Indian students can achieve their dream of studying abroad with a scholarship. When considering studying abroad through scholarships, a common question is, ‘Can I get a full scholarship to study abroad in 2026?’ Yes, there are many fully funded scholarships available for international students who desire to study abroad.
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The availability of fully funded scholarships allows students to pursue education at top-ranked foreign universities without breaking the bank each year. However, accessing fully funded scholarships can be complex, as it demands good planning, strong academics, leadership potential, and a well-prepared application. This article outlines the types of scholarships and fully funded scholarships for students to help them find and understand the information quickly.
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The answer to this question is yes. International and Indian students can receive a full scholarship to study abroad in 2026, as many governments, universities, and international organisations offer fully funded scholarships every year.
Generally, a fully funded scholarship covers expenses, including 100% tuition fees, a monthly living stipend, accommodation expenses, health insurance, round-trip airfare, visa application costs, and research or study-related expenses. Some of the fully funded scholarships available for international students include Chevening, DAAD, MEXT, Fulbright, Erasmus Mundus, and Australia Awards.
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Government-Funded Scholarships
Governments in foreign countries offer fully funded scholarships every year for international students to support their overseas education and living costs, allowing them to pursue their education and achieve their professional goals. Foreign governments pave the way for global relationships and develop future leaders by supporting international students' education with fully funded scholarships. Some of the government-funded scholarships in various countries include
Country | Scholarship |
United Kingdom (UK) | Chevening Scholarships |
United States (US) | Fulbright Program |
Germany | DAAD Scholarships |
Japan | MEXT Scholarship |
Australia | Australia Award Scholarships |
South Korea | Global Korea Scholarships |
Many foreign universities attract talented international students with fully funded scholarships. Some of the university-funded scholarships are
University | Scholarship |
University of Oxford | Oxford Graduate Scholarships |
University of Cambridge | Gates Cambridge Scholarships |
Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences | Yale Graduate Funding Program |
Harvard University | Harvard College Financial Aid |
Multinational companies and educational partnerships generally offer fully funded scholarships for international students. International organisation scholarships include
Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Scholarship
Commonwealth Scholarships
Joint Research Fellowships and Exchange Programmes
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Chevening Scholarships (United Kingdom)
The UK government funds the Chevening scholarship, which is the most prestigious scholarship programme. This scholarship is only funded for international students pursuing a one-year master's degree at UK universities. The expenses that this scholarship programme covers include tuition fees, living expenses, return airfare, and visa costs. The eligibility criteria for availing the scholarship are that students must be from a Chevening-eligible country, must have an undergraduate degree and must have two years of work experience. The application window for this scholarship for the 2026 intake has closed. For the 2027 intake, the application opens in August 2026, and the deadline for applying for this scholarship is early October 2026.
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Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Scholarships (Europe)
The European Union will offer the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Scholarship for international students planning to study a master's in European countries. This scholarship is offered for a joint master’s program in various fields. The duration of this joint master's degree is around 1 to 2 years. The expenses that this scholarship covers include the tuition fee, a monthly living allowance of (€1,000–€1,500 per month), travel costs, visa costs, and health insurance. Students from across the world are eligible for this scholarship.
The eligibility criteria for this scholarship include a bachelor's degree, language proficiency, and specified requirements of the joint master’s programme. Depending on the program, the deadline for this scholarship varies. However, the deadline falls between October and January every year. The application deadline for the 2026 intake has already closed, and the application window for the 2027 intake will open in October/November 2026.
Read More - Erasmus Mundus Scholarship
DAAD Scholarships (Germany)
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) provides a broad spectrum of scholarships in Germany for international students planning to pursue master's, PhD, and postdoctoral degrees. A strong academic profile and relevant work experience are mandatory to be eligible for the scholarship. Students from all countries planning to study master's, PhD, and postdoctoral degrees can apply for this scholarship. The full tuition fee, travel allowance, and medical insurance are covered in this scholarship. Additionally, a monthly stipend of €934 for master’s and €1,200 for PhD’s is offered to international students in this scholarship.
As the DAAD offers scholarships for various educational programmes, including master's, PhD, and postdoctoral, the application deadline varies. The usual application deadline falls between October and January. It is advised for international students to check the official website to know the exact deadline dates for this scholarship based on their chosen programme.
Also Read - DAAD Scholarships for Indian Students
MEXT Scholarships (Japan)
One of the well-known scholarships offered by the Japanese government is the MEXT scholarship. These scholarships are offered for international students planning to pursue undergraduate, master's, PhD, and research programmes in Japanese universities. International students under 35 years old across the world are eligible to avail themselves of the scholarship. Additionally, a strong academic background and language proficiency are necessary to be eligible for this scholarship. This scholarship covers full tuition fees, return airfare, and a monthly stipend of (¥143,000–¥145,000). The application window for the 2026 intake opened and closed in 2025. As the deadline for the scholarship application submission varies depending on factors such as country, scholarship category, and more, it is advised for international students to check the official website for the application start date and deadline for scholarship application submission.
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The U.S. Department of State will provide the Fulbright Foreign Student Program for graduate students, young professionals, and artists who are ready to research and study in the United States. For master's and PhD education, this scholarship is generally offered. Full tuition and other fees, a monthly stipend, airfare, and health insurance are covered by this scholarship. Students from over 160 countries are eligible to avail themselves of this scholarship.
Depending on the home country, the eligibility criteria vary for obtaining this scholarship. The deadline for this scholarship application varies based on various factors, including home country, program, and whether you are a U.S. or visiting scholar.
The deadlines for this scholarship application for the 2027 intake for Indian students include
July 1, 2026 - Doctoral Research Fellowships
July 15, 2026 - Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
February 18, 2027 - Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowships
The Australian government will offer the Australia Awards Scholarships to students from developing countries planning to pursue undergraduate and postgraduate programs in Australia. This scholarship mainly covers full tuition fees, living expenses, return airfare, and healthcare insurance. Students from Asia-Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East are eligible for this scholarship. The application deadline for the 2026-2027 intake has already closed on April 30, 2026. The expected scholarship application start and close dates for the 2027-2028 intake are February 1, 2027, and April 30, 2027.
Read More - Scholarships in Australia for Indian and International Students
The China Scholarship Council will offer the Chinese Government Scholarship to international students who fly to China to pursue bachelor's, master's, and PhD programmes at Chinese universities. All non-Chinese nationals with good academic records can apply for this scholarship. The expenses this scholarship covers include the full tuition fee, accommodation, a monthly stipend, and health insurance. The deadline for the scholarship application for the 2026-2027 intake has already closed. The deadline for the scholarship application for the 2027-2028 intake falls between February and March 2027.
For international students planning to study undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in Turkey, the Turkey Government Scholarship is generally offered by the Turkish government. The expenses that this scholarship covers include full tuition, accommodation, a monthly stipend, health insurance, return airfare, and a Turkish language course. This scholarship is open to all non-Turkish citizens. The application window for this scholarship (2026-2027 intake) has already closed on February 25, 2026. This scholarship application for the 2027-2028 intake opens on January 10, 2027, and closes in late February 2027.
The University of Toronto will offer the Lester B.Pearson International Scholarship to international students with excellent academic records pursuing an undergraduate programme at Canadian universities. Full tuition fees, books and incidental costs, and complete residential support are covered under this scholarship. The application window opens in September/October 2026 and closes on November 7, 2026.
Related Read - Scholarships in Canada for Indian and International Students
The Swiss Federation will fund the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship for artists and researchers wishing to pursue postgraduate, PhD, and research studies in Switzerland. This scholarship covers full tuition fees, airfare allowance, health insurance, and a monthly stipend. The deadline for this scholarship application varies depending on the country. For the 2026-2027 intake, the scholarship application opening date is August 20, 2026, for Indian students. In early November 2026, the scholarship application window will close for Indian students.
Obtaining fully funded scholarships is possible for Indian students because of the availability of different types of scholarships, including government-funded, university-funded, and international organisation-funded. Every year, the government, universities, and international organisations offer fully funded scholarships for international students pursuing overseas educational programs. To increase your scholarship chances, it is advised that students build a strong academic and leadership profile, prepare compelling application materials, and apply early to multiple scholarships. International students can study abroad without any financial burden through early preparation, persistence, and the right strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships (USA), Chevening Scholarships (UK), National Overseas Scholarship Scheme (Global), Inlaks Shivdasani Scholarships (Global), and DAAD Scholarships (Germany) are the study abroad scholarships for Indian students in 2026.
Countries that offer several scholarships include the UK, the US, Germany, Australia, Japan, and Europe.
Yes. Although fully funded scholarships are extremely competitive, thousands of international students are awarded fully funded scholarships every year.
English proficiency is not always mandatory for fully funded scholarships. Depending on previous educational background, work experience, and university policies, many scholarships are offered.