World's Top University Scholarships for International Students from Developing Countries

Top University Scholarships Worldwide

It is most sensible for international students, aside applying to well-known schools which offer scholarships for developing countries on the basis of cooperation for development, to equally focus on and explore every other potential scholarship offered to international students to increase their chances.

The list of scholarships below are targeted at developing regions and countries. They include Government and Donor Agency programs administered through approved universities; and scholarship programs administered directly from individual Universities.

NB: This list is not exhaustive. Institutions with scholarships for developing countries will continue to be added. To keep informed, subscribe to our FREE scholarship updates. (Also see other scholarship lists).

Scholarship programs of Government and Donor Agencies

Government and donor agencies often implement scholarship programs through universities and academic institutions. The scholarships below show a list of host universities administering or co-sponsoring major scholarship programs intended for developing countries:

1. Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program
   The JJ/WBGSP Regular Program sponsors graduate studies leading to a master’s degree in any development-related field from universities around the world. Students applying to the regular program may study at host universities in World Bank member countries, with the exception of their home countries. Deadline is usually around late March...read more.
   
   
2. Asian Development Bank-Japan Scholarship Program
   The Asian Development Bank-Japan Scholarship Program (ADB-JSP) provides opportunity for well-qualified citizens of ADB’s developing member countries to undertake postgraduate studies in economics, management, science and technology, and other development-related fields at participating academic institutions in the Asian and Pacific Region. The ADB-JSP provides full tuition fees, a monthly subsistence and housing allowance, an allowance for books and instructional materials, medical insurance, and travel expenses...read more.
   
   
3. New Zealand Development Scholarships (NZDS)
   The New Zealand Development Scholarships support candidates to gain knowledge and skills through post-graduate study in specific subject areas that will assist in the development of their home country. Applications are welcomed from countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbeans. The award covers financial support for tuition, living costs while in New Zealand, and airfares. Application deadlines vary depending on region...read more.
   
   
4. Australia Awards in Africa (formerly, Australian Development Scholarships)
   The Australia Awards in Africa, an initiative of the Australian Government, is a pan-African program of development scholarships and fellowships that offers 1,000 postgraduate scholarships each year to eligible African professionals. It is a FULL government-sponsored award - thus covers full financial support for the postgraduate programmes. Applications are usually received over period from September to December or January each year...read more.
   
   
5. DAAD Funding Programmes for Developing Countries
   The German Academic Exchange Service supports a range of postgraduate courses at German Universities which aim at providing academically educated young professionals from developing countries with further specialized studies. DAAD scholarship supports selected programmes with a variety of full or partial scholarships. Deadlines are around 31st of July (German embassies or DAAD regional offices), 31st of August (DAAD section 431 in Bonn/Germany), or 15th of October (respective universities in Germany)...read more.
   
   
6. Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme
   The Scheme allows students from developing Commonwealth countries who would not otherwise be able to study in the UK to benefit from postgraduate study at a University in the UK which will help them to contribute toward the development of their home countries. It funds the cost of tuition fees (at overseas rate), return airfares, and other allowances. Participating universities are required to support the student stipend for the award holder (at the rate set by the UK government). Deadline for application to participating universities varies between December and April...read more.
   
   
7. Norwegian Quota Scheme
   The Norwegian government provides scholarships for students from developing countries and countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia through the Quota Scheme. Most universities and university colleges in Norway participate in the Quota scheme. The scheme provides funding for a total of 1,100 students. Each student receives the same amount of money as a Norwegian student would do in an equivalent educational programme. The deadline for applications for the Quota scheme varies depending on the course and institution of interest. Typically, however, it is usually 1st December every year...read more.

Scholarship programs of Individual Universities

Several universities have their own scholarship schemes intended for developing regions/countries aside from the ones they administer on behalf of donor institutions. A handful of these universities include:

Universities in Europe:

1. Belgium: Ghent University
   Ghent University offers a wide array of scholarships specifically for developing countries. It offers scholarships for Training, Masters, PhD, and Post Doctoral programmes for developing country students.
   
   
2. Ireland: Dublin Institute of Technology
   The Dublin Institute of Technology currently provides international scholarships for international students from selected agencies in Mexico, Oman, UAE, Tanzania, Kazakhstan, and Kuwait.
   
   
3. Netherlands: Maastricht University
   Maastricht University sponsors a number of international scholarships for student from the following regions: Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and South America.
   
   
4. Netherlands: University of Groningen
   Several scholarships are available for international students who are motivated to study Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD programmes, as well as for exchanges, short courses at the university. Besides scholarships awarded by the University of Groningen, a number of grants awarded by the Dutch government, the EU and (inter)national organizations, such as World Bank or the Ford Foundation, can be used for study or research at the University of Groningen as well.
   
   
5. Netherlands: University of Twente
   University of Twente administers a number of international scholarships for students from Asia, South America, and Central America.
   
   
6. UK: Cardiff University
   Cardiff University offers scholarships for international students from Africa, Arabic Countries, Australia, Bermuda/Cayman Islands, Canada, China (P.R.), Colombia, India/Indian Subcontinent, Japan, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, USA, Vietnam.
   
   
7. UK: London South Bank University
   London South Bank University offers full scholarships for students from commonwealth countries including African commonwealth countries. It also offers partial scholarships for students from priority countries (Bangladesh, China, Ghana, India, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, and Vietnam).
   
   
8. UK: Roehampton University
   The University has a number of scholarships available for international students on full-time, taught undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Scholarships are specifically available for students from China, South Korea, India, Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, Turkey, Malaysia, USA, Norway, Singapore, US, and UK-based international students in their first year of study.
   
   
9. UK: Sheffield Hallam University
   Sheffield Hallam University offers international scholarships for Non-EU students and specific scholarships for ASEAN member countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam).
   
   
10. UK: University of Bedforshire
    University of Bedforshire offers scholarships to international Non-EU students from different countries.
    
    
11. UK: University of Birmingham
    University of Birmingham has scholarships available for students from the following regions: Africa, Asia Pacific, Indian Subcontinent, Middle East, Russia, South America.
    
    
12. UK: University of Cambridge
    The University of Cambridge has special scholarships schemes for students from developing countries. The schemes include Cambridge Shared Scholarships, Shell Centenary Chevening Cambridge Scholarships, Shell Centenary Cambridge Scholarships, and Developing World Education Fund Scholarships.
    
    
13. UK: University of East Anglia
    The University of East Anglia offers a number of full and partial scholarships in international development courses for students from low-income countries.
    
    
14. UK: University of Edinburgh
    The University of Edinburgh offers a number of international scholarships for students from Africa, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Middle East, Myanmar, Russia, Southern Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, and Vietnam.
    
    
15. UK: University of Nottingham
    Through the Developing Solutions Scholarship Fund, The University of Nottingham is offering one of the largest international scholarship programmes in the world for developing countries of the Commonwealth and to non-Commonwealth Africa. The Countries outside Africa and India also covered by the Developing Solutions international scholarship scheme are Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Kiribati, Malaysia, Maldives,Montserrat, Nauru, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn, St Helena, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tristan da Cunha, Turks and Caicos, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Western Samoa
    
    
16. UK: University of Salford
    University of Salford offers various scholarship programs for students from Sub-saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Middle East & North Africa, Latin America, and East Asia.
    
    
17. UK: University of Oxford
    University of Westminster offers a variety of scholarships for students from Africa and Asia.
    
    
18. UK: University of Westminster
    The University of Westminster offers full international scholarships and full tuition wavers for students from developing countries in undergraduate and postgraduate studies. Aside from this, they administer various scholarships for students from selected regions (Eastern Europe, South Asia, Central America, Latin America, Carribean Region, Middle East, North Africa) and/or countries (Gambia, Suriname, Guyana, Tanzania, China, India, East Timor, Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brazil, Mexico, Bolivia, Chile, Guatemala, Panama, Bulgaria, Croatia, Russia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Romania or Turkey, Former Soviet Union States).
    
    Universities in the United States & Canada
    
19. USA: East-West Center
    East-west Center offers international graduate degree scholarships for students from Asia, Pacific Islands, and Russia.
    
    
20. USA: Harvard University
    Harvard University offers specific scholarships for international students from Argentina, Brazil, China, Columbia, Indonesia, Mexico, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Pacific Islands.
    
    
21. USA: NYU Wagner
    NYU Wagner has special scholarship programs for Africa, Kazakhstan and Soviet Union’s 15 Newly Independent State (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan)
    
    
22. Canada: University of Alberta
    The University of Alberta International administers specific scholarship programs for students from Chile, China, India, Mexico, and Vietnam.
    
    Universities in Australia & New Zealand
    
23. Australia: Griffith University
    Griffith University offers international scholarships for students from China, India, Indonesia, Iran, and Malaysia.
    
    
24. Australia: Macquarie University
    Macquarie University implements scholarships for postgraduate coursework for students from Columbia and Mexico.
    
    
25. Australia: Swinburne University of Technology
    Swinburne University of Technology has a number of scholarship schemes for selected developing countries: Bicentennial Scholarships (Chile), MACC Scholarships 2009 (Malaysia), FUNED Postgraduate Scholarships (Mexico), and Australian University Scholarships (Thailand).
    
    
26. Australia: University of Western Australia
    University of Western Australia has special scholarship schemes for China and India for postgraduate research studies.
    
    
27. New Zealand: University of Auckland
    The University of Auckland administer country-specific scholarships for students from Tonga, Chile, and Pakistan.
    
    
28. New Zealand: Victoria University of Wellington
    Victoria University of Wellington offers International Undergraduate Fees Scholarships to students from Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Related: Foreign Government Scholarships for Students from Developing Countries