Top 20 Fully Funded Scholarships for Undergraduate Students 2027

Fully funded bachelor’s degrees for international students are rarer than fully funded master’s degrees — but they exist, and every year they send thousands of school-leavers from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Nigeria, Indonesia and dozens of other countries to universities in Canada, the United States, Japan, Korea, Europe and beyond with tuition, housing and living costs covered. The secret is knowing which doors are real. Undergraduate funding comes in three forms: government scholarships (MEXT, GKS, Stipendium Hungaricum, Türkiye Burslari) that bundle tuition, stipend and flights; flagship university scholarships (Lester B. Pearson, Reach Oxford, KAIST) that cover the full cost of attendance for a small, outstanding cohort; and need-based financial aid at wealthy US universities (Harvard, Yale, NYU Abu Dhabi), where “scholarship” means the university meets your full demonstrated financial need after assessing your family’s finances. This guide ranks the 20 strongest options for 2027 entry across all three models, with honest coverage notes for each.

One honesty rule applies throughout: where a scheme covers tuition and a substantial living allowance but not, for example, international flights, we say exactly that rather than stretching the phrase “fully funded.” Amounts and deadlines were verified in October 2026 against official sources; several programmes set their 2027 windows by the pattern of the last cycle, and those cases are labelled. If you are comparing levels, bookmark the wider list of top 50 fully funded scholarships for international students 2027 and its bachelor’s-only companion, the top 15 fully funded scholarships for bachelor’s students 2027. You can also explore institutions in our university directory and plan costs with the student tools.

At a Glance: The 20 Scholarships Compared

Who Can Apply? Undergraduate Eligibility Basics

Almost every scheme below requires you to be in your final year of secondary school or a recent school-leaver. Specific patterns repeat: government scholarships set age limits (GKS-U applicants must be under 25; MEXT undergraduate applicants are usually born on or after a stated April date, making them about 17–24 at entry; Türkiye Burslari undergraduate applicants must be under 21); your parents’ citizenship matters for GKS (neither parent may be a Korean citizen); academic thresholds are real but not impossible — GKS expects roughly 80% or top-20% standing, MEXT screens by written examinations in your own country, and Pearson scholars are nominated by their school as its single strongest candidate. US need-based aid works differently: there is no separate scholarship application, no age limit beyond normal school-leaving, and the award is computed from your family’s income and assets — families earning modest incomes routinely receive packages covering the entire cost. Start dates also differ: most northern-hemisphere programmes begin in autumn 2027, while GKS and MEXT scholars first complete a funded language or preparatory year.

The Top 20 Fully Funded Undergraduate Scholarships, Ranked

1. Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship — University of Toronto, Canada

Canada’s most prestigious undergraduate award for international students. Around 37 Pearson Scholars are named each year, and the scholarship covers tuition, books, incidental fees and full residence support for four years — a complete cost-of-attendance package at one of the world’s top universities. You cannot apply directly: your secondary school must nominate you (one nominee per school per year), schools new to the programme must first register to participate, and you must be in your final year of school (or have graduated no earlier than June 2026 for the 2027 intake) and starting at the University of Toronto in September 2027. The 2027-cycle deadlines were: school nomination 9 October 2026, Toronto admission application 16 October 2026, scholarship application and documents 6 November 2026. Official page: future.utoronto.ca/pearson-scholarships. Lesson: the conversation with your school counsellor must happen months before the deadline.

2. Global Korea Scholarship — Undergraduate (GKS-U) — South Korea

Korea’s government scholarship is arguably the most complete undergraduate package in Asia: full tuition, round-trip airfare, a fully funded one-year Korean language programme before your degree, health insurance and an all-inclusive monthly allowance — KRW 13.56 million per year during the language year and KRW 14.4 million per year during the degree under the 2027 GKS-U schedule (the allowance now bundles living, housing, insurance and settlement costs). Apply through the embassy track or the university track via the Study in Korea portal — never both. Applicants must be under 25, hold neither Korean citizenship nor Korean-citizen parents, and meet the 80%/top-20% academic standard. Applications open in September and close in late September–October depending on the embassy. Official portal: studyinkorea.go.kr.

3. MEXT Undergraduate Scholarship — Japan

Japan’s MEXT (Ministry of Education) undergraduate scholarship covers full tuition, a monthly stipend (around ¥117,000 per month for undergraduate students in recent schedules, with a small regional supplement — MEXT revises amounts, so check the current guidelines), and a round-trip economy airfare between your home country and Japan. Scholars first spend a funded preparatory year studying Japanese and foundation subjects, then enter a four-year degree (longer for medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and veterinary programmes). Selection through the embassy track — applications usually open in April–May — is examination-based: written tests in English, mathematics and science subjects plus an interview. This is one of the few fully funded routes where school grades alone do not decide; exam preparation does. Our profile: MEXT Scholarship guide.

4. Harvard College Financial Aid — USA

Harvard is need-blind for international applicants — your ability to pay plays no part in the admission decision — and Harvard meets 100% of every admitted student’s demonstrated financial need for all four years. For families with modest incomes, the package can cover the full cost of attendance: tuition, housing, food, books, personal expenses and even travel between home and campus; Harvard states that families earning below set income thresholds (raised in recent years) are expected to pay nothing. There is no separate scholarship form — you apply for admission and submit financial documents (CSS Profile and family income evidence) by the corresponding deadlines. The reality check: admission itself is the scholarship competition, with international acceptance extremely selective. See the Harvard University profile for programmes and costs.

5. Yale University Financial Aid — USA

Yale operates the same model as Harvard: need-blind admission for all applicants regardless of citizenship, and financial aid that meets 100% of demonstrated need, calculated from family finances and awarded as a “Yale Scholarship” grant that never needs repaying. The aid package is designed to cover tuition, housing, meals, books and personal expenses, with additional support such as a start-up grant for first-year students from low-income backgrounds and funding toward travel. As with Harvard, the strategy is admission-first: outstanding academics, genuine extracurricular depth and strong essays are the competition; the money follows automatically for admitted students with need.

6. UBC International Scholars Program — University of British Columbia, Canada

UBC’s International Scholars Program (which includes the International Leader of Tomorrow Award) is needs- and merit-based: awards are sized to your demonstrated financial need after accounting for your family’s contribution, and for students with high need the award covers tuition, fees and living costs for the full degree, renewable for up to four years. You must be nominated by your school or a recognised non-profit, be applying to your first undergraduate degree directly from secondary school, and meet UBC’s admission and English requirements. Applications open in the autumn with deadlines in November–December for the following September. For students who miss Pearson nomination, this is Canada’s other genuinely full-need undergraduate route.

7. Reach Oxford Scholarship — University of Oxford, UK

Reach Oxford funds undergraduate students from low-income countries who, for political or financial reasons or because suitable facilities do not exist at home, cannot study in their own country. It covers university and college fees, a grant for living expenses and one return airfare per year — full funding for the standard three- or four-year degree. You must first apply to Oxford by the October deadline and secure an offer; the scholarship application follows in February, and only a small number of awards (usually two to five) are made each year. Priority goes to applicants who have not studied at undergraduate level before and who intend to return home after their degree. Read alongside the University of Oxford profile.

8. Stipendium Hungaricum — Undergraduate — Hungary

Hungary’s government scheme funds bachelor’s degrees across a wide course catalogue for students from partner sending countries. The package: tuition-free education, a monthly stipend (HUF 43,700 per month at bachelor’s level in recent schedules), a monthly accommodation contribution or a free dormitory place, and medical insurance. The cash stipend is modest, but with tuition and housing covered in a comparatively affordable country, the total package functions as full funding. Apply online between November and mid-January, with nomination through your home country’s sending partner; medical and some other programmes have additional entrance examinations. If your country is a sending partner, this is one of the highest-volume fully funded undergraduate routes into Europe.

9. Türkiye Burslari — Undergraduate — Türkiye

Türkiye Scholarships combines university placement and funding in one government application — you do not need a prior admission offer. The undergraduate package covers full tuition, a monthly stipend (TRY 4,500 per month for undergraduate students under the 2025 schedule; amounts are updated in each annual call), free accommodation, health insurance, a one-year Turkish language course and a round-trip flight. Undergraduate applicants must be under 21 and have strong school results (minimum averages apply, higher for health sciences). Applications run in a single window, usually 10 January to 20 February, fully online. Because placement is bundled, spread your programme choices realistically across universities and cities.

10. Chinese Government Scholarship, Type A — Undergraduate — China

Through the bilateral (Type A) channel, applied for via Chinese embassies and home-country dispatching agencies, CSC funds bachelor’s degrees in China with tuition covered, free university dormitory accommodation (or a subsidy), comprehensive medical insurance and a monthly stipend — CNY 2,500 per month for undergraduate students under the standard CSC schedule. Programmes taught in Chinese include a funded one-year Chinese preparatory course; a growing number of English-taught bachelor’s programmes also participate. Windows vary by agency, roughly November to April. Always apply through the official agency route — legitimate CSC applications carry no placement fee.

11. KAIST International Scholarship — South Korea

KAIST, South Korea’s leading science and technology university, awards its international scholarship to admitted international undergraduates: full tuition for eight semesters, a monthly allowance (KRW 350,000 per month under the published undergraduate schedule — confirm the current figure, as KAIST updates it), and national health insurance support. Renewal depends on maintaining the required GPA, which makes this a performance-linked full scholarship. Admission runs in several rounds across the year and all teaching is in English; the applicant pool is global and heavily STEM-focused. For a strong mathematics/science student, KAIST offers a rare combination: elite research university, full funding, no Korean required at entry.

12. NYU Abu Dhabi Financial Aid — UAE

NYU Abu Dhabi meets the full demonstrated financial need of every admitted student, international included, through grants that can cover tuition, housing, meals, books, personal expenses and travel to and from Abu Dhabi — effectively a fully funded degree for low-income admits at a highly selective liberal-arts campus. Admission is need-aware in process but the aid commitment itself is comprehensive, and every applicant is automatically considered for aid by submitting the CSS Profile with the admission application (Early Decision rounds in November, Regular Decision in January). The cohort is small (~500 students per class year across 100+ nationalities) and selection emphasises academic distinction plus global outlook.

13. Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program — Undergraduate — Worldwide partners

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program funds secondary-school graduates of academic talent and limited means through bachelor’s degrees at partner universities — in North America (including McGill and Arizona State), Europe (Sciences Po, Edinburgh) and across Africa (Ashesi, Makerere, KNUST and others). The package typically covers tuition, accommodation, a living stipend, books, a laptop, airfare and extensive mentoring and leadership development, but each partner university runs its own selection, deadlines and package details — there is no central application. Applicants are usually required to demonstrate both financial disadvantage and commitment to giving back to their communities; some partners restrict by country or region.

14. Ashinaga Africa Initiative — Worldwide

Ashinaga is unlike everything else on this list: it funds orphaned students — those who have lost one or both parents — from sub-Saharan African countries through undergraduate degrees abroad. Support covers tuition, accommodation, living costs, travel and a preparation programme (including a study camp and, where needed, a foundation/gap year with language training). Selection is country-by-country with application windows typically between October and February, and scholars commit to returning to sub-Saharan Africa after graduation to contribute to its development. If you fit the eligibility, this is one of the most fully supported undergraduate pathways in the world, financially and personally.

15. Brunei Darussalam Government Scholarship — Brunei

The Government of Brunei Darussalam offers foreign students fully funded undergraduate places at institutions including Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Universiti Teknologi Brunei and Politeknik Brunei. The award covers tuition fees, a monthly personal allowance, a monthly meals allowance, annual book allowances, accommodation in university hostels, baggage allowance and an economy airfare to and from Brunei. Applicants must typically be 18–25 for undergraduate programmes and medically fit; applications have historically opened around November–February through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs portal, though the scheme does not run on an identical timetable every year — verify the current call before preparing certified documents.

16. Taiwan Scholarship (Ministry of Education) — Taiwan

Taiwan’s MOE Scholarship funds undergraduate study at Taiwanese universities with a tuition and academic-fee waiver up to TWD 40,000 per semester (costs above the cap in some programmes are partly borne by the student — read the fine print) plus a monthly living stipend of TWD 15,000 for undergraduate students. Recipients may first take up to a year of funded Mandarin study under the companion Huayu Enrichment Scholarship. Applications are submitted through Taiwan’s diplomatic missions (TECO offices) in your country, generally between February and the end of March. For ASEAN and South Asian students especially, Taiwan offers an affordable, safe and increasingly English-taught undergraduate destination.

17. Wesleyan Freeman Asian Scholars Program — USA

The Freeman Asian Scholars Program at Wesleyan University funds one student from each of 11 Asian countries (including Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam; the list is fixed by the programme) through a four-year bachelor’s degree — the scholarship covers full tuition and fees, and Wesleyan meets additional demonstrated need for the selected scholar under its aid policies. Scholars are chosen for academic excellence, leadership and commitment to their home communities, with an expectation of returning to Asia after graduation. Competition is one-per-country intense, but for eligible students it is a genuine full ride at a top US liberal-arts college.

18. Qatar University Scholarship for International Students — Qatar

Qatar University’s competitive international scholarship covers tuition fee exemption, university housing, an annual round-trip airfare to the student’s home country and exemption from textbook fees, for the duration of a bachelor’s degree, conditional on maintaining the required GPA and credit load. Applicants apply for admission and the scholarship together through QU’s online system in the published admission rounds; Arabic-taught and English-taught programmes both exist, and a funded foundation programme route is available where needed. In a region where Gulf scholarships are often rumoured rather than real, Qatar University’s is documented, competitive and renewable — check the current round dates on the QU admissions pages.

19. Khalifa University Scholarship — UAE

Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi offers tiered scholarships to international undergraduates in engineering and science programmes; the top tiers cover 100% of tuition fees plus a monthly stipend, accommodation, medical insurance, textbooks and support for attending conferences, with the exact package tied to academic performance at admission and maintained GPA. Because the scheme is tiered, read your offer letter carefully — “Khalifa scholarship” can mean full or partial support depending on tier. Applications follow the university’s admission rounds. For high-scoring STEM students targeting the Gulf, it is one of the strongest documented packages.

20. ASEAN Undergraduate Scholarship — National University of Singapore / Nanyang Technological University — Singapore

Singapore’s ASEAN Undergraduate Scholarship, offered at NUS and NTU to citizens of ASEAN member states (excluding Singapore), covers full subsidised tuition (recipients sign the Singapore Government tuition-grant bond to work in Singapore for three years after graduation), an annual living allowance (SGD 5,800) and an annual accommodation allowance (SGD 3,000) under the published NUS schedule — NTU’s schedule is similar; confirm the current figures with each university. There is no separate application: eligible applicants are considered through the university application, with shortlisting interviews. It is tuition-plus-living support rather than a flights-included package, but combined with Singapore’s graduate employment outcomes it closes our top 20.

How to Apply: Step by Step

1. Start 12–18 months before entry. Pearson nominations close in October of your final school year; MEXT and GKS screening happens while you are still in school. Late starters lose a full year.
2. Talk to your school early. Pearson and UBC International Scholars both require school nomination. Ask your counsellor in the spring term, not September.
3. Shortlist by model, not just brand. Pick two government scholarships (e.g., GKS-U + MEXT), two flagship university awards (Pearson + Reach Oxford or KAIST), and two need-based US/UAE options (Harvard/Yale/NYUAD) — six applications, three different selection logics.
4. Prepare the document set once. Passport, school transcripts and predicted grades, final certificates when issued, English test scores where required, one strong activities list and two teacher references. Keep certified copies ready for embassy tracks.
5. Sit the tests the route demands. MEXT and Stipendium Hungaricum screen academically; US colleges may be test-optional but strong scores help; KAIST expects top mathematics/science results.
6. Write essays that fit each funder. Government schemes want commitment to your home country’s development and to the host country relationship; US colleges want intellectual curiosity and community contribution; Pearson wants leadership within your school and community.
7. Submit before the deadline week, save confirmations, and prepare for interviews/tests in the following months — most shortlists are announced one to four months after closing.

Required Documents (Typical)

• Passport and recent photographs (embassy tracks specify sizes).
• Secondary school transcripts and graduation certificate (or predicted grades if still studying).
• School nomination letter (Pearson, UBC) — arranged by your school, not by you.
• Recommendation letters from teachers who taught you recently.
• Personal statement / essays per scheme.
• Family financial documents (for need-based aid: income statements, tax documents, CSS Profile).
• English proficiency results where the university requires them; medical certificate and police clearance are post-selection steps for GKS, MEXT, CSC and Brunei.

Deadlines and Timeline for 2027 Entry

Dates for the 2027 cycle that had not been formally published at verification time (21 October 2026) follow the previous cycle’s pattern and are marked “typical” above — confirm each on the official page. Students in the southern hemisphere or on different school calendars should map these windows against their own graduation date carefully, and parents comparing costs can model scenarios with our study abroad guides.

How to Improve Your Chances

Be your school’s obvious nominee. Pearson and UBC turn on a single school nomination — sustained leadership and service visible to your teachers matters more than one competition medal. Exploit the exam-based routes. MEXT and GKS reward preparation over pedigree; past-paper practice is the highest-ROI activity available to most applicants. Apply across models. Need-based US aid, Asian government scholarships and European government schemes fail for different reasons — a balanced portfolio of five to seven applications is realistic for one student. Keep grades boringly excellent. Every route on this list screens academics first; a single weak final year closes most doors. Document disadvantage honestly. Need-based and access schemes (Harvard/Yale aid, Reach Oxford, Mastercard, Ashinaga) exist for students with real financial constraints — present your family’s situation accurately and completely; overstating or hiding assets is both unethical and detectable.

Common Mistakes

• Missing the nomination step — preparing a beautiful Pearson application your school never submits.
• Applying to both GKS tracks in one cycle — automatic exclusion.
• Assuming US “scholarships” are separate applications — at Harvard and Yale the aid is part of admission; missing the financial-aid document deadlines can delay or shrink an otherwise full package.
• Ignoring age limits (GKS-U under 25, Türkiye UG under 21, MEXT birth-date cut-offs) until after writing essays.
• Believing agent claims of “guaranteed CSC/MEXT/GKS seats.” All government routes here are free and official; a fee-charging guarantee is fraud.
• Applying only to famous names. Pearson admits ~37 students a year worldwide. Stipendium Hungaricum and Türkiye Burslari admit thousands. Portfolio balance is strategy, not pessimism.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply for undergraduate scholarships while still in school?

Yes — most schemes on this list are designed for final-year students, using predicted grades or school transcripts, with final certificates required before enrolment. Pearson and GKS-U explicitly work this way.

Do I need IELTS to win a fully funded undergraduate scholarship?

Not always. GKS requires no language test at application (the funded Korean year comes first), and MEXT tests English as part of its own examinations. Universities teaching in English set their own requirements — check each programme rather than assuming a universal IELTS rule.

Which undergraduate scholarship has the highest acceptance volume?

Government schemes: Stipendium Hungaricum and Türkiye Burslari each fund thousands of students annually across levels, and GKS and CSC also run at large scale. Flagship awards like Pearson (~37/year) and Reach Oxford (a handful) are the opposite — apply, but never rely on them alone.

Are Harvard and Yale really free for low-income international students?

For admitted students whose assessed family contribution is zero, the financial-aid package covers the full cost of attendance, so the effective price is zero. The hard part is admission, not the aid formula — both universities are need-blind for internationals and publish their aid policies openly.

Can I apply if I have taken a gap year?

Often yes, within limits: Pearson accepts applicants who graduated no earlier than June 2026 for 2027 entry (and who have not started post-secondary study); GKS-U’s under-25 rule accommodates gap years; MEXT’s birth-date window may not. Check each scheme’s exact rule.

Do these scholarships cover flights?

Many do — GKS, MEXT, CSC, Türkiye Burslari, Pearson (residence support; flights not listed), Reach Oxford (one return airfare per year) and Qatar University (annual airfare) are explicit in their official pages; US need-based packages typically include a travel allowance within the cost of attendance. Our profiles note the position scheme by scheme.

My school has never heard of the Pearson nomination process. What do I do?

Your school can apply to participate in the programme through the University of Toronto’s official Pearson pages. Bring the counsellor the official link and the nomination deadline — schools register every year, but the request must come early in the autumn term.

Should I pay an agent to prepare my applications?

No scheme on this list requires or endorses paid agents, and several (Toronto, NIIED, MEXT) explicitly warn that they do not work with agents. Free official guidance exists for every route. Spend money, if at all, only on test preparation and certified translations.

Sources & Verification

Verified in October 2026 against official sources including: University of Toronto Pearson Scholarship pages (future.utoronto.ca/pearson-scholarships) — coverage, ~37 scholars, 2027-cycle deadlines; the Study in Korea / NIIED GKS guidelines via studyinkorea.go.kr — GKS-U allowance of KRW 14.4 million per year during the degree; MEXT guidelines (mext.go.jp) for stipend and airfare structure; Harvard College and Yale financial aid offices for need-blind, full-need policies; UBC International Scholars Program pages; University of Oxford Reach Oxford pages; Tempus Public Foundation (Stipendium Hungaricum); Türkiye Scholarships; KAIST admissions (undergraduate monthly allowance); NYU Abu Dhabi financial aid; Qatar University and Khalifa University scholarship pages; NUS ASEAN Undergraduate Scholarship schedule; Ashinaga and Mastercard Foundation official programme pages. Figures labelled “recent schedules” are the latest published at verification and may be revised in the next call.

Disclaimer: Scholarship amounts, deadlines and eligibility rules change every cycle. Always confirm details on the official scholarship or university website before applying. StudyGraduate is an independent information portal, not an agent or agency, and cannot guarantee selection, admission or visa approval for any programme.