Government scholarships are the backbone of funded international study. They are usually free to apply for, cover living costs as well as tuition, and are run by embassies, ministries or national agencies with long track records. They also differ enormously in who they target and what they expect in return. This comparison uses the details we verified on each programme's official pages in September 2026.
At a glance
| Scholarship | Country | Level | What it pays | Next deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevening | UK | One-year master's | Tuition, monthly stipend, flights, visa | 2027–28 closed 6 Oct 2026; next round not announced |
| Commonwealth Master's | UK | One-year master's | Tuition, airfare, £1,712/month (£2,000 London) | 20 Oct 2026 |
| DAAD | Germany | Master's, PhD | €992/month (€1,300 PhD), insurance, travel | Set by each programme |
| Fulbright | USA | Master's, PhD, research | Stipend, insurance, travel, tuition support | By country |
| Eiffel | France | Master's, PhD | €1,200/month (€2,100 PhD), travel, insurance | 2027 session not yet announced |
| Swedish Institute (SISGP) | Sweden | Master's | Tuition, SEK 12,000/month, travel grant, insurance | 2027 dates not yet published |
| Stipendium Hungaricum | Hungary | All levels | Tuition, HUF 43,700/month, housing, insurance | 2027–28 call not yet published |
| Türkiye Scholarships | Türkiye | All levels | Tuition, stipend, dorm, flights, insurance, language year | 2027 call not yet announced |
| Swiss Government Excellence | Switzerland | PhD, postdoc research | CHF 2,450/month, fees, insurance, housing | Set by the Swiss embassy in your country (call open since 20 Aug 2026) |
| Government of Ireland (GOI-IES) | Ireland | Master's, PhD (1 year) | €10,000 + full fee waiver | 2027 call not yet announced |
| Romanian Government | Romania | All levels (in Romanian) | Fees waived, monthly scholarship, dorm | 2027–28 call not yet published |
How they differ
Who they are looking for
- Future leaders with work experience: Chevening (at least 2,800 hours of work after your degree) and the Swedish Institute (at least 3,000 hours, plus leadership).
- Development impact: the Commonwealth scholarships, DAAD's EPOS courses and the Swedish Institute favour candidates who will apply their studies at home.
- Academic excellence, early career: DAAD study scholarships (degree no more than six years old), Eiffel (up to 29 for master's, 35 for PhD), Türkiye Scholarships (under 21, 30 or 35 by level).
- Researchers: Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships and DAAD doctoral grants.
How you apply
- Directly online: Chevening, Türkiye Scholarships, Stipendium Hungaricum (plus your country's sending partner), the Swedish Institute, GOI-IES, the Romanian government scholarship.
- Through a national body or embassy: Commonwealth Master's (national nominating agency), Fulbright (Fulbright Commission or US Embassy), Swiss Government Excellence (Swiss embassy).
- Through a university: Eiffel (the French institution nominates you) and DAAD's EPOS courses.
What they ask in return
Chevening requires you to return home for at least two years after your award. Commonwealth scholars must return home and cannot switch to a UK Graduate visa. Most Fulbright grantees are subject to a two-year home-residency rule under the US J-1 visa. Read the terms: if staying abroad to work matters to you, these conditions should shape your choice.
Choosing where to apply
- Start with eligibility: nationality lists, age limits, work experience. Most applicants qualify for only a handful.
- Match the funder's purpose to your story. A Chevening application is about leadership; a Commonwealth one about development impact; a DAAD one about academic fit.
- Spread your applications: Commonwealth Master's closes on 20 October 2026, while Chevening's 2027–28 round closed on 6 October. Hungary, Sweden and Romania took applications early in 2026 and have not announced their 2027 dates yet, so check each official page before you plan around them.
- Never pay anyone to apply for you. Every scholarship in this table is free to apply for.