Asian countries – Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, China, India and Taiwan – are fast becoming the study destinations for international students to gain study abroad experience. To attract more bright students and promote bilateral relationships between nations, the governments of these countries offer generous scholarships in Asia for international students, especially those from developing countries.
To help you achieve your dream of studying in a developed or emerging Asian economy, here is a list of scholarships in Asia and Middle East for international students from Africa and developing countries.
Government of Malaysia International Scholarships (Mis) at Malaysian Universities
The Malaysia International Scholarship (MIS) is an initiative by the Malaysian Government to attract the best brain from around the world to pursue advanced academic studies in Malaysia. This scholarship aims to support Malaysian Government’s effort to attract, motivate and retain talented human capital from abroad.
Previous Application Deadline: 15th September
Beijing Government Scholarships for Undergraduate, Masters & Doctoral International Students
The Beijing Government Scholarship (BGS) was established by Beijing Municipal Government, aiming to provide tuition fees fully or partially to the international students studying or applying for studying in Beijing.
Previous application deadline: before the end of February every year
Schwarzman Scholars Fully-funded Masters Scholarship for International Students – China
Schwarzman Scholars was inspired by the Rhodes Scholarship, which was founded in 1902 to promote international understanding and peace, and is designed to meet the challenges of the 21st century and beyond. Blackstone Co-Founder Stephen A. Schwarzman personally contributed $100 million to the program and is leading a fundraising campaign to raise an additional $350 million from private sources to endow the program in perpetuity. The $450 million endowment will support up to 200 scholars annually from the U.S., China and around the world for a one-year Master’s Degree program at Tsinghua University in Beijing.
Previous Application Deadline: 15th September
75 UNESCO/China (The Great Wall) Co-Sponsored Fellowship for Students from Developing Countries
The Government of the People’s Republic of China has placed at the disposal of UNESCO, under the co-sponsorship of UNESCO, seventy-five (75) fellowships for advanced studies at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. These fellowships are for the benefit of developing Member States in Africa, Asia–Pacific, Latin America, Europe and North America and Arab region. The fellowships, tenable at a selected number of Chinese universities, are for a duration of one year. These fellowships, are in most cases to be conducted in English. In exceptional cases, candidates may be required to study Chinese language before taking up research/study in their fields of interest.
Application Deadline: 20th April
Ashinaga Fully-funded Undergraduate Scholarships for Orphans from Africa
Ashinaga is a Japan-based nonprofit organization, which provides educational and emotional support to orphaned students. The organization has supported over 95,000 orphans in the last 45 years, and many of its graduates are actively contributing to society in a variety of fields across the world.
Previous Application Deadline: 28th February
Brunei Darussalam Government Scholarships for Foreign Students
Applications are invited for Brunei Darussalam Government Scholarships available for foreign students to study at University of Brunei Darussalam [UBD], Islam Sultan Sharif Ali University [UNISSA], Brunei Institute of Technology [ITB] and Politeknik Brunei (PB) in Brunei. These scholarships are awarded to the students of ASEAN, OIC, Commonwealth Member Countries and others. Scholarship award is normally tenable for the duration of the programme.
Previous Application Deadline: 13th March
Japanese Government（Monbukagakusho:MEXT）Scholarship
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) is offering scholarships to international students who wish to study at Japanese universities as undergraduate students under the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program
Application deadline: varies by country
Youth of Excellence Scheme of China (Yes China) Masters Scholarship for Developing Countries
To promote the mutual understanding and friendship between China and other countries, and to provide education opportunities to the youths worldwide who enjoy good potentials in their career development, the Chinese Government established the “Scholarship for Youth of Excellence Scheme of China——Master Program （YES CHINA）” with the aim of providing financial support to the outstanding youth coming to China to pursue a Master’s degree. The programs duration will be open to applicants from 56 developing countries.
Higher Education Scholarship Program for Undergraduate, Masters and PhD Students in Taiwan
Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund (Taiwan ICDF) offers Higher Education Scholarship Program to study for Undergraduate (4 years), Masters (2 years) and PhD (4 years) Degrees at renowned partner universities in Taiwan
Previous Application Deadline: 17th March
Anhui Government Scholarship for International Students – China
Anhui Government Scholarship Program for International Students is established to attract more international students to study and research in Anhui higher education institutions, improve international student education quality, strengthen mutual understanding and friendship between Anhui people and people from the rest of the world and expand the international influence of Anhui’s education.
Application Deadline: Deadline to be determined by participating schools.
Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program Japan
The World Bank and the Government of Japan, through the Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program, offer scholarships for Masters Degree to postgraduate students from developing countries to study in Japan. It is anticipated that scholars would return to their countries to apply their enhanced knowledge and skills towards helping accelerate the pace of economic and social development.
Previous Application Deadline: 23rd February
University of Tokyo Masters and PhD Scholarships for International Students
The University of Tokyo provides international students with scholarships that cover school expense exemptions, scholarships, emergency loans, and student discounts. The purpose of this scholarship is twofold: to financially support Self-Supported International Students whose academic performance is outstanding and to increase the number of students from abroad.
Previous Application Deadline: 1st May
Jiangsu Provincial Government Scholarships for International Students – China
Jiangsu Provincial Government has set up the Jasmine Jiangsu Government Scholarship for international students in order to promote the development of higher education of International students in Jiangsu, to further improve the profile of Jiangsu Education to the world, to highlight the brand of Study in Jiangsu and to make Jiangsu a preferred province for international students to study in.
Application Deadline: 15th April
MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program at American University of Beirut (AUB) Lebanon
American University of Beirut (AUB) and The MasterCard Foundation have partnered to provide ful scholarships to students at the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS). This $9 million scholarship program will enable young adults who are sensitive to their communities’ concerns and proactive in their environment to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health or Medical Laboratory Sciences at AUB
Previous Application Deadline: 3rd April
Visit scholarship webpage
Korean Government Scholarships for Bachelors, Masters and PhD studies for Developing Countries
The Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP) is offered for international students who want to pursue Bachelors, Masters and PhD degrees in Korean Universities. The scholarship is aimed to provide international students with an opportunity to conduct advanced studies at higher educational institutions in Korea, to develop global leaders and strengthen Korea-friendly networks worldwide.
Previous Application Deadline
For Undergraduate Program, the Korean Embassy or Consulate will recommend qualified candidates to NIIED by 15 November. Be sure to apply before this period.
For the Graduate Program, the Korean Embassy or Consulate will recommend qualified candidates to NIIED by 31 March. Be sure to apply before this period.
Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme for International Students
The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS), established in 2009 by the Research Grants Council (RGC), aims at attracting the best and brightest students in the world to pursue their PhD programmes in Hong Kong’s institutions. About 230 PhD Fellowships will be awarded each academic year. For awardees who need more than three years to complete the PhD degree, additional support may be provided by the chosen institutions.
Previous Application Deadline: 1st December (Annually)
Indian Government (ICCR) Scholarship for 900 African Undergraduate/Postgraduate Students
Under this Scheme, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations offers 900 scholarships to students from developing regions to study in India. At the inaugural plenary of the India – Africa Forum Summit held in New Delhi in April 2008, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India announced the Government of India’s initiative to enhance the academic opportunities for students of African countries in India by increasing the number of scholarships for them to pursue undergraduate, postgraduate and higher courses.
Previous Application Deadline: 1st January
UNESCO-Japan Research Fellowship for Developing Countries (Keizo Obuchi)
The Government of Japan offers 20 fellowships per year, to deserving candidates from UNESCO developing countries, especially the least developed countries (LDCs), who are eager to undertake research on one or more of the topics listed below. The aim of the fellowships is to support innovative and imaginative postgraduate research in the areas of development to which former Prime Minister Obuchi was committed and which coincide with areas of particular interest to UNESCO.
Application Deadline: (Yet to open for 2017)
Visit scholarship webpage
Rotary Yoneyama Foundation Undergraduate, Masters and PhD Scholarships for International students
The Rotary Yoneyama Memorial Foundation awards scholarships to overseas students who aspire to study or conduct research in Japanese universities or graduate schools. Its scholarship fund is supported by the contributions of Rotarians throughout Japan. The Foundation is Japan’s largest private scholarship organization, both in terms of program scale and number of scholarships awarded.
Previous Application Deadline: 15th December
The objective of the Program in Economic and Public Policy (PEPP) is to provide, within the time frame of 18 months, training and the necessary skills for the conception, design, and implementation of development policies. Our focus is on International Development with a trans-disciplinary approach to the economic and social problems of developing countries and former socialist countries.
Previous Application Deadline: 28th February
Jindal-Africa Scholarship for 50 African Students to Study in India
This scholarship programme is intended to build human capital of fellow developing countries through higher education. It aims to build capacities of young Africans by bringing them to the JGU campus in India and training them in key issue areas relevant to the national priorities of their respective countries. The ultimate goal of this programme is to strengthen people-to-people linkages between India and Africa.
Previous Application Deadline: 31 May
Singapore: Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarships (fully-funded) for International Students
The Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship (NPGS) is a competitive and prestigious scholarship scheme designed to encourage outstanding graduates or final-year students to take their first step towards a leading research career by studying for a doctoral degree programme (PhD) at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), one of Asia’s leading research universities. Funding will be provided for up to 4 years for NPGS awardees. Up to 30 NPGS awards will be made available in each Academic Year. Successful candidates will be known as Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholars
Previous Application Deadline: 30th November
National University of Singapore Post-Doctoral Fellowships
The National University of Singapore invite applications for Post-Doctoral Fellowship positions commencing in 2017/2018. These Post-Doctoral Fellowship positions may be held generally within NUS Law or, for candidates with appropriate backgrounds and expertise, within the Centre for Asian Legal Studies (CALS), the Centre for Law & Business (CLB), and the Centre for Banking & Finance Law (CBFL).
Previous Application Deadline: 31st December
Study in Malaysia: International Medical University (IMU) Scholarships for Undergraduate Students
The International Medical University (IMU) has introduced a scholarship programme for 2017. Scholarships will now be available for most IMU programmes. Scholarship is not automatically disbursed and is subject to approval from the Scholarship Selection Committee based on the candidates’ actual SPM or O-Level results and achievement in ECA. An interview is not required.
Application Deadlines: Deadlines vary for individual programs selected for the scholarship (Click scholarship link to see individual deadlines)
TWAS Fellowships for Developing Countries
The Annual TWAS-USM Visiting Scholar Fellowships in natural sciences is offered to scientists from developing countries (other than Malaysia) who wish to pursue advanced research in natural sciences. The Fellowships in natural sciences are tenable for a minimum period of one month to a maximum of three months at a school/department of the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). The language of instruction is English.
Previous Application Deadline: 31st March
C V Raman International Fellowship for African Researchers, India
The Department of Science & Technology under the Government of India offers C V Raman International Fellowship for African researchers in Science & Technology. The Fellowship provides opportunities for African researchers to conduct collaborative research / training for 1-6 months duration at universities and research institutions in India.
Previous Application Deadline: 31st July
Singapore: Nanyang President’s Graduate (PhD) Scholarships for International Students
The Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship (NPGS) is a competitive and prestigious scholarship scheme designed to encourage outstanding graduates or final-year students to take their first step towards a leading research career by studying for a doctoral degree programme (PhD) at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), one of Asia’s leading research universities.
Funding will be provided for up to 4 years for NPGS awardees. Up to 30 NPGS awards will be made available in each Academic Year.
Previous Application Deadline: 30th November
Singapore International Graduate Award (SINGA) Scholarship in Science, Engineering and Research
The Singapore International Graduate Award (SINGA) is a collaboration between the Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR), the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) to offer PhD training to be carried out in English at your chosen lab at A*STAR Research Institutes, NUS or NTU. Students will be supervised by distinguished and world-renowned researchers in these labs. Upon successful completion, students will be conferred a PhD degree by either NUS or NTU.
Application Deadline: For January intake is 1 June
Indonesian Government Scholarships for Students from Developing Countries
The Developing Countries Partnership Program on Scholarship or Beasiswa KNB (Kemitraan Negara Berkembang) is offered for the Master Degree Program at one of 12 prominent Universities in Indonesia for 3 years period. The program has been offered, since 2002, to the Master Degree candidates from the developing countries all around the world.
Previous Application Deadline: 9th February
Indonesian Government KNB Undergraduate & Masters Scholarship for Students in Developing Countries
The scholarship is offered to potential students from developing countries to earn their Master Degree at one of 16 prominent universities in Indonesia. Officially launched in 2006 by the Directorate General of Higher Education of the Republic of Indonesia, this program has been attracting a significant number of applicants, as by 2015, 896 students from 64 countries had been awarded this scholarship.
Application Deadline: 30th May
IRENA Scholarship Programme by the Government of UAE for International Students
In an effort to promote talented academics, and with the generous support of the Government of the United Arab Emirates, IRENA is awarding up to 20 scholarships at Abu Dhabi based MASDAR Institute of Science and Technology. The Programme extends to the eight Master of Science Programmes offered at MASDAR Institute.
Previous Application Deadline: 31st May
Taiwan Government International Scholarship Programme
The Government of Taiwan through the Ministry of Education (MOE) has established the Taiwan Scholarship Program for foreign students in an effort to encourage outstanding international students to undertake degree studies in Taiwan so as to familiarize themselves with the academic environment in Taiwan and promote communication, understanding and friendship between Taiwan and countries around the world.
Application Deadline: 31st March
Tehran University of Medical Sciences International Scholarship – Iran
The Chancellor of Tehran University of Medical Sciences and the President of the International Campus are pleased to announce their first round of scholarships to foreign students who are interested to pursue their studies at TUMS-IC (Tehran University of Medical Sciences- International Campus. The Scholarship is available for undergraduate (BSc), Masters (MSc), PhD and Doctoral studies.
Previous Application Deadline: 31st May
China Government Scholarship Program for International Students – Undergraduate Masters and PhD
The Chinese Government Scholarship Program, offered by the China Scholarship Council, is to sponsor the international Masters and PhD students and scholars to study and research in Chinese universities or colleges. The establishment of the scholarship is to enhance the mutual understanding and friendship between Chinese and people all over the world.
Previous Application Deadline: Early April
Türkiye Government Masters and Doctorate Degrees Scholarships for International Students
Türkiye Scholarships include both scholarship and university placement at the same time. Applicants will be placed in a university and programme among their preferences specified in the online application form. Candidates can apply only one scholarship programme in accordance with their educational background and academic goals.
Previous Application Deadline: 17th February
Government of Turkey Undergraduate Scholarships (Türkiye Burslari) for International Students
2017 Türkiye Scholarships applications for undergraduate level begin on March 1st. Applications to Türkiye Scholarships, which has provided scholarships to 5 thousand students from over 150 countries in 2016, will be taken between 1 – 31 March 2017. In addition to providing students with education opportunities at an international quality, Turkey also offers a wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise, and opens doors to undergraduate education for successful international students from all over the World.
Application Deadline: 31st March
Annual INSEAD MBA Scholarships for African and Developing Countries Students
With three fully-integrated campuses in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, and over 80 different nationalities in the classroom, INSEAD is one the Business schools with a multicultural experience. The Accelerated 10-month curriculum develops successful, thoughtful leaders and entrepreneurs who create value for their organisations and their communities.
INSEAD Scholarships are most sought-after source of financial assistance. They are limited in number and there is significant competition for each award.
This post was last modified on February 14, 2024 10:53 am