Top Scholarships in Europe for International Students
Europe remains one of the premier study destinations for international students, combining renowned academic history, advanced research infrastructure, and vibrant multicultural learning environments across undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degree levels.
Don’t Miss: Top Fully Funded Scholarships for International Students
This comprehensive directory consolidates top-tier funding opportunities across major European higher education hubs—including Belgium, Croatia, Italy, Sweden, Turkey, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland, and France—spanning fully funded government-sponsored grants (such as Germany’s DAAD, Sweden’s SI Scholarship, Turkey Burslari, and France’s Eiffel Excellence Scholarship) that cover 100% of tuition waivers, monthly living stipends, health insurance, and international travel, alongside competitive institutional merit awards and tuition reduction grants.
When navigating European funding, applicants must take careful note of structural mechanics, as select nations—most notably Nordic countries like Denmark and Sweden—structure PhD positions as salaried academic employment with standard employee benefits and full monthly salaries rather than traditional study grants, requiring candidates to evaluate host country requirements, language proficiency standards, and document submission workflows carefully before applying.
Also, Check Out: Top Fully Funded Master’s Scholarships in Europe
Top Scholarships in Europe for International Students Summary
| SCHOLARSHIP | HOST COUNTRY | STUDY LEVEL |
| Ghent University Master Mind Scholarships | Belgium | Master’s |
| Croatia Government Scholarships | Croatia | Undergrad–PhD |
| Scuola Superiore Meridionale (SSM) PhD Scholarship | Italy | PhD |
| Uppsala University PhD in Education | Sweden | PhD |
| Bilkent University Scholarships | Turkey | Undergraduate |
| Chalmers University PhD Scholarships | Sweden | PhD |
| Italian Government MAECI Scholarships | Italy | Master’s, PhD, Research, Language |
| Universität Hamburg Merit Scholarship | Germany | Master’s & PhD |
| Eric Bleumink Scholarship (Groningen) | Netherlands | Master’s |
| TUM Scholarships | Germany | Undergrad & Master’s |
| Heidelberg University Scholarships | Germany | Undergrad–PhD |
| Aalborg University PhD Scholarships | Denmark | PhD |
| University of Calabria Scholarships | Italy | Master’s |
| IGNITION Doctoral Network | Multiple (8 countries) | PhD |
| UCD Global Excellence Scholarships | Ireland | Undergrad & Master’s |
| UNIV’R Programme (Campus France/UNHCR/AUF) | France | Master’s |
| UNIV’R at Sciences Po Paris | France | Master’s |
| Erasmus Mundus IMAPP Scholarship | Germany/France/Italy | Master’s |
| DAAD Research Grants | Germany | PhD & Postdoc |
| Government of Ireland (GOI-IES) | Ireland | Master’s, PhD, Diploma |
1. Ghent University Master Mind Scholarships
Despite the university-specific branding, this scholarship is actually funded and administered by the Government of Flanders across all Flemish higher education institutions, not just Ghent — meaning the same “Master Mind” scholarship framework applies at multiple Belgian universities, with Ghent as one participating host rather than the sole funder. The €10,000 annual award combines with a reduced tuition fee, making this a partial rather than fully comprehensive package — worth budgeting the remaining cost gap separately.
Scholarship Name ⇒ Ghent University Master Mind Scholarships
Host Country ⇒ Belgium
Study Level ⇒ Master’s
Click Here for Ghent Master Mind Scholarships Application Process
2. Croatia Government Scholarships
Administered jointly by Croatia’s Ministry of Science, Education and Youth and its Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes, this scholarship spans every study level from undergraduate through PhD under a single government scheme — genuinely broad relative to most single-institution awards on this list. Because it includes both fully funded and partial scholarship tiers within the same programme name, your actual benefit level depends heavily on which specific tier you’re selected for, not a single uniform reward across every recipient.
Scholarship Name ⇒ Croatia Government Scholarships
Host Country ⇒ Croatia
Study Level ⇒ Undergrad–PhD
Click Here for Croatia Government Scholarships Application Process
3. Scuola Superiore Meridionale (SSM) PhD Scholarship
SSM in Naples is a genuinely elite, small-cohort institution — Italy’s answer to the Scuola Normale Superiore model — and it’s explicit about having no age or citizenship restrictions whatsoever, a genuinely rare structural openness among European PhD programmes that often carry age caps. The stipend structure is notably generous: €19,000 a year as a base, rising by 50% during periods spent abroad specifically, alongside a dedicated research budget and no tuition fees at all.
Scholarship Name ⇒ Scuola Superiore Meridionale (SSM) PhD Scholarship
Host Country ⇒ Italy
Study Level ⇒ PhD
Click Here for SSM PhD Scholarship Application Process
4. Uppsala University PhD Scholarship Positions in Education
Like most Swedish PhD positions, this is structured as genuine employment rather than a scholarship grant — successful candidates become salaried university staff with full Swedish employment benefits, not students receiving a stipend. This particular listing is field-specific to Education research, distinguishing it from Uppsala’s broader Global Scholarship (a separate, Master’s-level tuition award covered elsewhere on ScholarWaka) — don’t confuse the two, since they serve entirely different study levels and funding structures.
Scholarship Name ⇒ Uppsala University PhD in Education
Host Country ⇒ Sweden
Study Level ⇒ PhD
Click Here for Uppsala PhD in Education Application Process
5. Bilkent University Scholarships
Bilkent is a private, English-medium university in Turkey with genuine international academic recognition, and its scholarship structure runs on a sliding scale — a 20% to 100% tuition waiver — rather than an all-or-nothing award, meaning even applicants who don’t secure the top tier can still receive meaningful partial funding. This tiered structure is worth understanding directly, since a “scholarship” that turns out to be a 20% discount is a very different financial commitment than one covering full tuition.
Scholarship Name ⇒ Bilkent University Scholarships
Host Country ⇒ Turkey
Study Level ⇒ Undergraduate
Click Here for Bilkent University Scholarships Application Process
6. Chalmers University of Technology PhD Scholarships
Like Aalborg and Uppsala, Chalmers PhD positions are structured as salaried employment under Swedish university employment terms, not a stipend paid to a student. Chalmers specifically concentrates its doctoral funding in materials science, physics, and energy technologies, reflecting its identity as one of Sweden’s leading technical universities rather than a broad, all-discipline PhD funding scheme.
Scholarship Name ⇒ Chalmers University PhD Scholarships
Host Country ⇒ Sweden
Study Level ⇒ PhD
Click Here for Chalmers PhD Scholarships Application Process
7. Italian Government MAECI Scholarships
Funded directly by Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, this scholarship is explicitly framed around Italy’s diplomatic and cultural strategy — supporting the spread of Italian language and culture internationally — rather than being a purely academic funding mechanism. It spans Master’s, PhD, research placements, and dedicated Italian language programmes together, making it one of the more structurally varied entries on this list, and it’s open to public and recognised private institutions across Italy rather than a single named university.
Scholarship Name ⇒ Italian Government MAECI Scholarships
Host Country ⇒ Italy
Study Level ⇒ Master’s, PhD, Research, Language Programs
Click Here for MAECI Scholarships Application Process
8. Universität Hamburg Merit Scholarship
At up to €992 per month, this is a comparatively modest scholarship relative to several other entries on this list, positioned specifically as merit-based support to let students focus on their studies rather than a comprehensive funding package covering every cost. It spans Master’s and PhD levels together, but doesn’t cover undergraduate study, distinguishing its scope from TUM’s or Heidelberg’s broader multi-level scholarship portfolios elsewhere on this list.
Scholarship Name ⇒ Universität Hamburg Merit Scholarship
Host Country ⇒ Germany
Study Level ⇒ Master’s & PhD
Click Here for Hamburg Merit Scholarship Application Process
9. Eric Bleumink Scholarship at the University of Groningen
Unlike most scholarships on this list open to any nationality, this one is specifically restricted to students from eligible developing countries, reflecting Groningen’s stated aim of supporting talent from regions with less access to Master’s-level funding generally. The coverage is genuinely comprehensive — tuition, travel, living expenses, books, and health insurance together — making this one of the more complete funding packages among the Master’s-level scholarships on this list.
Scholarship Name ⇒ Eric Bleumink Scholarship (Groningen)
Host Country ⇒ Netherlands
Study Level ⇒ Master’s
Click Here for Eric Bleumink Scholarship Application Process
10. TUM Scholarships for International Students
TUM actually runs two distinct scholarship mechanisms that get lumped together under one name, and knowing the difference matters. The Deutschlandstipendium is Germany’s national scholarship scheme, paying a flat €300 a month for 12 months, funded half by the German federal government and half by private sponsors — it’s awarded on a genuinely holistic basis, weighing personal responsibility and overcoming obstacles alongside grades, not academic performance alone. Separately, TUM’s own “Scholarship for International Students” pays €500 to €1,800 per semester as one-off, need- and merit-based cash support, reapplied for every semester up to a maximum funding period of 36 months.
Scholarship Name ⇒ TUM Scholarships
Host Country ⇒ Germany
Study Level ⇒ Undergraduate & Master’s
Click Here for TUM Scholarships Application Process
11. Heidelberg University Scholarships
Heidelberg doesn’t run one scholarship — it runs a portfolio, spanning DAAD-affiliated funding, faculty-specific awards, and Heidelberg’s own internal scholarship funds, each with its own value, eligibility, and deadline. This structural point matters more here than for most universities on this list: treating “Heidelberg scholarships” as a single application is the single most common mistake applicants make, since there’s no unified portal or shared deadline covering every award.
Scholarship Name ⇒ Heidelberg University Scholarships
Host Country ⇒ Germany
Study Level ⇒ Undergraduate–PhD
Click Here for Heidelberg University Scholarships Application Process
12. Aalborg University PhD Scholarships
Danish PhD positions, including at Aalborg, are structured as employment contracts rather than scholarships — successful candidates are hired as PhD fellows under Danish collective agreement pay scales, receiving a genuine salary with full Danish employment benefits. The multiple deadlines listed aren’t phases of one application; they’re separate closing dates for individual, distinct PhD position postings across different departments, including health technology, ecological modelling, and social sciences.
Scholarship Name ⇒ Aalborg University PhD Scholarships
Host Country ⇒ Denmark
Study Level ⇒ PhD
Click Here for Aalborg PhD Scholarships Application Process
13. University of Calabria Scholarships
At 132 places, this is one of the larger fully funded scholarship cohorts on this list, and its selection process is deliberately stripped down: Calabria states explicitly that selection is based only on qualifications, with no separate essay, interview, or subjective assessment layered on top. This makes it one of the more transparent scholarships here — your academic record does essentially all the work, rather than a strong personal narrative compensating for a weaker transcript.
Scholarship Name ⇒ University of Calabria Scholarships
Host Country ⇒ Italy
Study Level ⇒ Master’s
Click Here for University of Calabria Scholarships Application Process
14. IGNITION Doctoral Network (DN)
IGNITION is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network, structurally different from a single-institution scholarship: a consortium of 10 institutions across 8 countries, jointly training doctoral candidates in neuroimmunology and neurodegenerative diseases over a fixed 36-month term, with candidates typically rotating through multiple partner institutions during their PhD. Because this is MSCA-funded, mobility rules apply strictly: applicants generally cannot have resided in their host country for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before recruitment — a rule that catches out applicants who assume “all countries eligible” means no restrictions at all.
Scholarship Name ⇒ IGNITION Doctoral Network
Host Country ⇒ Different European countries
Study Level ⇒ PhD
Click Here for IGNITION Doctoral Network Application Process
15. UCD Global Excellence Scholarships
UCD restricts this scholarship to students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland, so students from EEA countries or Switzerland do not qualify, even if they consider themselves international students in Ireland or relocate from abroad. Both full and partial tuition coverage exist within the same scholarship name, meaning the specific award you receive if selected can vary meaningfully rather than being a fixed, guaranteed figure.
Scholarship Name ⇒ UCD Global Excellence Scholarships
Host Country ⇒ Ireland
Study Level ⇒ Undergraduate & Master’s
Click Here for UCD Global Excellence Scholarships Application Process
16. UNIV’R at Sciences Po Paris
This is a separate, Sciences Po-specific version of the UNIV’R name, run in partnership with UNHCR specifically for that single institution rather than the broader 18-university network above — don’t confuse the two, since they carry different age limits (35 here, versus 30 for the general programme) and different deadlines (February 1, versus March 15 for the general programme). Coverage is comparably comprehensive: full tuition for the two-year Master’s, a living stipend, housing support, travel and visa support, health insurance, and coverage for books and local transportation.
Scholarship Name ⇒ UNIV’R at Sciences Po Paris
Host Country ⇒ France
Study Level ⇒ Master’s
Click Here for UNIV’R Sciences Po Application Process
17. Erasmus Mundus IMAPP Scholarship
IMAPP operates as a genuine joint degree rather than a single-university Master’s with scholarship funding attached. The programme requires students to study across all three partner institutions—Clermont Auvergne in France, TU Dortmund in Germany, and Bologna in Italy—so students relocate multiple times during the degree as part of the programme structure rather than by choice. As an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s, funding follows the standard EMJM package structure — full tuition, a living allowance, travel costs, and insurance — administered jointly by the three universities rather than by one lead institution alone.
Scholarship Name ⇒ Erasmus Mundus IMAPP Scholarship
Host Countries ⇒ Germany | France | Italy
Study Level ⇒ Master’s
Click Here for IMAPP Scholarship Application Process
18. DAAD Research Grants
Unlike most entries on this list, DAAD Research Grants don’t fund a full PhD from start to finish — they fund short-term research stays at German institutions under the supervision of an academic host, meaning you typically need to already be enrolled in a doctoral programme elsewhere, or be a postdoctoral researcher, rather than applying as a fresh PhD candidate with no existing academic home. Because it runs on a rolling basis rather than a single annual deadline, this is one of the more flexible entries on this list.
Scholarship Name ⇒ DAAD Research Grants
Host Country ⇒ Germany
Study Level ⇒ PhD & Postdoc
Click Here for DAAD Research Grants Application Process
19. Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship (GOI-IES)
The Higher Education Authority (HEA) manages GOI-IES centrally, so applicants complete the application and selection process through one central system rather than through individual university scholarship offices. The scholarship also provides a €10,000 living stipend alongside full tuition coverage and travel support, making it a comprehensive European government-funded award comparable in scope to schemes such as Chevening and DAAD rather than a smaller tuition-only scholarship.
Scholarship Name ⇒ Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship
Host Country ⇒ Ireland
Study Level ⇒ Master’s, PhD, & Diploma
Click Here for GOI-IES Application Process
Frequently Asked Questions
Which of these PhD scholarships are structured as employment rather than a student stipend?
Aalborg University (Denmark), Chalmers University of Technology, and Uppsala University (both Sweden) all hire PhD candidates as salaried employees under national collective agreements, with full employment benefits — a meaningfully different legal and financial relationship than a scholarship grant.
Are the two UNIV’R scholarships the same programme?
No — they’re genuinely separate. The Campus France/UNHCR/AUF version spans 18 partner universities with an age limit of 30 and a March 15 deadline. The Sciences Po Paris-specific version has an age limit of 35 and a February 1 deadline. Confirm which one you’re applying to before assembling documents.
Which scholarships are restricted to specific applicant circumstances rather than open general competition?
Both UNIV’R programmes are restricted to recognised refugees residing outside the EU, and the Eric Bleumink Scholarship is restricted to students from eligible developing countries specifically.
Which entry offers the most genuinely open eligibility, with no age or citizenship restriction at all?
The Scuola Superiore Meridionale PhD Scholarship in Italy is explicit about having no age or citizenship restrictions whatsoever — a genuinely rare structural openness among the PhD scholarships covered here.
Do any of these combine tuition support with a language or cultural mission?
Yes — Italy’s MAECI Scholarships are explicitly tied to Italy’s broader strategy of promoting Italian language and culture internationally, which may give applicants with genuine Italian-language or Italy-specific research interests a competitive edge.
Disclaimer: All scholarship details, award values, and eligibility criteria in this post were verified from official and closely tracking sources as of August 2026. Information is subject to change without notice. Always confirm the latest details directly on each scholarship’s official page before applying. ScholarWaka is not affiliated with any of the institutions or organisations listed above.
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