Fully Funded Scholarships for African Students 2026-2027 | 35+ Open Now

Fully Funded Scholarships for African Students 2026-2027

✅ Updated on 4 September 2026 — verified deadlines, expired opportunities removed and new scholarships added

Are you an African student looking for fully funded scholarships to pursue your higher education abroad? You are in the right place. We have compiled an exclusive list of 40 fully funded scholarships that are still open for the 2026-2027 academic year, open to applicants from Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Burkina Faso, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia and other African countries.

These international scholarships cover tuition fees, accommodation, health insurance and monthly stipends. Destinations include Canada, the USA, the UK, Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Russia, Qatar, Japan, South Korea, China, Australia, Brazil, Morocco, South Africa and New Zealand. Also check our French version of this guide and our scholarships specifically for Cameroonian students.

Important: For most university scholarships, you must already have or be in the process of obtaining admission to the participating university(ies) for the 2026/2027 academic year.

⏰ Closing soon — don't miss these deadlines

• Schwarzman Scholars Program (China) — closes 9 September 2026
• Gates Scholarship (USA) — closes 15 September 2026
• Mastercard Foundation — University of Edinburgh — mandatory info sessions 15–24 September 2026
• 200+ ARES Scholarships (Belgium) — closes 18 September 2026 at 12:00
• Knight-Hennessy Scholars (USA) — closes 6 October 2026

📑 Article Contents

• Scholarships in Europe (17 scholarships)
• Scholarships in the Americas (10 scholarships)
• Scholarships in Asia & Oceania (6 scholarships)
• Other destinations (7 scholarships)
• Internships & fellowships
• Conferences, forums & youth programs
• Free online courses with certificates
• FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions

🇪🇺 Fully Funded Scholarships in Europe for African Students 2026-2027

Europe remains a top destination for African students. Here are 17 scholarships across the UK, Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Slovakia and Russia:

🎓 17 European scholarships — Apply now

200+ Fully Funded ARES Master's & Training Scholarships (Belgium)

Bachelor's, Advanced Master's, continuing training Deadline 18 Sept 2026

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Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program — University of Edinburgh 2027/28

Master's & postgraduate diplomas, on-campus or online Deadline 19 Nov 2026

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Dartmouth College DAAD Master's Scholarship (Germany)

Master's degree (10–24 months) Deadline 30 Oct 2026

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UNU / University of Bonn Joint MSc — DAAD EPOS Scholarships (Germany)

Master's degree See details

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Humboldt Research Fellowship (Germany)

Postdoctoral & experienced researchers Rolling / Ongoing

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Rhodes Scholarship — University of Oxford (UK)

Master's & PhD, 2027 cycle Deadline Oct 2026

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Africa Oxford Initiative (AfOx) Scholarships at Oxford (UK)

Graduate studies for African students See details

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Commonwealth PhD Scholarships in the UK

PhD See details

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British Council GREAT Scholarship (UK)

Master's degree See details

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Scotland Scholarships for Women and Girls

Women & girls See details

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Fully Funded Chalhoub Scholarship at Sciences Po (France)

Graduate studies See details

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EU Jean Monnet Scholarship for International Students

Master's degree See details

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European Union MMOCRA Scholarship for Africans

Master's degree See details

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Wageningen University Scholarships (Netherlands)

Master's degree See details

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Fully Funded Eric Bleumink Scholarships (Netherlands)

Master's degree — University of Groningen See details

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Study in Slovakia — National Scholarship Program (NSP)

Master's, PhD & mobility See details

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Open Doors Russian Government Scholarships

Master's & PhD See details

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🌎 Fully Funded Scholarships in the Americas 2026-2027

The Americas (Canada, USA and Brazil) offer some of the most prestigious scholarships in the world for African students:

🎓 10 scholarships across Canada, USA & Brazil

Canadian International Development Scholarships (BCDI 2030)

26 eligible countries Ongoing

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Lester B. Pearson Scholarship — University of Toronto (Canada)

Fully funded undergraduate degree Deadline 6 Nov 2026

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University of British Columbia Scholarships (Canada)

International students See details

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York University President's International Excellence Scholarship (Canada)

Undergraduate Varies

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University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowship (Canada)

Masters & PhD — $2M+ in funding Varies

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Gates Scholarships — USA

300 student leaders selected Deadline 15 Sept 2026

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Knight-Hennessy Scholars — Stanford University (USA)

Master's, MBA, PhD Deadline 6 Oct 2026

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Fully Funded University of Miami Stamps Scholarship (USA)

Undergraduate See details

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Coca-Cola Scholarship (USA)

Undergraduate See details

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800 Scholarships in Brazil — GCUB Program

Master's & PhD See details

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🌏 Fully Funded Scholarships in Asia & Oceania 2026-2027

Asian countries offer extremely generous scholarships with excellent living conditions:

🎓 6 Scholarships in Asia & Oceania

Global Korea Scholarship — South Korea

Bachelor, Master, PhD Varies

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Japanese Government MEXT Scholarship

All levels Varies by country

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AfDB–Japan Africa Dream Scholarship Program

Master's in Japan See details

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Schwarzman Scholars Program — China

Master's degree Deadline 9 Sept 2026

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Fully Funded Doha Institute Scholarships (Qatar)

Master's degree See details

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Deakin University Scholarships — Australia

All levels Open

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🌍 Other International Scholarships for African Students 2026-2027

Additional scholarship opportunities across different destinations and study levels, including within Africa:

🎓 7 More scholarship opportunities

University of Cape Town Mastercard Foundation Scholarship Program (South Africa)

Undergraduate & Master's for young Africans See details

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KfW–EAC Master's Scholarships — East Africa

Master's degree See details

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Intra-Africa PERI-ACE Scholarships — Master's & PhD for African Students

Intra-African mobility See details

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Ashinaga Fully Funded Undergraduate Scholarships

Undergraduate — for orphaned African students See details

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Moroccan Scholarship Program (AMCI) — Bachelor, Master, PhD

Studies in French See details

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Unicaf Bachelor, Master's or Doctoral Scholarship

$100M+ awarded to 30,000+ students Ongoing

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University of Auckland International Student Excellence Scholarship (New Zealand)

All levels Deadline October 2026

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💼 Fully Funded Internships and Fellowships 2026

Beyond academic scholarships, these professional opportunities are also available for African students and young professionals:

💼 Internships & fellowships

UNIDO Internship Programme — How to Apply

United Nations Industrial Development Organization

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World Bank Group Africa Fellowship

Paid fellowship for young African professionals

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African Union Enterprise Africa Network Fellowship for Women

Fellowship for women entrepreneurs

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NASA Internship Program

Open to international students

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UNICEF Internship Program

Undergraduates, Masters, PhD

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UNESCO Internship Program

Science, education, culture

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Tesla Paid Internship Program

Global opportunities

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WHO Paid Internship Program

Technical & administrative roles

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United Nations Jobs 2026-2027

193 countries — no prior experience required

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🌐 Fully Funded Conferences, Forums & Youth Programs 2026-2027

These fully funded conferences, forums and grant programs offer travel, accommodation and networking opportunities for young Africans:

🌐 Conferences, forums & youth programs

HISA Future Diplomats Forum — Geneva (Switzerland)

International forum for future diplomats

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Africa CDC Youth Pre-Conference 2026

Youth engagement in public health

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Youth Global Forum 2027 in Paris (France)

International youth forum

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United Nations Youth Townhall — Heidelberg (Germany)

Fully funded participation

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Vancouver Digital Diplomacy Forum (Canada)

Digital diplomacy & technology

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African Investigative Journalism Conference Fellowship

For African journalists

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World Conference of Science Journalists — Travel Fellowship

Travel grant for science journalists

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Africa No Filter — Voices for Climate Justice Initiative

Grants for African storytellers

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AU-EU Youth Action Lab Grants 2026

Grants for youth-led initiatives

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💻 Free Online Courses with Certificates 2026

Strengthen your academic profile with these free certified online courses — a real asset in any scholarship application:

💻 Free online courses

UNICEF Free Online Courses with Free Certificates

140+ courses in 6 languages

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Google Analytics Academy — Free Certificates

No registration fee

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Google Free Digital Marketing Course with Certificate

Google Digital Garage

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❓ FAQ: Scholarships for African Students

What are the best fully funded scholarships for African students in 2026?

The most prestigious fully funded scholarships still open to African students include: the Knight-Hennessy Scholars (Stanford), the Gates Scholarship in the USA, the Rhodes Scholarship (Oxford), the Lester B. Pearson Scholarship (University of Toronto), the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program (University of Edinburgh), the MEXT Japanese Government Scholarship and the Global Korea Scholarship. All cover tuition, accommodation and provide monthly stipends.

Which scholarships have a deadline in September–October 2026?

Several scholarships close this autumn 2026: the Schwarzman Scholars Program (9 September), the Gates Scholarship (USA) (15 September), the 200+ ARES Scholarships in Belgium (18 September at 12:00), the Knight-Hennessy Scholars at Stanford (6 October), the Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford (October) and the Dartmouth College DAAD Master's Scholarship (30 October). Prepare your documents now.

How do I apply for a fully funded scholarship?

To apply, you typically need: (1) an academic CV, (2) a motivation letter, (3) translated academic transcripts, (4) recommendation letters, (5) a language test (TOEFL, IELTS), and (6) a valid passport. Most applications are submitted directly on the official scholarship website.

Do fully funded scholarships cover all expenses?

Yes. A fully funded scholarship typically covers: tuition fees, accommodation, health insurance, a monthly stipend for living expenses, and often round-trip airfare. Some scholarships also include free language courses and visa fees.

Do I need to speak the local language to get a scholarship?

Not always. Many scholarships in Germany, Italy, Japan or Korea are accessible with English proficiency (B2/C1) since programs are taught in English. For Morocco, French is sufficient. The required language test is usually TOEFL or IELTS. Some scholarships also offer free language courses upon arrival.

Which African countries are eligible for these scholarships?

These scholarships are open to students from all African countries: Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Burkina Faso, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Angola, DRC, Gabon, Chad, Mauritania, Madagascar and others. Always verify the list of eligible countries on each official scholarship page.

When should I start preparing my scholarship application?

Start at least 6 to 12 months before the deadline. This gives you enough time to: prepare and translate documents, take language tests (TOEFL/IELTS), obtain recommendation letters, write a strong motivation letter, and apply to multiple scholarships simultaneously to maximize your chances.

📌 Tips to Maximize Your Scholarship Chances

Applying for an international scholarship requires preparation and discipline. Here are our top recommendations:

• Start your applications 6 months before the deadline
• Get your diplomas translated and certified by an accredited translator
• Prepare personalized motivation letters for each scholarship
• Improve your English proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS) or target country's language
• Apply to multiple scholarships simultaneously to maximize success
• Build a strong academic profile with extracurricular activities

📚 Related articles — Read more

Bourses d'études pour étudiants africains (French version)

Version française du guide complet

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Scholarships specifically for Cameroonian students

Exclusive scholarships for Cameroon nationals

›

Professional CV & Motivation Letter Writing Service

Boost your scholarship applications

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For any other questions about the application procedure, leave your concern in the comments at the end of this article. Best of luck with your applications!