20 University-wide Scholarships for International Students in Any Field

A university-wide scholarship is money a university offers across most or all of the courses it teaches, rather than for one subject only. That makes this type of award worth checking first, because you may not need a subject-specific scheme to fund your degree. The catch is that the rules vary by university: some exclude certain courses, some fund only one degree level, and the list of covered courses can change. Always confirm with the university that your chosen course and intake are covered before you apply.

Points to check before you apply

Not every university teaches every subject. A scholarship may be open to all of a university's courses, but that university may not run the course you want.

Some courses are usually left out. Medicine and clinical studies, MBA studies, law studies and other named subjects are excluded by some schemes, as set by the university.

Covered courses can change. A course that qualified at one point may be excluded later, so verify your course is covered at the time you intend to apply.

Your semester matters. A course may be covered by the scholarship but not offered in the semester you plan to start.

Degree level is often restricted. Some awards are for Bachelor's degrees only, some for Master's only, some for PhD only, and some for two of these levels combined.

University-wide scholarships for Bachelor's degrees only

American University Emerging Global Leader Scholarship (USA)
This award is for high-achieving international students who want a Bachelor's degree at American University and who plan to return home to improve under-resourced, underserved communities there. It covers full tuition plus room and board.

Reach Oxford Scholarships (UK)
A number of Reach Oxford scholarships (formerly Oxford Student Scholarships) go to students from low-income countries who cannot study for a degree at home for political or financial reasons, or because suitable educational facilities do not exist. They fund an undergraduate degree in all subjects except medicine, and cover university fees, college fees, a grant for living expenses and one return air fare per year.

UCL Global Undergraduate Scholarships (UK)
This scheme helps international students from lower income backgrounds take a full-time Bachelor's degree at UCL. Awards are full tuition fees and/or a maintenance allowance.

International Scholars Program at University of British Columbia (Canada)
UBC offers bachelor's scholarships to talented incoming international students from around the world through the International Leader of Tomorrow (ILOT) program. The value matches demonstrated financial need, up to full tuition costs for the relevant program of study plus living expenses.

University-wide scholarships for both Bachelor's and Master's degrees

Lund University Global Scholarship Programme (Sweden)
This programme targets top academic students who are citizens of countries outside the European Union/European Economic Area (and Switzerland) and who want a Bachelor's or Master's degree at Lund. Scholarships may cover 25%, 50%, 75% or 100% of the tuition fee.

Bristol Think Big Scholarships (UK)
Bristol University is investing £500,000 to bring the brightest and best international students to the University of Bristol for any full-time undergraduate programme (except Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science) or postgraduate programme. Awards cover between 25 and 100 per cent of tuition fees.

Emile Boutmy Scholarships at Sciences Po University (France)
Sciences Po created the Emile Boutmy Scholarships to attract the very best international students from outside the European Union who are applying and previously admitted to Sciences Po. Awards take different forms: €13,100 per year for 2 years of postgraduate study, or €6,500 to €14,210 per year for 3 years of undergraduate study.

University-wide scholarships for Master's degrees only

Chevening Scholarships (UK)
Chevening is the UK government's global scholarship programme, awarded to outstanding scholars from Chevening-eligible countries around the world. Awards are typically for a one-year Master's degree. Most cover tuition fees, a living allowance at a set rate (for one individual), an economy class return airfare to the UK, and additional grants for essential expenditure.

Leiden University Excellence Scholarships (Netherlands)
The Leiden University Excellence Scholarship Programme (LExS) is open to outstanding non-EU/EEA students taking any MA, MSc and LL.M programme at Leiden. Awards come as €10,000 of the tuition fee, €15,000 of the tuition fee, or the total tuition fee minus the statutory tuition fee.

University of Maastricht High Potential Scholarships (Netherlands)
Maastricht University (UM) offers the UM High Potential Scholarships to talented students from outside the EEA for any UM master's programme or graduate programme for professionals, except at the School of Business and Economics. The award covers tuition fee, monthly living expenses, insurance and visa costs.

Uppsala University IPK Scholarships (Sweden)
Uppsala University offers IPK scholarships to first year applicants from outside the EU/EEA who want a Master's degree programme at the university. The scholarship covers the tuition fee.

ETH Excellence Scholarships (Switzerland)
The ETH Excellence and Master Scholarship programmes are open to excellent students from ETH and from other universities, national and international, who wish to take a Master's degree at ETH Zurich. The award includes a tuition fee waiver and a stipend for living and study expenses.

University of Lausanne Master's Grants for Foreign Students (Switzerland)
Through the UNIL Master's Grants, the University of Lausanne offers scholarships to international students for any Master's degree at the university, except the Master of Medicine, Master of Arts in Sciences and Practices of Education, Master of Law from the Universities of Zurich and Lausanne, Master of Law in Criminal Sciences (judiciary mention), and all the MAS (3rd cycle programmes). The grant is CHF 1,600 per month from 15 September to 15 July, for the duration of the programme.

The Université Paris-Saclay International Masters Scholarships (France)
These scholarships are open to foreign students wishing to obtain any Master's programme at the university. The award is €10,000 for one year, plus a maximum of €1,000 for travel and visa expenses depending on the candidate's country of origin.

University-wide scholarships for both Master's and PhD degrees

Gates Cambridge Scholarships (UK)
These are highly competitive full-cost scholarships for outstanding applicants from countries outside the UK to pursue a full-time postgraduate degree in any subject available at the University of Cambridge. A Gates Cambridge Scholarship covers the full cost of studying at Cambridge: university fees, maintenance allowances, airfare and some dependent's allowance.

Clarendon Scholarships at University of Oxford (UK)
The Clarendon Fund is a major graduate scholarship scheme at the University of Oxford, offering around 140 new scholarships every year. Awards are based on academic excellence and potential across all degree-bearing subjects at graduate level at Oxford. All Clarendon Scholarships cover tuition and college fees in full plus a generous grant for living expenses.

Also see Rhodes Scholarships at University of Oxford

Melbourne Research Scholarships (Australia)
The Melbourne Research Scholarship (MRS) was established by the University of Melbourne and is awarded to high achieving domestic and international research students. Benefits vary with your circumstances and may include one or more of: a fortnightly living allowance, a relocation allowance, paid sick, maternity and parenting leave, full fee remission (international students only) and Overseas Student Health Cover (international students only).

University of Sydney International Scholarships (Australia)
The University of Sydney invites candidates eligible to undertake a Postgraduate Research Degree or Master's by Research program to apply for the University of Sydney International Research Scholarship (USydIS). It is open to all research disciplines, but participation each semester is at the discretion of the Dean of each faculty. The USydIS covers tuition fees and a living allowance for up to three years.

University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowships (Canada)
The University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowships (UMGF) are merit-based awards open to students of any nationality who will be registered as full-time graduate students (Master's or PhD) at the University of Manitoba. Students in all fields of graduate study may apply, except those in the Faculty of Medicine and the Master of Business Administration (MBA). Fellowships are valued at $18,000 for PhD students, or $14,000 for Master's students, for a 12-month period.

University-wide scholarships for PhD degrees only

Cambridge International Scholarship Scheme (UK)
Through the Cambridge Trusts, the University of Cambridge offers approximately 80 Cambridge International Scholarships to overseas students who begin a research course leading to a PhD at the university. Each award underwrites the full cost of fees and maintenance for the duration of the course.

Warwick Chancellor's International Scholarships (UK)
The Warwick Graduate School awards around 25 Chancellor's International Scholarships each year to the most outstanding international PhD applicants. They are open to students of any nationality and to any discipline offered at Warwick, and include full payment of the overseas tuition fee plus a maintenance stipend.