Do universities provide any type of scholarships for a Master's?
Yes, universities offer several funding types for a master's: merit scholarships and fellowships, graduate assistantships pairing a tuition waiver with a stipend for weekly teaching or research, need based grants, and departmental awards. STEM and research programs typically offer more funding than professional degrees like an MBA.
Yes, your university almost certainly has scholarship options for a master's degree, though they tend to be more competitive and structured differently than undergraduate awards. What you can access depends heavily on your university, country, and field of study, with STEM and research programs usually offering the most funding.
Master's Funding Options Compared
| Funding Type | How It Works |
|---|---|
| Merit scholarships and fellowships | Based on academic record, test scores, portfolio, or professional background; partial to full tuition |
| Graduate assistantships | Tuition waiver plus a monthly stipend in exchange for 10 to 20 hours a week of teaching or research |
| Need based grants | Institutional funds based on financial need, less common at graduate level than undergraduate |
| Departmental awards | Endowment funds run by specific departments like Engineering, History, or Computer Science |
How To Actually Get Considered
- Submit your main admissions application by the priority deadline, since many universities automatically enter you into the departmental scholarship or assistantship pool.
- Watch for awards that need a separate application essay, extra letters of recommendation, or a distinct financial aid form.
- Look beyond the university too, since private foundations, corporate sponsorships, and government backed fellowships add to what your school offers.
My Advice
Email your target department directly to ask about assistantship openings even before you formally apply, since many teaching and research assistant positions get filled through informal faculty conversations well before the general scholarship deadline.
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?
- What can I do to improve my chances of winning a scholarship for Europe?
- 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?
- Why are fully funded scholarship applications in Italy often rejected, and how can I avoid that?
- Is the scholarship available for the next intake in USA for a Master's?