There are several scholarships available for admission-seeking students around the world. The university or outside organizations may award these scholarships. Let’s discuss some of the best fully funded scholarship available for international students.
The following universities around the world offer fully funded scholarship:
1. Chevening Scholarship United Kingdom:
Chevening scholarships enable you to study in the United Kingdom. The scholarship has a one-year length (the same as the Commonwealth) and is available internationally.
In addition to your career goals, the scholarship mostly focuses on your leadership traits and networking abilities.
It is vital to note that you only need to list three universities and the program you wish to pursue at those universities. You do not need a letter of admission from the university at the time of application for Chevening. You can give the preference in applying to universities where you have the best chance of admission. But you can modify your preference during the interview phase.
To pass the eligibility for the Chevening scholarship, you must be:
Be a citizen of a country that is part of the Chevening program
After finishing the scholarship, you should return to your home country for at least two years
Have completed undergraduate degree
You must have at least two years of work experience, which is equivalent to 2,800 hours.
Official Links:
2. Commonwealth Fully Funded Scholarship UK:
The UK government offers Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) funding for postgraduate courses in every discipline (excluding MBA) in the United Kingdom. CSC does not accept direct applications; therefore, candidates must apply through a nominating agency (HEC is the nominating agency in Pakistan). HEC merely recommends the candidates, so it is not a scholarship. You must apply to both the Commonwealth and HEC websites, and HEC conducts initial screening through a test or interview.CSC receives the names of shortlisted candidates, and then selects candidates proposed by HEC and awards them a scholarship. Also, CSC is just a financial organization; thus, you must get your university admission. You should apply to universities when scholarship applications are being accepted.
The UK offers a one-year course-based master’s degree recognized worldwide (including Pakistan), making you eligible for a Ph.D. later. After completing the master’s degree, you must return to your native country and serve for two years.
Like Erasmus, the competition is not international; hence Pakistan has reserved seats.
The application requires you to respond to numerous questions, such as your short- and long-term study plans, leadership characteristics, personal statement, etc. (the scholarship is not based solely on your statement of purpose and letters of recommendation).
You will receive a waived tuition fee along with a monthly stipend of £1,084. If you attend a university in the London metropolitan area, the monthly stipend will be around £1,330.
Official Links:
Homepage – Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (fcdo.gov.uk)
Commonwealth Scholarships for Masters & PhD Commonwealth Scholarships for Masters & PhD (hec.gov.pk)
3. Fulbright Fully Funded Scholarship USA:
Fulbright allows you to study (master’s and doctoral) in the United States, entirely sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The grant covers the cost of tuition, a stipend, health insurance, and one-way airfare for master’s students. The grant amount varies by state, but Fulbright, being one of the world’s most prestigious fully funded scholarship, which cover all your expenses.
To apply for the scholarship, you must take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), but you can submit your TOEFL score at a later stage if you are selected. Candidates are first shortlisted based on their applications and then interviewed in Islamabad. These finalists are required to provide their TOEFL scores. After selecting students, Fulbright places them at various universities based on their interests, priorities, and GRE and TOEFL scores.
On average, around 150-170 Pakistani candidates are selected annually. You must be a resident of Pakistan at the time of application, and you must sign a bond with USEFP stating that you would return to Pakistan promptly after completing your degree in the United States and serve in Pakistan for two years (for master’s students).
In addition to your study objectives, you must also write a Personal Statement distinct from a Statement of Purpose.
Official Links:
https://us.fulbrightonline.org/
https://usefp.org/scholarships/fulbright-degree.cfm
4. MEXT Fully Funded Scholarship Japan:
The Japanese government offers MEXT, a fully funded scholarship for MS and Ph.D. studies in virtually all subjects, including engineering, non-engineering, social sciences, and biological sciences. With MEXT, you are exempt from IELTS/TOEFL requirements and can apply using the English Proficiency Certificate granted by your university. You must provide your application’s intended field of study and research plan.
The scholarship covers your tuition, stipend (1,444,000 yen monthly for MS students), airfare, and visa fees.
Applicants submit their applications to the Japanese embassy, which then conducts the initial screening. The Japanese diplomatic missions will first screen applicants by examining submitted application materials, administering written language proficiency tests, and conducting interviews. The subjects of written language proficiency examinations will be Japanese and English. All applicants are required to submit both topics. After the grantee arrives in Japan, the grantee will get a Japanese-language preparatory education based on the results of the Japanese language examination.
Candidates who pass the initial Screening must contact the Japanese universities where they desire to attend directly and request temporary acceptance. Applicants who pass the first Screening must submit a Placement Reference Application Form to the diplomatic mission of Japan.
The submission deadline for this form differs between Japanese diplomatic missions.
Candidates who pass the second screening and have a willing institution to admit them will be granted a MEXT Scholarship. The Japanese diplomatic representation will inform applicants of the results.
Official Links:
https://www.mext.go.jp/en/policy/education/highered/title02/detail02/sdetail02/1373897.htm
https://www.pk.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/MEXT_Research_Scholarship.html
5. Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Hungary:
The Hungarian Government established this fully funded scholarship program to promote and attract international students worldwide. The objective is to establish a professional and personal link between international students with Hungary while studying and enjoying the culture in the heart of Europe.
If you are an applicant from Pakistan, you must apply on the HEC portal and the Hungaricum portal.
https://www.hec.gov.pk/english/scholarshipsgrants/lao/SHSP/Pages/default.aspx
Some basic requirements of documents to apply for these schoalrships can be found here.
These are some of the top fully funded scholarships worldwide, and the list will continue in the next blog (Part-2) of top Fully Funded Scholarship for International Students.
