportunity to achieve that dream certificate.