Scholarship vs Fellowship vs Grant: What’s the Difference?

If you are planning to study abroad, you will see the words scholarship, fellowship and grant used everywhere — often as if they mean the same thing. They do not. Each word describes a different kind of funding, aimed at a different stage of study, judged by different criteria and sometimes paid in a different way. Using the wrong word is not just a vocabulary problem. If you search only for “scholarships” when the funding that fits you is called a fellowship, you will miss real opportunities. If you apply for a research grant when you actually need tuition support for a taught degree, you will waste weeks on an application you were never eligible for.

This guide explains each term in plain language, compares them side by side, and shows how usage differs between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia — because the same word can carry a slightly different meaning in each system. It also covers two related terms you will meet constantly: bursaries and assistantships. By the end, you will know exactly which type of funding to search for at your level, how to read an award description critically, and how to build a funding plan that combines several sources instead of relying on a single competition.

Who is this guide for? It is written for international students — including applicants from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Nigeria, Indonesia and many other countries — who are comparing funding for bachelor’s, master’s and PhD study in 2026 and 2027. Whether you are at the very start of your search or you already have a shortlist of programmes, understanding these labels will make every other guide on this site easier to use. Start by browsing the full scholarships directory to see how real awards name themselves, then come back to this comparison whenever a new term confuses you.

Quick answer: the difference in one paragraph each

A scholarship is financial support to help a student pay for education. It is most often awarded for academic merit, talent, leadership or a combination of merit and financial need, and it is most commonly associated with undergraduate and taught postgraduate study — although scholarships exist at every level. A scholarship usually pays towards tuition fees, and larger awards may also include a living allowance. It does not normally have to be repaid, provided you meet the conditions of the award.

A fellowship is a competitive award that supports advanced study, research or professional training, usually at graduate or postdoctoral level. Fellowships are about developing a person — a researcher, a leader, a specialist — not just paying a bill. They typically provide a stipend for living costs, may cover tuition or research expenses, and often include mentoring, training, a cohort network or a placement. Prestigious examples include research fellowships at universities and leadership fellowships funded by governments and foundations.

A grant is money given for a defined purpose or project, awarded against a proposal or a set of eligibility rules, and not normally repaid. In student funding, grants are often need-based — for example, government grants for students from lower-income households — but in research, a grant usually funds a specific project: its staff time, equipment, travel and materials. The key idea is purpose: a grant is tied to what the money will be used for, and the funder may require reports showing the money was spent as agreed.

These are working definitions, not legal ones, and real programmes blur the boundaries deliberately. As Syracuse University’s Graduate School puts it in its funding FAQ, scholarships assist students with tuition or general educational expenses, grants are usually based on financial need or designated for specific projects, and fellowships support academic or research advancement over a period of time, often with a stipend and tuition support. You can read that explanation in full in the Syracuse University Graduate School funding FAQ. Keep those three anchors in mind — study support, personal development, defined purpose — and most award descriptions become much easier to decode.

At a glance: scholarship vs fellowship vs grant vs bursary vs assistantship

The table below compares the five funding types you will meet most often. Read it as a guide to tendencies, not absolute rules: always check the individual award’s own terms, because a provider can use any of these labels for a package that behaves slightly differently.

Two rows deserve extra attention. First, the “work required” row: an assistantship is the only one of the five that is fundamentally a job, and that difference affects your visa work limits, your tax position and how much time you have left for your own studies. Second, the “basis for award” row: this is the single most useful filter when you are shortlisting. If your grades are strong but your family income is average, merit scholarships and fellowships are your natural territory. If your grades are solid but finances are the barrier, need-based grants and bursaries may matter more — and many students combine both types.

What is a scholarship? A closer look

A scholarship is the broadest and most familiar term. Universities, governments, charities, foundations and employers all offer scholarships, and they exist for almost every subject and level. Some scholarships are merit-based, rewarding high grades, test scores or achievements in sport, music or leadership. Some are need-based, awarded after an assessment of family finances. Many are mixed, requiring both a minimum academic standard and evidence of need. Others are targeted: for students from a particular country or region, for women in STEM, for refugees, for students with disabilities, or for applicants to a specific course.

Scholarships also differ in size more than any other funding type. At one end are small one-off awards of a few hundred pounds or dollars that help with books or a laptop. At the other end are fully funded government scholarships — programmes such as Chevening in the UK, Fulbright in the USA or Australia Awards — that can cover tuition, living costs, airfare and visa fees. Between those extremes sit the most common awards of all: partial tuition discounts from universities, often between 10% and 50% of fees, sometimes awarded automatically when you meet a grades threshold and sometimes by competition. When you compare options in our university rankings and university profiles, treat the word “scholarship” as the start of your questions, not the answer: how much, for how long, renewable or one-off, and what must you do to keep it?

Renewal conditions matter. Many scholarships continue only if you maintain a minimum grade average or pass each year. Some are paid directly to the university against your tuition bill; others are paid to you as cash. Some can be combined with other awards, while others cannot be held at the same time as a second major scholarship. None of this is hidden — it is in the terms and conditions — but students routinely skip those pages. Do not. Five minutes reading the fine print can save you from budgeting around money that disappears in year two.

What is a fellowship? A closer look

A fellowship is best understood as an investment in a person’s development. Fellowships cluster at the advanced end of education: master’s degrees with a leadership or policy focus, PhD research, postdoctoral work and mid-career professional programmes. The funder is not simply asking “can this student pay the fees?” but “what will this person go on to do, and how will our support help them do it?” That is why fellowship applications usually demand more than grades: a research proposal or a leadership narrative, evidence of impact, references that speak to potential, and sometimes an interview.

The package is correspondingly richer. A fellowship commonly includes a monthly stipend set at a level intended to let you study or research full-time, plus fee coverage, research or travel allowances, structured training, mentoring and membership of a cohort or alumni network. Some fellowships are attached to a specific institution or research group; others are portable, meaning you take the funding to an approved host. Some are based in universities; others place fellows inside government bodies, NGOs, media organisations or companies for a fixed period.

There is also a terminology trap for international applicants. In US graduate schools, “fellowship” often means funding with no work obligation — support awarded on merit so that you can focus on research — in deliberate contrast to an assistantship, which is paid work. In the UK, a “research fellow” is usually an employed academic post, and junior research fellowships at Oxford and Cambridge colleges are salaried early-career research positions. Meanwhile, programmes such as Chevening include both scholarships and shorter fellowships for mid-career professionals. The label alone will not tell you which model applies; the award description will. Check who is eligible (students, researchers or professionals), whether the fellowship is employment or an award, and what deliverables — publications, reports, a final project — are expected.

What is a grant? A closer look

“Grant” is the most purpose-driven of the three words. In everyday student finance, especially in the United States, a grant usually means need-based gift aid: money from a federal or state government that you do not repay, awarded because your assessed financial circumstances qualify you. The US Federal Pell Grant is the best-known example for domestic students; international students are generally not eligible for US federal grants, which is exactly the kind of eligibility detail you must check before counting any grant in your budget.

In research, the meaning shifts. A research grant funds a project: a named investigation with aims, a method, a budget and a timetable. Research councils, government agencies and large foundations award grants competitively to universities, research teams and sometimes individual researchers. If you are a PhD applicant, you may benefit from a grant indirectly — a supervisor’s grant may fund a studentship or a research assistant post — without ever applying for the grant yourself. Travel grants and conference grants are smaller versions of the same idea: money for a specific, costed activity, usually requiring a short report afterwards.

Because grants are tied to a purpose, they come with accountability. Funds may have to be spent within a set period, on approved categories only, with receipts and progress reports. A scholarship office rarely asks what you bought with your award; a grant funder often does. If you receive a grant, keep records from day one.

Bursaries and assistantships: the two terms that complete the picture

Bursaries are most common in UK, Commonwealth and South African usage. A bursary is typically a (usually modest) sum awarded on the basis of financial need to help a student afford study they could not otherwise manage. UCAS summarises the common distinction neatly: scholarships tend to be competitive and often donor-funded, while bursaries are usually non-competitive, automatic and based on financial need. You can read UCAS’s explanation on its student bursaries, scholarships and financial support page. FindAMasters gives the same general rule — merit for scholarships, affordability for bursaries — while stressing that there is no universal distinction and providers use the terms differently; see FindAMasters’ guide to what a bursary is. In the UK, bursaries may also be attached to specific training routes, such as certain NHS or teaching routes, where the rules are set nationally rather than by the university.

Australian usage has its own flavour: at the University of the Sunshine Coast, for example, scholarships are described as payments in instalments over a set period, while bursaries are usually one-off payments — a reminder that even within one country, definitions are local. That institution’s explanation is on its scholarships and bursaries FAQ page. The practical lesson is universal: never assume; always read the specific award page.

Assistantships are a North American staple. A teaching assistantship (TA) pays a graduate student to help with undergraduate teaching — leading seminars, marking, holding office hours. A research assistantship (RA) pays you to work on a faculty member’s research project, which for PhD students is often closely aligned with their dissertation. Assistantships typically come with a stipend and, crucially, a partial or full tuition waiver, which can make them worth more than many named scholarships. They are employment, so they count towards the work your student status allows, they may be taxable, and they take real hours each week. For many master’s and PhD students in the USA and Canada, an assistantship — not a scholarship — is the mechanism that makes the degree affordable.

How the terms differ by country

Terminology is not fully standardised even within one country, but these regional tendencies will help you search more effectively. Use the exact local terms when you search, because funders list opportunities under the words their own system uses. If you are building a country shortlist, pair this section with our study abroad guides, which explain each destination’s system in more depth.

One more difference worth knowing is how money connects to visas. Whatever the award is called, immigration authorities care about the total funds available to you, not the label. For example, for a UK Student visa you must show maintenance funds of £1,529 per month in London or £1,171 per month outside London (current rates, rising to £1,570 and £1,203 for applications on or after 30 November 2026), in addition to any unpaid tuition — and a scholarship letter only counts if it meets the visa rules for official financial sponsorship. Similarly, Canada’s study permit proof-of-funds amount is CAD 22,895 for applications from 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2026, rising to CAD 23,448 from 1 September 2026, on top of tuition and travel. In Australia, the Research Training Program base stipend rate is AUD 34,315 for 2026 and AUD 35,550 for 2027. Labels impress committees; numbers satisfy visa officers. Keep both in view.

Which one should you apply for? A decision guide

Most students should not choose just one category. Strong funding plans are portfolios: a major award if you can win it, a university tuition discount as a foundation, a small bursary or departmental prize on top, and — for graduate students — an assistantship or studentship where the system works that way. Still, prioritise your effort where your profile fits best.

If you are an undergraduate applicant, scholarships are your main target, supplemented by need-based bursaries or grants where you qualify. Fellowships are rare at this level, and assistantships do not normally exist. Look for entrance scholarships, country-specific awards and faculty or department prizes listed by each university you apply to.

If you are a master’s applicant, scholarships remain central — especially government schemes and university awards — but leadership and taught-master’s fellowships enter the picture, particularly if you have two or more years of work experience. Check whether your target universities offer assistantships or paid campus roles at master’s level; some do, many do not.

If you are a PhD applicant, think fellowships, studentships, assistantships and grant-funded posts first, scholarships second. Doctoral funding is usually assembled by the university or supervisor rather than won in a single open competition, so contacting departments and reading funded-project listings matters as much as browsing scholarship databases. Our guide on how to apply for scholarships step by step walks through the application sequence, and the tools section can help you compare costs once offers arrive.

If you are a postdoctoral researcher or mid-career professional, fellowships and research grants are your world. Scholarships in the school-student sense largely disappear, replaced by fellowships with cohorts, placements and leadership curricula, and by grants you apply for as a researcher in your own right.

Common misunderstandings to avoid

“A fellowship is just a bigger scholarship.” Not exactly. Size is not the defining difference — purpose is. A fellowship develops a person for research, leadership or professional practice; a scholarship helps pay for study. Some fellowships are modest, and some scholarships are enormous.

“Grants are free money with no conditions.” Grants are not repayable in normal circumstances, but they are purpose-bound and accountable. Spend a research or travel grant outside its approved purpose and you may have to return it.

“If it says scholarship, it must cover everything.” Most scholarships are partial. The phrase “fully funded” has a specific meaning — tuition plus living costs and usually travel — and even then you should verify each component line by line.

“I can only hold one award.” Often false. Many universities let you combine a tuition scholarship with a bursary or prize, while major government awards usually prohibit holding another major award simultaneously. The rule is in the terms; check before you decline anything.

“The name tells me the tax and visa treatment.” It does not. Tax treatment of stipends and the visa value of an award depend on the law of the host country and the award’s structure, not its label. Get advice from the university’s international office once you have a real offer.

How to read any award description in five minutes

Whatever the label, ask the same seven questions of every opportunity: (1) Who is eligible — nationality, level, subject, institution? (2) What exactly is paid — tuition, stipend, travel, insurance — and what is not? (3) How much, for how long, and is renewal conditional? (4) Is any work, service or return-home obligation attached? (5) How are applications judged — grades, need, proposal, interview? (6) What is the deadline and the decision date? (7) Can it be combined with other funding? If an award page cannot answer these questions, treat the opportunity cautiously and verify it through the provider’s official site. This habit will protect you from both disappointment and scams, and it makes comparison tables — like the ones throughout our guides section — far more useful.

Frequently asked questions

1. Can I receive a scholarship and a grant at the same time?

Often, yes. A merit scholarship from a university and a need-based grant or bursary can frequently be held together, because they come from different budgets and reward different things. However, some major awards prohibit holding another significant award at the same time. Always check the combination rules in both awards’ terms before accepting.

2. Is a fellowship better than a scholarship?

Neither is automatically better. A fellowship usually suits graduate and research-stage applicants and may offer training, networks and a full stipend, while a scholarship may be the larger or simpler award for taught study. Compare the actual package — total value, duration, obligations and conditions — not the prestige of the word.

3. Do I have to pay back a grant?

In normal circumstances, no: student grants and research grants are not loans. But grant money must be used for the purpose it was awarded for, within the stated period, and misuse or withdrawal from the funded activity can trigger repayment. Keep records and progress reports as the funder requires.

4. Are fellowships only for PhD students?

No. Fellowships are most common at graduate level, but they include master’s-level leadership programmes, professional and policy fellowships for mid-career applicants, clinical and creative fellowships, and postdoctoral research fellowships. Undergraduate fellowships exist but are comparatively rare.

5. What is the difference between a bursary and a scholarship?

The usual distinction is basis: scholarships are typically competitive and merit- or talent-based (often donor-funded), while bursaries are typically awarded on assessed financial need and are often automatic or non-competitive once eligibility is shown. Providers do not all follow this convention, so always read the individual award’s criteria.

6. Is an assistantship a type of scholarship?

No. An assistantship is paid employment — teaching or research work for a university department — usually bundled with a stipend and tuition waiver. It can be worth as much as a major scholarship, but it takes working hours each week and counts as employment for visa and tax purposes.

7. Does the name of the award affect my student visa?

No. Visa authorities assess the amount, source and documentation of your funds, not whether the award is called a scholarship, fellowship or grant. Your award letter must still meet the immigration rules for official sponsorship, and any shortfall must be covered by other acceptable funds.

8. Which term should I use when searching for funding?

Use all of them, plus local synonyms: scholarship, fellowship, grant, bursary, studentship, assistantship, award, discount and fee waiver. Search each term with your level, subject and destination — for example, “PhD studentship UK” or “graduate assistantship USA” — because funders list opportunities under their own system’s vocabulary.

Sources & Verification

This guide was checked against the following sources: Syracuse University Graduate School, “External Scholarships, Grants, and Fellowships FAQs” (definitions of scholarships, grants and fellowships); UCAS, “Student bursaries, scholarships and financial support” (competitive scholarships vs need-based bursaries); FindAMasters, “What is a bursary?” (merit vs need distinction and variation between providers); University of the Sunshine Coast, scholarships and bursaries FAQ (instalment scholarships vs one-off bursaries in Australian practice); UK Home Office Appendix Student (maintenance rates of £1,529/£1,171, rising to £1,570/£1,203 from 30 November 2026); Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (study permit funds of CAD 22,895, rising to CAD 23,448 from 1 September 2026); Australian Government Research Training Program base stipend rates (AUD 34,315 for 2026; AUD 35,550 for 2027). Award structures, amounts and terminology change over time and differ between providers — always confirm the details of any specific award on the provider’s official website before applying.

Disclaimer: StudyGraduate is an independent information portal, not an agency, university or scholarship provider. We do not charge for applications, and no one can promise or guarantee selection, admission or visa approval. Use this guide to understand funding types, then verify every figure and deadline with the official source.