Fully Funded Scholarships for Undergraduate Students: Where to Look and How to Apply

Fully funded scholarships can pay for tuition, housing and a monthly allowance, so they open study abroad to many families. However, the best-known names, such as Chevening, are mainly for master’s students. This guide therefore focuses on government programmes that accept students straight after high school. We checked every figure on official pages in October 2026, but rules change, so confirm them before you apply.

What fully funded scholarships really cover

“Fully funded” rarely means that every cost disappears. Most awards cover tuition, a room or a housing allowance, a monthly stipend and health insurance. Some also pay for flights, while others do not. For example, the Chinese Government Scholarship does not cover international travel. So read the coverage line by line, and compare it with a real budget, such as our family budget plan for studying abroad.

Government, university and merit awards

Government awards are the largest group and the focus of this guide. Some universities run their own routes, such as Korea’s GKS university track, and merit awards reward top results.

Fully funded scholarships open to undergraduates

The six programmes below accept bachelor’s students. Each one has its own age limit, grade rules and calendar.

Türkiye Scholarships (Türkiye Bursları)

Citizens of all countries can apply, except Turkish citizens and people who lost Turkish citizenship. Bachelor’s applicants must be under 21, with grades of at least 70%, or 90% for medicine, dentistry and pharmacy. The award covers tuition, accommodation, health insurance, flights and a one-year Turkish course, plus a stipend of 6,500 TL a month for undergraduates. Applications usually run from 10 January to 20 February, so check the official calendar. Our Türkiye Scholarships guide explains the selection steps.

Stipendium Hungaricum (Hungary)

You apply through your country’s Sending Partner, which nominates candidates. For 2026/27, the list included Türkiye and most Arab countries, from Egypt, Jordan and Iraq to Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. However, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar were not on it. That call offered tuition-free study, HUF 43,700 a month for bachelor’s students, and a free dormitory place or HUF 40,000 a month towards rent. The call usually opens around November, with a mid-January deadline, so check the official site.

MEXT (Japan)

For the 2027 intake, applicants had to be born on or after 2 April 2002 and be willing to study in Japanese. The course usually lasts five years, including a one-year preparatory course. MEXT waives exam, admission and tuition fees, pays 117,000 yen a month and provides a return economy ticket, under conditions. The Japanese embassy runs the first screening. Recruitment usually opens around April of the year before arrival, so check Study in Japan from April 2027.

Global Korea Scholarship (GKS)

For 2027, applicants had to be under 25 and finish high school by 31 December 2026, with an average of at least 80%. GKS covers an economy flight, tuition, a year of Korean language study and an all-inclusive allowance of KRW 14,400,000 a year during the degree. Eligible countries include Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Yemen and Türkiye. The 2027 embassy track closed on 30 September 2026, but some universities run their own track until November. The next embassy call usually opens around September, so check Study in Korea.

Brunei Darussalam Government Scholarship

Brunei’s award is for non-Bruneians aged 25 or under on 1 July of the start year, with English such as IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 550. It covers tuition, return airfare, a room in a residential college, insurance and BND 500 a month for personal costs. The last call closed on 15 February 2026, and the next one usually opens around December. Check the Brunei foreign ministry page.

Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC)

Applicants must be non-Chinese high school graduates under 25. Since 2026/27, bachelor’s applicants also need a score from the new CSCA test. Chinese-taught programmes ask for at least HSK 3, and the university may ask for more. The scholarship covers tuition, a dormitory, medical insurance and RMB 2,500 a month, but not flights. Embassy notices usually come out around October or November, with deadlines from about January to April. We could not reach the official portal, campuschina.org, so confirm every detail in your Chinese embassy’s notice.

Mostly for postgraduates: Chevening, DAAD and Erasmus Mundus

Many lists put these famous names first, but they rarely fit a school leaver. Chevening funds one-year master’s degrees in the UK. DAAD says its scholarships are aimed mainly at graduates, doctoral students and postdocs. Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters need a bachelor’s degree, or a final-year place in one. If Germany is your goal, read our guide to studying in Germany, because low tuition at state universities matters more there.

How to judge fully funded scholarships and avoid scams

Before you apply, check five points:

1. Who funds it: a government, a university or a private body?
2. The level: bachelor’s, or only master’s and PhD?
3. Coverage, line by line: tuition, housing, stipend, insurance and flights.
4. Limits on age, grades, nationality and language.
5. The deadline, and whether a national partner or an embassy must nominate you.

Scholarship scam warning

Government scholarships usually cost nothing to apply for, although a university may charge its own fee. The Stipendium Hungaricum call even advises applicants not to apply through any agency. So be careful with anyone who promises a place for a fee. Also check that the website is official.

A yearly calendar for fully funded scholarships

Dates move each year, so confirm each one on the official site:

• September: the GKS embassy track opens.
• October to November: CSC notices usually appear at embassies.
• Around November: Stipendium Hungaricum usually opens, with a mid-January deadline.
• December to February: Brunei’s call usually runs.
• January to February: Türkiye Scholarships, usually 10 January to 20 February.
• Around April: MEXT recruitment usually starts at Japanese embassies.

Start your documents in Grade 11: transcripts, a passport, a language test, references and a strong motivation letter. Our study abroad after high school checklist puts these steps in order, and our guide to the cheapest countries to study abroad helps with a plan B.

How ILEAP helps you find fully funded scholarships

ILEAP’s university awareness sessions explain admission requirements, documents, deadlines and costs before students apply. In partner schools, optional International University Open Days let students ask representatives from different countries about majors, admission and scholarships. ILEAP works with more than 200 universities across seven countries. Learn about university awareness or see our international universities.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get fully funded scholarships right after high school?

Yes. All six government programmes above accept bachelor’s applicants. Each one has an age limit, however, so check it early.

Do fully funded scholarships ask for IELTS?

Some do. Brunei asks for English such as IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 550, while MEXT sets its own written exams. For English-taught programmes in China, the university’s rules apply.

Should I pay an agent to apply?

You do not need one. Government scholarships accept applications through their own portals, embassies or national partners. If someone charges a fee and promises a result, treat it as a warning sign.