Are you an African student looking for a fully funded scholarship to study abroad in 2025-2026?
If yes, then this blog post is for you! We have compiled a list of the 20 best fully funded scholarships that cover tuition fees, accommodation, travel, and living expenses for Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral programs.
The best part? No application fees and No IELTS required! Check out these amazing opportunities below:
1. Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
- Degree Level: Bachelor’s, Master’s
- Study Destinations: USA, Canada, UK, Africa
- Coverage: Tuition, accommodation, travel, stipend
- Eligibility: High-achieving African students with leadership potential
- Status: Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year are currently open.
- Deadline: Specific deadlines vary by partner institution. Applicants should consult the official website of their chosen university for precise dates.
- Link: https://mastercardfdn.org/scholars/
2. DAAD Scholarships (Germany)
- Degree Level: Master’s, PhD
- Study Destination: Germany
- Coverage: Tuition, health insurance, travel, stipend
- Eligibility: Graduates from developing countries, including Africa
- Status: Applications for the 2025-2026 intake are open.
- Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the chosen program and university. Generally, applications are due between October 2024 and March 2025.
- Link: https://www.daad.de/en/
3. Chevening Scholarships (UK)
- Degree Level: Master’s
- Study Destination: UK
- Coverage: Full tuition, travel, stipend
- Eligibility: Students with strong leadership qualities from eligible countries
- Status: Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year are currently closed.
- Deadline: The application window typically opens in August and closes in November of the preceding year.
- Link: https://www.chevening.org/
4. Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degree Scholarships
- Degree Level: Master’s
- Study Destination: Europe
- Coverage: Full tuition, travel, monthly stipend
- Eligibility: Open to students worldwide, including Africa
- Status: Applications for programs starting in 2025 are open.
- Deadline: Deadlines vary by program but generally fall between October 2024 and January 2025.
- Link: https://www.eacea.ec.europa.eu/scholarships_en
5. Commonwealth Scholarships
- Degree Level: Master’s, PhD
- Study Destination: UK
- Coverage: Tuition, travel, stipend
- Eligibility: Citizens of Commonwealth countries, including African nations
- Status: Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year are currently closed.
- Deadline: The application period typically runs from September to November of the preceding year.
- Link: https://cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk/apply/
6. Chinese Government Scholarships (CSC)
- Degree Level: Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD
- Study Destination: China
- Coverage: Full tuition, accommodation, stipend, medical insurance
- Eligibility: International students, including Africans
- Status: Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year are open.
- Deadline: Typically, applications are accepted from January to April 2025.
- Link: http://www.campuschina.org/
7. Turkey Success Scholarships
- Degree Level: Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD
- Study Destination: Turkey
- Coverage: Tuition, accommodation, travel, health insurance, stipend
- Eligibility: African students with excellent academic records
- Status: Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year are currently open.
- Deadline: The application window usually runs from January to February 2025.
- Link: https://www.turkiyeburslari.gov.tr/en
8. New Zealand Government Scholarships
- Degree Level: Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD
- Study Destination: New Zealand
- Coverage: Full tuition, travel, living allowance
- Eligibility: Students from developing countries, including Africa
- Status: Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year are open.
- Deadline: Applications are typically accepted from February to March 2025.
- Link: https://www.nzscholarships.govt.nz/
9. Fulbright Foreign Student Program (USA)
- Degree Level: Master’s, PhD
- Study Destination: USA
- Coverage: Full tuition, stipend, airfare, health insurance
- Eligibility: International students with leadership potential
- Status: Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year are currently closed.
- Deadline: Application deadlines vary by country but generally fall between February and October of the preceding year.
- Link: https://foreign.fulbrightonline.org/
10. Government of Canada Scholarships
- Degree Level: Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD
- Study Destination: Canada
- Coverage: Tuition, travel, accommodation, stipend
- Eligibility: Students from developing countries, including Africa
- Status: Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year are open.
- Deadline: Deadlines vary by program and institution. Applicants should check the specific dates on the official website.
- Link: https://www.educanada.ca/
11. Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship
- Degree Level: Master’s
- Study Destination: Various countries
- Coverage: Tuition, travel, stipend
- Status: Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year are currently open.
- Deadline: The application period typically runs from March to May 2025.
- Link: https://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/scholarships
12. Australia Awards Scholarships
- Degree Level: Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD
- Study Destination: Australia
- Coverage: Tuition, airfare, living expenses
- Status: Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year are open.
- Deadline: Applications are usually accepted from February to April 2025.
- Link: https://www.dfat.gov.au/people-to-people/australia-awards
13. Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships
- Degree Level: Master’s, PhD
- Study Destination: Switzerland
- Coverage: Tuition, accommodation, stipend
- Status: Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year are currently closed.
- Deadline: The application window typically runs from August to December of the preceding year.
- Link: https://www.sbfi.admin.ch/scholarships
14. Gates Cambridge Scholarships (UK)
- Degree Level: Master’s, PhD
- Study Destination: UK
- Coverage: Tuition, stipend, travel, health insurance
- Status: Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year are currently closed.
- Deadline: The application period typically opens in September and closes in December of the preceding year.
- Link: https://www.gatescambridge.org/
15. Rhodes Scholarships (UK)
- Degree Level: Master’s, PhD
- Study Destination: UK
- Coverage: Tuition, stipend, travel
- Status: Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year are currently closed.
- Deadline: The application window usually runs from June to August of the preceding year.
- Link: https://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/scholarships/
16. African Union Kwame Nkrumah Scholarships
- Degree Level: Master’s, PhD
- Study Destination: Africa
- Coverage: Tuition, research grant, living stipend
- Status: The application period for the 2025 awards is currently closed.
- Deadline: The most recent application deadline was November 25, 2024. Future applicants should monitor the official African Union website for updates on the next cycle.
- Link: https://au.int/en/scholarships
17. Lester B. Pearson Scholarship (Canada)
- Degree Level: Bachelor’s
- Study Destination: Canada
- Coverage: Full tuition, books, residence, living expenses
- Status: Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year are currently closed.
- Deadline: The application process typically begins in September, with school nominations due by November and student applications due by mid-January of the preceding academic year.
- Link: https://future.utoronto.ca/pearson/
18. Korean Government Scholarships (KGSP)
- Degree Level: Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD
- Study Destination: South Korea
- Coverage: Full tuition, airfare, stipend, health insurance
- Deadline: Deadlines vary by country and institution; applicants are advised to check with the Korean embassy or chosen university in their home country.
- Status: Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year are currently open.
- Link: https://www.studyinkorea.go.kr/
19. Japan MEXT Scholarship
- Degree Level: Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD
- Study Destination: Japan
- Coverage: Full tuition, travel, stipend, accommodation
- Status: Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year are currently open.
- Deadline: Application periods and deadlines vary by country; applicants should consult the Japanese embassy or consulate in their home country for specific dates.
- Link: https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/
20. Mandela Rhodes Scholarship
- Degree Level: Master’s
- Study Destination: South Africa
- Coverage: Tuition, living expenses, leadership development
- Status: Applications for the 2026 cohort will open on March 17, 2025.
- Deadline: The application deadline is expected to be in April 2025; specific dates will be confirmed on the official website.
- Link: https://www.mandelarhodes.org/
We are continually updating this list with more scholarships. Stay tuned for the remaining 7 top opportunities!
Conclusion
These 20 fully funded scholarships provide African students with an opportunity to study abroad without worrying about tuition, accommodation, or living expenses. Many of them do not require IELTS and have no application fees!
Start preparing your applications early and keep checking the official websites for updates. Do you need help applying for any of these scholarships? Let us know in the comments or reach out for expert guidance!
For more fully funded international Scholarships, check out other opportunities below!
Global Internship Program 2025 in Beijing, China (Fully Funded)
Graduate Research Scholarships at the University of Melbourne 2025
University of Bern Scholarships 2025 in Switzerland
Join the Sandoz Delegation at One Young World 2025 Germany
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