A Country-wise Guide — MS | Direct PhD | PhD | Post-Doc
A reference guide for prospective international students and researchers, organized by destination country. Scholarships are grouped by study level; many programs span more than one level, noted under each relevant category. Deadlines and terms change yearly — always confirm current details on the official scholarship website before applying.
Top Scholarships
United States
MS (Master's)
- Fulbright Foreign Student Program – Fully funded; covers tuition, living stipend, airfare, and health insurance (also open to PhD applicants).
- AAUW International Fellowships – For women pursuing full-time graduate study in the US.
- Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship – Non-degree professional development program for experienced professionals.
Direct PhD
- University-funded assistantships (Teaching/Research Assistantships) at institutions like Stanford, Yale, Cornell, and MIT typically fund direct-entry PhDs with a full tuition waiver plus stipend.
- NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) – Primarily for US citizens/permanent residents.
PhD
- Fulbright Foreign Student Program (PhD track) – Funds PhD study/research components.
- Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship – Need-based funding for students from select developing countries.
- AAUW International Fellowships (PhD tier) – Higher-value awards for doctoral candidates.
Post-Doc
- Fulbright Postdoctoral / Visiting Scholar Program – Supports postdoctoral research stays in the US.
- Institution-specific postdoc fellowships (Harvard, Stanford, MIT) and industry-funded awards such as the **Meta (Facebook) PhD/Postdoc Fellowship**.
Top Scholarships
United Kingdom
MS (Master's)
- Chevening Scholarships – UK government's flagship award; fully funded one-year taught master's degree at any UK university (Master's only — not applicable to PhD).
- Commonwealth Shared Scholarships – For students from Commonwealth developing countries, master's level.
- Rhodes Scholarships – Prestigious award at the University of Oxford (mainly master's, some DPhil options).
Direct PhD
- Commonwealth PhD Scholarships – For Commonwealth citizens pursuing full PhDs in the UK.
- University-specific fully funded PhD studentships (e.g., Imperial College President's Scholarship, UCL Graduate Research Scholarship).
PhD
- Commonwealth Scholarships (PhD) – Covers tuition, stipend, and travel for full-time doctoral study.
- Gates Cambridge Scholarship – Fully funded, for outstanding applicants at the University of Cambridge (master's and PhD).
- Rhodes Scholarship (DPhil track) – For Oxford doctoral study.
Post-Doc
- Newton International Fellowships – Royal Society/British Academy award for early-career international researchers.
- Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (UK-associated) – Where UK institutions participate.
- Royal Society University Research Fellowship – Long-term postdoctoral research funding.
Top Scholarships
Germany
MS (Master's)
- DAAD Study Scholarships – Fully funded master's degrees at German universities, open to graduates from most fields.
- Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's Degrees (EU-wide, Germany often a partner) – Covers tuition, travel, and living costs.
- DAAD EPOS Programme – For graduates from developing countries with 2+ years' work experience.
Direct PhD
- DAAD Doctoral Programmes in Germany – Structured PhD programs with cohort-based research training, fully funded.
- Graduate Research Training Groups (Graduiertenkollegs) – DFG-funded structured PhD tracks at German universities.
PhD
- DAAD Research Grants – Doctoral Programmes in Germany – For individual doctoral research supervised jointly by a home-country and German academic.
- Helmholtz / Max Planck / Fraunhofer PhD Fellowships – Institution-specific, fully funded doctoral positions.
Post-Doc
- Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship – One of the world's most prestigious postdoc fellowships, open to all nationalities and disciplines.
- DAAD P.R.I.M.E. Programme – Postdoc fellowship split between a foreign institution and a German host university.
- Max Planck Postdoctoral Fellowships – Research-institute-specific postdoc funding.
Top Scholarships
Canada
MS (Master's)
- Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships – Some master's-linked tracks via combined programs.
- University-specific master's entrance scholarships (e.g., University of Toronto, UBC Graduate Fellowships).
- Trudeau Foundation Scholarship – Primarily doctoral, but linked master's pipelines exist at partner institutions.
Direct PhD
- Many Canadian universities admit directly into PhD programs with integrated funding packages (tuition waiver + Teaching/Research Assistantship).
- Ontario Trillium Scholarship – For international PhD students at Ontario universities.
PhD
- •Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships – Canada's most prestigious doctoral award, open to international students, fully funded.
- •Trudeau Foundation Doctoral Scholarship – For social sciences and humanities PhD candidates.
- •IDRC Doctoral Research Awards – For researchers from developing countries.
Post-Doc
- Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships – Canada's top postdoctoral award, open to international researchers.
- Mitacs Elevate Postdoctoral Fellowship – Industry-academia collaborative postdoc funding.
Top Scholarships
Australia
MS (Master's)
- Australia Awards Scholarships – Fully funded, for students from Indo-Pacific partner countries (covers master's and some PhD study).
- Destination Australia Scholarships – Government-funded, for domestic and international students studying regionally.
Direct PhD
- Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarships – Government funding covering tuition and stipend for direct-entry PhD candidates at most universities.
- University-specific International Postgraduate Research Scholarships (e.g., Melbourne, ANU, UNSW).
PhD
- Australia Awards Scholarships (PhD stream) – Full funding for doctoral study for eligible developing-country nationals.
- Australian Government RTP International Scholarships – Merit-based, covers tuition and living stipend.
Post-Doc
- Australian Research Council (ARC) DECRA – For early-career postdoctoral researchers (citizenship/residency conditions apply; linked pathways exist via university schemes).
- University postdoctoral fellowships (e.g., University of Sydney, ANU Postdoctoral Fellowships).
Top Scholarships
Japan
MS (Master's)
- MEXT (Monbukagakusho) Scholarship – Graduate Student track – Fully funded, covers tuition, monthly stipend, and airfare for master's study.
- JICA Scholarships – For students from developing countries in development-related fields.
Direct PhD
- MEXT Scholarship – Research Student to PhD pathway – Many recipients enter as research students before formal PhD enrollment.
- University-specific fully funded doctoral programs (e.g., University of Tokyo, Kyoto University Global 30 programs).
PhD
- MEXT Scholarship – Doctoral track – Fully funded doctoral study, open to all nationalities.
- Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho) Research Scholarship.
Post-Doc
- JSPS (Japan Society for the Promotion of Science) Postdoctoral Fellowship – Leading postdoc program for international researchers.
- RIKEN Foreign Postdoctoral Researcher Program – For research at Japan's premier scientific institute.
Top Scholarships
Switzerland
MS (Master's)
- Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships – Primarily for research/PhD, but some master's-linked exchange components exist.
- ETH Zurich Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme (ESOP) – Merit-based master's funding.
Direct PhD
- Most Swiss PhDs are salaried research positions (not stipend-based), directly funded by the university or the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF).
PhD
- Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships (Doctoral/Postdoc track) – For foreign scholars and researchers.
- SNSF Doc.CH Grants – For doctoral researchers in humanities and social sciences.
Post-Doc
- Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships – Postdoctoral track.
- SNSF Postdoc.Mobility Fellowship – For researchers conducting postdoctoral research in Switzerland or abroad.
Top Scholarships
European Union (Multi-country)
MS (Master's)
- Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's Degrees (EMJMD) – Fully funded, study across 2–3 European universities, open to all nationalities.
Direct PhD
- Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Networks – EU-funded structured PhD training across member states.
PhD
- Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA-ITN) – Individual and network-based PhD funding across EU institutions.
- Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorates – Joint PhD programs across multiple European universities.
Post-Doc
- Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions – Postdoctoral Fellowships (MSCA-PF) – The EU's flagship international postdoc program, open to researchers worldwide.
- European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grants – For early-career researchers building independent research programs (host-institution dependent).
Top Scholarships
China
MS (Master's)
- Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC – China Scholarship Council) – Fully funded master's programs at Chinese universities.
- Confucius China Studies Program – For students focused on Chinese studies.
Direct PhD
- CSC Bilateral Program – Government-to-government agreements funding direct PhD entry for eligible nationalities.
PhD
- Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC) – PhD track – Full tuition waiver, stipend, and health insurance.
- University-specific President/Presidential Scholarships (e.g., Tsinghua, Peking, Fudan University).
Post-Doc
- CSC Postdoctoral Program – For international postdoctoral researchers at Chinese institutions.
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) President's International Fellowship Initiative (PIFI).
Top Scholarships
South Korea
MS (Master's)
- Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP) – Fully funded, covers tuition, stipend, airfare, and Korean language training.
Direct PhD
- KGSP – Direct PhD track – For applicants entering directly into doctoral programs.
PhD
- Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP) – Graduate/PhD track.
- Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) – Umbrella program covering both master's and doctoral study.
Post-Doc
- National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) Postdoctoral Fellowship for Foreign Researchers.
- Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) International Postdoctoral Fellowship.
Top Scholarships
Sweden
MS (Master's)
- Swedish Institute Scholarships for Global Professionals (SISGP) – Fully funded master's scholarships for students from select developing countries.
Direct PhD
- Swedish PhDs are salaried positions (employment contracts), typically funded directly by the university or research council — no separate scholarship application needed once admitted.
PhD
- Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet) funded PhD positions – Advertised as paid positions at universities.
Post-Doc
- Swedish Research Council International Postdoc Grant.
- Wenner-Gren Foundations Postdoctoral Fellowship.
Top Scholarships
Netherlands
MS (Master's)
- Holland Scholarship – For non-EEA students pursuing bachelor's or master's degrees.
- Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's (Netherlands as partner).
Direct PhD
- Most Dutch PhDs are salaried employee positions funded by the university (4-year contracts) — direct entry with a formal job-style application.
PhD
- NWO (Dutch Research Council) funded PhD positions.
- Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) – For professionals from developing countries.
Post-Doc
- NWO Rubicon Grant – For postdoctoral researchers to conduct research abroad or in the Netherlands.
- Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (Netherlands host institutions).
Top Scholarships
New Zealand
MS (Master's)
- New Zealand Scholarships (NZ ASEAN, NZ-Pacific, Manaaki) – Fully funded master's study for eligible developing-country nationals.
Direct PhD
- Most NZ universities offer direct-entry PhD with a Doctoral Scholarship (fee waiver + living stipend) bundled at admission — no separate application needed.
PhD
- University of Auckland / Otago / Victoria Doctoral Scholarships – Full tuition waiver plus stipend for international PhD candidates.
- Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships (PhD track).
Post-Doc
- Rutherford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship – For researchers from and to New Zealand.
- Marsden Fund Fast-Start Grants – Early-career research funding (residency conditions may apply).
Additive Manufacturing, Advanced Manufacturing
| Country | Flagship MS Scholarship | Flagship Direct PhD | Flagship PhD | Flagship Post-Doc |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | Fulbright | University Assistantships | Fulbright / Aga Khan | Fulbright Postdoc |
| UK | Chevening | Commonwealth PhD | Commonwealth / Gates Cambridge | Newton International |
| Germany | DAAD Study Scholarship | DAAD Doctoral Programmes | DAAD Research Grants | Humboldt Research Fellowship |
| Canada | University Entrance Awards | University-integrated PhD funding | Vanier CGS | Banting Fellowship |
| Australia | Australia Awards | RTP Scholarship | Australia Awards (PhD) | ARC DECRA |
| Japan | MEXT (Master's) | MEXT / Global 30 | MEXT (Doctoral) | JSPS Postdoc |
| Switzerland | ETH ESOP | SNSF-funded positions | Swiss Govt Excellence | SNSF Postdoc Mobility |
| EU (multi-country) | Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's | MSCA Doctoral Networks | Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorate | MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship |
| China | CSC Scholarship | CSC Bilateral | CSC (PhD) | CAS PIFI |
| South Korea | KGSP | KGSP Direct PhD | GKS | NRF Postdoc |
| Sweden | SISGP | Salaried PhD positions | Vetenskapsrådet-funded | VR Int'l Postdoc Grant |
| Netherlands | Holland Scholarship | Salaried PhD positions | NWO-funded PhD | NWO Rubicon |
| New Zealand | Manaaki NZ | University Doctoral Scholarship | University Doctoral Scholarship | Rutherford Foundation |
Notes for Website Use
- "Direct PhD" generally refers to programs where a student enters a doctoral track straight after a bachelor's degree (common in the US, Japan, and some UK/Australian tracks), as opposed to **"PhD"** entered after completing a separate master's degree.
- In several European countries (Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland), PhD positions are **salaried jobs** rather than traditional scholarships — worth flagging separately so readers aren't confused when they don't find a classic scholarship application.
- Scholarship names, funding amounts, and deadlines change annually — add a "last verified" date and a direct link to each official scholarship page when publishing.
- Consider adding filters on the website (by country, degree level, and field of study) so users can cross-reference this table interactively.