Top 2017 Scholarship Opportunities For International Students

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Do you want to study abroad? Are you worried about the big price tag it comes with? And are you having difficulties in finding scholarship opportunities to help you with the hefty cost of studying abroad? If the answers to those questions are yes, yes and yes, then I got good news for you! No need burning the midnight candle browsing the internet tirelessly with almost no results for scholarships.

Down below I have compiled a list of scholarships available in 2017 for international students. These scholarships are offered by universities, organizations and foundations. Don’t overlook any. And don’t restrict yourself to one scholarship opportunity so that just in case one doesn’t work out, there’s still a chance you are not going to be left on the sidelines. And remember, these opportunities aren’t waiting for you, you are the one who is waiting for them- impatiently. So stop procrastinating. Be Smart, be sharp and be fast in grabbing these opportunities. The compiled list of scholarships are categorized into undergraduate scholarships and masters and doctorate degrees scholarships.

Undergraduate Scholarships for International Students

MasterCard Foundation Scholarships

The MasterCard Foundation (MCF) Scholarship Program is a foundation that is bent on providing scholarships for Africa’s young, bright and ambitious students, who are not favored economically but show commitment to giving back to their community. MasterCard Foundation has partnership with several universities in USA, Canada, Africa and other parts of the world hence scholarships are available in the following universities;

• African Institute for Mathematical Sciences- South Africa
• American University of Beirut – Faculty of Health Sciences – Lebanon
• Arizona State University – USA
• Ashesi University – Ghana
• Carnegie Mellon University – Rwanda
• Duke University – USA
• EARTH University – Costa Rica
• KNUST – Ghana
• Makerere University – Uganda
• McGill University – Canada
• Michigan State University – USA
• Stanford University – USA
• University of British Columbia – Canada
• University of California, Berkeley – USA
• University of Cape Town – South Africa
• University of Edinburgh – Scotland
• University of Pretoria – South Africa
• University of Toronto – Canada
• Wellesley College – USA

 

The MasterCard Foundation offers a fully-funded scholarship award to accepted students.

To be eligible:

• You must be a citizen of any Sub-Saharan country.
• You must be from an economically disadvantaged background.
• You must have demonstrated your willingness to give back to the society.
• You must have demonstrated your academic excellence.
• You must show the need and intention to return to your home country on completion of your studies.

To apply: You must apply through the university of your choice by visiting their site. Generally, the application process involves completing an online application and submitting some additional documents.

Deadline: Depends on the university you choose.

Monash International Merit Scholarships

The Monash International Merit Scholarships are one of the many scholarships offered by Monash University; Australia. The Monash International Merit Scholarship is offering a renewable $10,000 per year full-time study scholarship to 31 students from all countries. Selection for this scholarship is based mainly on academic excellence and the 500-worded scholarship application statement which tests the applicant’s potential to be an ambassador for the university. Preference will also be given to commencing students. To retain this scholarship you must maintain an average of 70% or above each semester and participate in at least 3 marketing or scholarship promotional activities.

To be eligible:

• Applicant must be an international student.
• Applicant may be a commencing student or a continuing student that have completed at least 2 semesters at Monash University.
• Applicant must be applying to undertake a full-time undergraduate degree.

To apply:

• Complete and submit the scholarship application form which can be found on the university’s website before the application deadline.
• Any supporting documents submitting with the application form will not be considered.
• Prior to applying for this scholarship, applicant must have received a full Monash course offer with no conditions.

Deadline: 15 March/ 15 April/ 15 May 2017.

Other scholarships offered by Monash University are;

Troy University International Education Award

The International Education Award is a scholarship award available only to students applying to Troy University; USA. Each scholarship is worth $5500 or 40% of Troy University tuition. This award requires that applicants can select any field of study offered by the university. The number of awards offered varies and is available to students from all countries. Applicants need at least a 2.0 GPA out of 4.0 to qualify for this scholarship. To retain this scholarship you must maintain a 2.5 GPA and be enrolled full-time in academic courses (i.e. a minimum of 12 hours each semester). You must also assist the International Office during activities and projects.

To be eligible:

• You can be a citizen of any countries.
• You must have a GPA that is no less than 2.0 or an average of approximately 70%.

To apply:

• Complete the scholarship application form.
• Submit a one page resume or CV of your accomplishments.
• Complete the remaining admission requirements before the time of submission of the application form.

Deadline: 1 April 2017.

Coe College International Student Scholarship

The International Student Scholarship, is a merit-based scholarship offered only to students (non- US citizens) applying to Coe College; USA or continuing students. The number of awards offered is unlimited and each award ranges from $16,000 to $26,000 per year. Applicants can select any field of study offered by Coe College.

To be eligible:

• You must meet the admission criteria.

To apply:

• All international students who apply to Coe College will automatically be considered for the International Student Scholarship. Selection and amount awarded is based on how well you meet the admission criteria.

 

Deadline: 1 March 2017.

World Citizen Talent Scholarships

The World Citizen Talent Scholarships, are a number of scholarships; 54 to be specific, offered by The Hague University of Applied Sciences; Netherlands to international students who are deemed talented, intelligent and ambitious and view themselves as global citizens. Each scholarship is worth 5000 euros and selection is based mainly on how impressive your essay is.

To be eligible:

• You must come from countries outside the European Economic Area (i.e. European Union (EU) countries Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Surinam, or Switzerland).
• You must not have applied for the World Citizen Talent scholarship before.
• You must be enrolling to The Hague University of Applied Sciences for the first time.
• You will have to pay the full institutional fee rate.
• You must not have applied for the Holland Scholarship of the Hague University.
• You must have been provisionally accepted as a student at The Hague University on or before 1 May 2017.

To apply:

• First apply to the Bachelor programme of your choice.
• You would be required to write an essay (950 to 1100 words).
• After the essay is completed, submit the application form.
• To access the application form and to obtain a more detailed information on how to apply for this scholarship, visit the official website.

Deadline: 31 March 2017.

University of Winnipeg President’s Scholarship for World Leaders

The University of Winnipeg in Canada is offering the President’s Scholarship for World Leaders to international students entering any of the university’s academic divisions for the first time. The amount awarded to each selected student ranges from $3,500 to $5,000. Prior to applying for this scholarship, applicants must be involved in activities that demonstrate their leadership skills.

To be eligible:

• You must be an international student.
• You must have applied for admission on or before the scholarship deadline.
• You must be entering first year of any program.
• You must have at least 80% admission average.
• You must have demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities.

To apply:

• Complete and submit application form and documents on time in order for your application to be considered.

Deadline: 3 April 2017/ 2 June 2017/ 2 October 2017.

Cardiff University Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarship

Cardiff University through the Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarship is dedicating over 2 million pounds in funding to international students who qualify. Each qualifying recipient will receive an award of 2000 pounds in the form of tuition discount and can choose from a wide range of subject areas. The Vice Chancellor’s International scholarship is available only for fulltime and self-funding (i.e. students who are not being sponsored or in receipt of funding from outside bodies such as their Local Government) international students.

To be eligible:

• You must be a self-funding international student.

To apply:

• International students who had been offered their selected undergraduate programme will automatically be considered for the Vice Chancellor’s International Scholarship. Hence, there is no need to apply for the scholarship. Selection will be based on how well you meet the conditions as stated in your UCAS offer.

Deadline: 31 August 2017.

Korean Government Scholarship/ Global Korean Scholarship (GKS) Program – (fully funded)

This year; 2017 like every other, through the Global Korean Scholarship Program, the Korean Government in partnership with the Ministry of Education, aims at granting fully funded scholarships to 170 international candidates who want to pursue an undergraduate or bachelors degree at any one of the 60 participating universities in Korea. Applicants are at liberty to choose any courses offered at one of the participating universities. The aim of this scholarship is to provide international students with an opportunity to conduct advanced studies at higher educational institutions in Korea, in order to develop global leaders and promote Korea-friendly networks worldwide. The coverage or benefits of each scholarship will include; flight, tuition, stipend (i.e. allowance or pocket money), medical insurance, settlement allowance and completion grant. The duration of study includes 1 year Korean Language course + 4 year Bachelors degree.

To be eligible:

• Applicants and their parents must hold non- Korean citizenship.
• You must hold a high school diploma by the date of arrival.
• You must have acquired an 80% or higher cumulative grade point average.
• You must be under 25.
• You must be in a good physical and mental health for your studies in Korea.

To apply:

• Applicants should submit all documents relating to their scholarship application to the Korean Embassy in their country or to any of the designated universities.
• The Korean Embassy or the designated university will send the required documents to NIIED (Ministry of Education National Institute for International Education).
• NIIED will evaluate potential candidates and notify the Korean Embassy of the selected candidates or finalists.

Deadline: Next applications are expected from September 2017 to October 2017.

NextGen Scholarship

The NextGen Scholarship is a scholarship fund that was created by P.E.R.K. (Passion Experience Relevance Knowledge), consulting for international students who come to the United States with the goal of attaining a higher education to better their lives and that of their families. This scholarship program is available only for international students residing in Washington D.C., Maryland or Virginia. The scholarship (an amount of $1000) is offered to only one student each fall. Applications are judged on acdemic merit and financial need.

To be eligible:

• You must be an international student or non-US citizen enrolled in a US school in Washington D.C., Maryland or Virginia.
• You must have a minimum of 3.0 GPA out of 4.0.

To apply:

• Complete and submit the online scholarship application form which will be available from 15 February 2017.
• Applications cannot be saved and hence must be completed in one sitting.
• Submit two letters of recommendation; an official letter and a proof of acceptance or enrolled letter into an accredited school in Washington D.C., Maryland or Virginia.

Deadline: 31 March 2017.

University of West London International Ambassador Scholarships

The University of West London; United Kingdom, through the International Ambassador Scholarship programme recognizes and offers funding to outstanding international students who wish to act as ambassadors for the University of West London. The International Ambassador Scholarships is providing up to 50 scholarships worth up to £5,000 available for full-time student applying to start in the fall semester, September 2017. The scholarship provides discount against the cost of tuition but only for the first year. Selection will be based solely on the applicant’s efforts to demonstrate zealousness and capability to be an outstanding international ambassador for the University.

To be eligible:

• You must be a self-funded overseas full fee-paying non-EU applicant.
• You must be an offer holder for an undergraduate course University of West London, commencing in September 2017. That is to say, you must have applied and been given a place to study on a full-time undergraduate course at the university.
• Be willing to commit and contribute to promoting and marketing the university by supporting promotional events organized by the International office.

To apply:

• Complete and submit the online application form on or before 5pm (GMT) on 16 July 2017.

Deadline: 16 July 2017.

 

Masters and Doctorate Degrees Scholarships

MasterCard Foundation Scholarships (fully funded)

The MasterCard Foundation (MCF) Scholarship Program, not only offers scholarship to undergraduate students but also to students aiming to achieve a masters degree. The MasterCard Foundation offers a fully-funded scholarship award to accepted students.

To be eligible:

• You must be a citizen of any Sub-Saharan country.
• You must be from an economically disadvantaged background.
• You must have demonstrated your willingness to give back to the society.
• You must have demonstrated your academic excellence.
• You must show the need and intention to return to your home country on completion of your studies.

To apply:

• You must apply through any of the designated university of your choice by visiting their site. Generally, the application process involves completing an online application and submitting some additional documents.

Deadline: Depends on the university you choose.

Turkish Government Graduate Scholarships (fully funded)

The Turkish government has opened applications for Turkish scholarships to international students from any country who wish to pursue a Masters and Doctorate degrees in Turkey. The Turkish Government Graduate Scholarships are awarded in all subject areas offered by the university. Not only is Turkey one of the best choices of studying, (i.e. due to the quality education, deep-rooted history, welcoming nature of the people, rich culture, and economical living conditions) the scholarship fully funds each selected student; covering their full tuition fee, free accommodation, round-trip air ticket, monthly stipend, 1-year Turkish language course and health insurance.

To be eligible:

• You must not be holding Turkish citizenship.
• You must not be a registered student at any Turkish university at the level you are applying.
• You must have at least 75% cumulative grade point average or at least 75 % success in any accepted national or international graduate admissions test.
• You must be a bachelors or masters degree holder at the latest by 30 July 2015.
• You must be born no earlier than 1^st January 1987 for masters programmes or born no earlier than 1^st January 1982 for doctorate programmes.
• You must be in good physical and mental health.

 

To apply:

• In order to apply for the Turkish Government Scholarships, applicants should open the application system online.
• Then applicants must create a user account by entering their e-mail address and password.
• Next, You must log into the system and complete the application form.
• Upload the requested documents to the system.
• Submit your application.
• Applications that are delivered by hand or by post will not be evaluated.

Deadline: 17 February 2017.

Rotary Foundation Global Scholarship Grants for Development

The Rotary Foundation is offering scholarship funding through the Rotary Foundation Global Scholarship Grants. The scholarship funds graduate-level coursework or research for one to four academic years. The host institutions offering these scholarship grants, are any approved University located in a country where there is a host Rotary club or district, outside of the applicant’s home country. Applicants can choose Graduate-level coursework or research in one of Rotary’s six areas of focus: Peace and conflict prevention/resolution, Disease prevention and treatment, Water and sanitation, Maternal and child health, Disease prevention and treatment, Basic education and literacy, and Economic and community development. The lowest budget for the rotary Foundation global scholarship grant is $30,000 which can fund the following: Passport/visa, Immunizations, Travel expenses (as specified in the terms and conditions of the grant), School supplies, Tuition, Room and board, Household supplies and Language training courses.

To be eligible:

• You must refer to the scholarship page of the Rotary Club/District where you intend to apply.

To apply:

• Applicants interested should contact their local Rotary clubs through the Rotary Club Locator to ask about how to be sponsored for the Rotary Foundation Global Scholarship Grants.
• The Rotary Foundation Global Scholarship Grant applications are submitted online. The sponsor clubs or districts will create the initial application, and the scholar candidate will then complete the scholar profile online.

Deadline: The Rotary Foundation Global Scholarship Grant applications are accepted on a rolling basis all through the year, but applicants should submit their applications at least three months before the scholar’s intended date of departure to allow sufficient time for the review, processing and evaluating of the application.

Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP)

The Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP), is open to people from developing countries who have a history of supporting their countries’ development efforts, and are applying for a masters degree program in a development-related topic. The scholarship offers awards for over 200 designated programs that covers a wide range of development topics. The scholarship covers tuition fee, round-trip airfare, monthly stipend, health insurance, and travel allowance.

To be eligible:

• You must be a citizen of a World Bank member developing country.
• You must not hold dual citizenship of a developed country.
• You must be in a good physical and mental health.
• You must hold a Bachelors (or an equivalent) degree earned at least 3 years before the application deadline date.
• You must have 3 years or more of recent experience related to development after earning a Bachelors (or an equivalent) degree.
• You must be accepted unconditionally to enroll in the upcoming academic year in at least one of the designated programs.

To apply:

• Those interested in obtaining a JWBGSP must, in parallel, apply for admissions to one or more of the designated Programs and apply for a JJWBGSP scholarship.

Deadline: 23 February 2017.

Total Engineering Scholarships

The petroleum company, Total, every year offers full scholarships to students who wish to major in energy in two specific graduate universities; Imperial College in the United Kingdom and IFP School in France. These scholarships are meant only for students who are already planning to study at any one of these two schools and who would like to benefit from a Total Sponsorship during their period of study. The scholarship is only intended for students who are about to study in the graduate level. The purpose of these scholarships is that they serve as a means to support petroleum industry educational institutions and to procure top students for future hiring or as hiring targets. The sponsorship can be received in either one of two forms; as a full scholarship in one of the two target universities, or as an apprenticeship with Total.

To be eligible:

• You must be interested in specializing in energy.
• You must be willing to study in any one of the target universities.
• You must be a top student; i.e. academic excellence.

To apply:

• In order to apply and be considered, applicants must send separate applications to both schools, and then through the Total careers.

Deadline: 20^th February 2017.

OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) Scholarship

OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) is inviting outstanding young students and qualified applicants who have received or are on the verge of receiving their undergraduate degree and wish to obtain a Masters degree to apply for the 2017/2018 OFID Scholarships. The scholarship will be offered to 4 students or candidates for graduate studies. The purpose of the OFID’s  Scholarship is to help highly talented, motivated and ambitious students to overcome one of the most difficult task they face- paying for their graduate studies. The scholarship will cover; the tuition fees (including examination fees), monthly allowance (which will cover living expenses, accommodation and books), health insurance, relocation grant (which will be given before the start of the student’s first year to be used for travel costs to student’s residence etc), and a one-way air ticket to student’s home country upon completion of studies.

To be eligible:

• Applicants must be between the ages of 23-32.
• Applicants must have received or are on the verge of receiving their Bchelors degree.
• Applicants must be on a fulltime study for the entire duration of their Maters degree programme and must already be enrolled at an accredited university for the 2017/2018 academic year- which starts September 2017.
• Applicants must be citizens of a developing countr but please note that citizens of OFID member countries, (i.e. (Algeria, Ecuador, Gabon, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela) cannot apply for this scholarship.
• Applicants must select an area of study that relates to OFID’s basic mission i.e. areas of study such as; fields related to science and technology, economics of development (i.e. poverty reduction, energy and sustainable development) and environment (desertification).

To apply:

• Applicants must complete and submit the online application form which includes a 500-worded essay.
• Applicants must also submit required documents which include; 2 letters of recommendation, applicant’s CV, a scanned letter of acceptance from applicant’s chosen educational institution, a scanned copy of applicant’s passport and a scanned copy of applicant’s last university degree or certificate.

Deadline: 1^st May 2017.

Radboud Scholarship Programme

Each year, The Radboud Scholarship Programme offers a selected number (usually about 30) of talented prospective international students; specifically non-EEA students, the opportunity to obtain a scholarship to pursue a complete English-taught Masters degree programme at Radboud University in Netherlands. The Radboud Scholarship programme is very competitive and meant only for brilliant students who have received exceptional results during their undergraduate study and are highly interested in pursuing a Masters degree programme at Radboud University.

The scholarship is not an amount of money that one will receive in their bank account, it is rather in the form of a partial tuition fee waiver. The tuition fee will be reduced to the amount an EEA student will originally pay. For example; a 2017/2018 grant holder (non-EEA) will only pay a tuition fee of 2,006 Euros instead of 9,432 euros or 10,360 euros that a non-grant holder (non-EEA) would pay. The Radboud Scholarship grant as well will also cover other costs such as costs for visa, residence permit, health insurance and liability insurance (i.e. Insurance Passport for Students, IPS) . All these amounts to about 725 euros. To retain this scholarship grants, grant holders must pass all their first year courses.

To be eligible:

• You must be a non-EEA passport holder.
• You must have obtained a Bachelors degree outside the Netherlands.
• You must be enrolled at the University for the 2017/2018 year and for the Masters degree course for which the scholarship will be awarded.
• You must meet the terms of the conditions for obtaining a visa for the Netherlands.

To apply:

• The application for admission and application for the scholarship is combined; there is no separate application form for the scholarship. Thus, you apply for the scholarship by specifying during your application for admission that you wish to apply for the Radboud Scholarship.
• Then you will be requested to upload two letters of recommendation and your CV or resume.

Deadline: 1^st April 2017.

Korean Government Scholarship/ Global Korean Scholarship (GKS) Program – (fully funded)

Whilst the Korean Government partnered with their Ministry of Education is offering 170 students entering the undergraduate level full scholarships to any of the 60 selected universities in Korea, 800 international candidates commencing their Masters or Ph.D programmes will also be offered full scholarships. The purpose of this scholarship is to provide international students with an opportunity to conduct advanced studies at higher educational institutions in Korea, in order to develop global leaders and promote Korea-friendly networks worldwide. The coverage or benefits of each scholarship will include; flight, tuition, stipend (i.e. allowance or pocket money), medical insurance, settlement allowance and completion grant. The duration of study includes 1 year Korean Language course + 2 year Masters degree or 1 year Korean Language course + 3 year Doctoral degree.

To be eligible:

• Applicants and their parents must hold non- Korean citizenship.
• You must hold a Bachelors or Masters degree by the date of arrival.
• You must have acquired an 80% or higher cumulative grade point average.
• You must be under the age of 40.
• You must be in a good physical and mental health for your studies in Korea.

To apply:

• Applicants should submit all documents relating to their scholarship application to the Korean Embassy in their country or to any of the designated universities.
• The Korean Embassy or the designated university will send the required documents to NIIED (Ministry of Education National Institute for International Education).
• NIIED will evaluate potential candidates and notify the Korean Embassy of the selected candidates or finalists.

Deadline: Applications are expected from February 2017 to March 2017.

I really hope these can be of help for now! More scholarships will be coming up! Please refer to the official website of the scholarship providers for a more detailed information. Wishing you the best of luck in your future endeavors!

Thanks for reading!