Are there scholarships available for masters programs abroad for a Master's?
Yes, there are numerous scholarships available for master's programs abroad. Governments, international organizations, universities, and private foundations offer funding ranging from partial tuition coverage to fully funded packages. These packages can include living stipends, travel costs, and comprehensive health insurance to support your international graduate education goals.
If you are planning to pursue a master's degree overseas, finding the right financial support can make your dream a reality. A wide variety of funding options exist to help ease the financial transition.
Major Master's Scholarship Categories
| Scholarship Program | Target Region |
|---|---|
| Fulbright Foreign Student Program | USA |
| Chevening Scholarships | UK |
| DAAD Scholarships | Germany |
| Eiffel Excellence Scholarship | France |
| Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters | Europe |
Essential Funding Strategies
- Start your search early since deadlines often fall 6 to 12 months prior to program commencement.
- Check your home country Ministry of Education website for outward mobility grants.
- Look into tuition-free options in countries like Germany or parts of Scandinavia.
My Advice
Begin your scholarship research well in advance and organize all academic documents. Make sure to target a mix of government awards and university-specific grants to maximize your financial coverage.
More expert answers
Yes, scholarships are available for Indian students studying abroad, and they can help reduce your financial burden.
Many universities and governments offer merit-based, need-based, and program-specific scholarships for master's programs. These awards are competitive and often require a strong academic record, relevant work experience, or meeting specific eligibility criteria. Applying to multiple scholarships can improve your chances.
If you don’t secure a scholarship, education loans from Indian banks and financial institutions are a common alternative. These can cover tuition and living expenses, with flexible repayment options.
There is no single scholarship that beats every other option for every student; the actual best pick depends on whether you are applying straight after your bachelor's or already have a couple of years of work experience, since that single fact rules entire scholarships in or out.
The Major Fully Funded Options
| Scholarship | Destination | Key eligibility point |
|---|---|---|
| Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's | Europe, across multiple countries | Open worldwide, typically applying October to January |
| Chevening | United Kingdom | Requires at least 2,800 hours, roughly 2 years, of work experience after your undergraduate degree |
| DAAD EPOS | Germany | Mainly development-related courses; relevant professional experience generally matters |
| Australia Awards | Australia | Available to citizens of participating developing countries, including selected Indo-Pacific countries |
Why Erasmus Mundus Deserves the Top Spot
Indian students have been among the largest recipient groups of Erasmus Mundus scholarships; the EU reported 75 Indian students receiving awards for the 2026 to 2028 cycle alone. The scheme can cover participation costs, travel and visa expenses, and a living allowance, and it does not require the multi-year work-experience threshold that Chevening does, which makes it accessible straight after your bachelor's.
Chevening Is Excellent but Comes With a Real Gate
Chevening's current eligibility requires at least 2,800 hours of work experience after undergraduate study, roughly two years, plus a commitment to return to your country of award for at least two years after the scholarship ends. As of 21 September 2026, Chevening's 2027 to 2028 cycle is open and closes on 6 October 2026 at 11:00 UTC, so this is not a fallback you can apply to at any point in the year.
This Information Is Also Available On
Erasmus+, Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters programme page; European External Action Service, 75 Indian students awarded Erasmus+ scholarships; Chevening, eligibility criteria and application timeline.
My Advice
Apply to more than one scholarship in parallel rather than waiting on a single best option, since deadlines for Erasmus Mundus, Chevening, and DAAD fall at different points in the year and rarely conflict. If you do not yet have two years of work experience, put your main effort into Erasmus Mundus now and treat Chevening as a target for a year or two down the line.
Which scholarships can you actually get?
Matched to your CGPA, course and budget. Find out in 30 seconds.
More Scholarships & funding questions
- Is it possible to get a fully funded scholarship if he scores seven or above (seventy percent) in the third year in Germany?
- Do I need to score well in GRE, GMAT, or IELTS to get good scholarships in top business schools for a MBA?
- When does the Korean Government Scholarship open applications for undergraduate students from India?
- What kind of questions might be asked during scholarship evaluations?
- Are you helping with educational loans or bank loans for studying abroad in UK/Ireland for a Master's?
- Is the scholarship available for the next intake in USA for a Master's?
- Which entrance exam should an average scoring 12th grade student prepare for to study abroad without family funding?
- What percentage of scholarship can I possibly get for my profile in USA?