12 Fully Funded Scholarships and Internships for International Students in 2026–2027: Which One Should You Apply For?

Finding a fully funded opportunity is only half the job. Some programmes close within days, others open in January, and a few pay only a small allowance and leave the rest to you. This guide puts 12 well-known options side by side, grouped by study level and by type, so you can match each one to your situation. Each entry draws on the provider’s official information as of early October 2026.

Start With the Deadlines That Close First

If you are reading this in October 2026, these dates matter most:

• Knight-Hennessy Scholars: 6 October 2026, 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time
• OIST Spring 2027 internship: 15 October 2026, 23:59 Japan time
• Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship: 20 October 2026, 16:00 BST
• NVIDIA Graduate Fellowship: 30 October 2026
• Max Planck computer science internship: 1 November 2026
• Edinburgh Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program: 19 November 2026, 5:00 p.m. UK time

Oxford Clarendon, EMMIR, and the Japan–World Bank programme follow later in the cycle, and WHO and ESCAP post vacancies throughout the year.

The Quick Comparison Table

Programme	Level	Type	Funding	Next Deadline	Competition
NVIDIA Graduate Fellowship	PhD	Fellowship	Up to US$60,000	30 Oct 2026	Very high
Knight-Hennessy Scholars	Any full-time Stanford graduate degree	Scholarship	Up to 3 years	6 Oct 2026	Very high
Oxford Clarendon	Master’s and DPhil	Scholarship	Full fees plus living grant	Dec 2026 or Jan 2027	Very high
Commonwealth Master’s	Master’s	Scholarship	Full fees, airfare, £1,712/month	20 Oct 2026	Very high
Edinburgh Mastercard Foundation	Master’s	Scholarship	Full tuition plus support	19 Nov 2026	Very high
EMMIR (Erasmus Mundus)	Master’s	Scholarship	Tuition, travel, living (limited places)	Expected Dec 2026–Jan 2027	High
Japan–World Bank	Master’s	Scholarship	Tuition, monthly allowance, airfare	2027 windows: Jan–Feb and Mar–May	Very high
Max Planck Computer Science	Bachelor’s to PhD	Research internship	Stipend, housing, travel	1 Nov 2026	High
CaCTüS (Tübingen)	Bachelor’s and master’s	Research internship	Paid three-month placement	2027 dates not confirmed	High
OIST Research Internship	Final-year bachelor’s, master’s, graduates	Research internship	Daily allowance, housing, airfare	15 Oct 2026	High
WHO Internship	Students and recent graduates	Paid internship	Varies by duty station	Rolling	High
ESCAP Internship	Graduate students and recent graduates	Internship	Often unpaid	Rolling	High

Competition ratings reflect general reputation, not official acceptance rates.

Top-Tier Graduate Awards

NVIDIA Graduate Fellowship

• Best for: PhD students in computer science, AI, robotics, and related fields who have finished at least one year of doctoral study.
• Funding: Up to US$60,000 for stipend, tuition, and mandatory fees. The university receives the money, not you directly.
• Deadline: 30 October 2026, including recommendation letters. NVIDIA lists 15 January 2027 for winner notifications.
• Catch: You must complete an in-person internship at an NVIDIA research office in summer 2027.
• Full guide on FundedAbroad: NVIDIA Graduate Fellowship 2027/2028

Knight-Hennessy Scholars at Stanford

• Best for: Future leaders from any country who want a full-time graduate degree at Stanford.
• Funding: Up to three years of support, including tuition, fees, a living stipend, travel, and a relocation stipend.
• Deadline: The Knight-Hennessy application closes 6 October 2026 at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time. Your Stanford degree application is due by its own deadline or 1 December 2026, whichever comes first.
• Watch out: Knight-Hennessy does not replace Stanford admission. You need both applications.
• Full guide on FundedAbroad: Knight-Hennessy Scholars at Stanford 2027

Oxford Clarendon Scholarship

• Best for: Academically strong applicants accepted to a full-time or part-time Master’s or DPhil at Oxford, in any subject.
• Funding: Full course fees plus an annual living grant of at least the UKRI minimum doctoral stipend for full-time scholars.
• Deadline: Your course’s December or January application deadline, which falls in December 2026 or January 2027.
• Watch out: There is no separate form. Oxford considers you automatically when you apply by the course deadline.
• Full guide on FundedAbroad: The Oxford Clarendon Scholarship

Master’s Scholarships

Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship

• Best for: Citizens of eligible low- and middle-income Commonwealth countries who cannot afford UK study without help.
• Funding: Full tuition, return airfare, a study travel grant, and a monthly stipend of £1,712 (£2,000 in London). Rates change, so check the current figures.
• Deadline: The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission closes applications on 20 October 2026 at 16:00 BST. Some nominating agencies set earlier internal deadlines, so contact yours now.
• Need to know: You must be permanently resident in an eligible country and hold at least a 2:1 degree by September 2027.
• Full guide on FundedAbroad: Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship 2027/28

University of Edinburgh Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program

• Best for: Young people from Sub-Saharan Africa who are 35 or under by 1 September 2027 and want a one-year Master’s with a climate leadership focus.
• Funding: 100% of approved postgraduate tuition, plus extra support for scholars with disabilities.
• Deadline: The main application closes 19 November 2026 at 5:00 p.m. UK time. The mandatory information sessions ran from 15 to 24 September 2026, so this cycle’s sessions have passed. Offers are expected in March 2027.
• Need to know: You apply for the scholarship first and the university course afterwards.
• Full guide on FundedAbroad: University of Edinburgh Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program 2027/28

Erasmus Mundus EMMIR

• Best for: Graduates who want to study migration with fieldwork across Europe, Africa, and Asia.
• Funding: A very limited number of Erasmus Mundus scholarships, which can cover tuition, travel, and living costs.
• Deadline: Edition 14 (2027–2029) opens in October 2026, but the deadline is not yet published. Past cycles closed in mid-December, so expect a similar window.
• Need to know: You need a first degree. If English is not your first language, you must prove your English level.
• Full guide on FundedAbroad: EMMIR Erasmus Mundus Scholarship 2027

Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program

• Best for: Mid-career professionals from eligible developing countries with development-related work experience from the last six years.
• Funding: Tuition, a monthly living allowance that varies by host country, round-trip economy airfare, health insurance, and a US$600 travel allowance for each trip.
• Deadline: Reports list the 2027 windows as 18 January to 26 February 2027 and 29 March to 21 May 2027. Confirm these on the World Bank page, since earlier windows differed.
• Need to know: You need an unconditional admission letter to a participating programme before you submit.
• Full guide on FundedAbroad: The Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program 2027

Research Internships

Max Planck Computer Science Internship

• Best for: Bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD students with a strong computer science background who want research experience in Germany.
• Funding: A monthly stipend, covered housing, and round-trip travel. Max Planck does not publish a fixed stipend figure, so ask for confirmation before you budget.
• Deadline: 1 November 2026 for a May to August 2027 start. Other start dates need applications about five months ahead.
• Need to know: The internship runs at the Max Planck Institutes for Informatics, Software Systems, and Security and Privacy. Applicants usually need about three years of computer science coursework.
• Full guide on FundedAbroad: Max Planck Computer Science Internships 2027

CaCTüS Research Internship (Tübingen)

• Best for: Bachelor’s and master’s students interested in AI and brain research who face financial, regional, or personal barriers.
• Funding: A paid three-month summer placement. Recent cohorts included up to 10 to 12 students.
• Deadline: The 2027 dates were not available when this guide was updated, so check the full guide and the provider’s page before you plan.
• Full guide on FundedAbroad: The Max Planck CaCTüS AI Research Internship 2027

OIST Research Internship

• Best for: Final-year bachelor’s students, master’s students, and recent STEM graduates who may later pursue a PhD in Okinawa. Current PhD students and PhD holders cannot apply.
• Funding: A daily allowance of ¥2,400, furnished on-campus housing, and round-trip economy airfare. There is a ¥5,000 application fee.
• Deadline: The Spring 2027 intake closes 15 October 2026 at 23:59 Japan time. The Fall 2027 intake closes 15 April 2027 at 23:59 Japan time.
• Need to know: Placements last four to six months, and you need English fluency because labs operate in English.
• Full guide on FundedAbroad: OIST Research Internship 2027

Paid Work Experience

WHO Internship Programme

• Best for: Students and recent graduates in public health, health data, research, or business operations who want global health experience.
• Funding: A living allowance that depends on the duty station and vacancy. Interns receive medical and accident insurance. One 2026 Berlin posting listed up to €1,488 a month for applicants living outside Berlin.
• Deadline: Rolling. Each vacancy closes on its own date. A Berlin business operations role closed on 21 August 2026, and a Geneva health department post closed on 28 September 2026.
• Need to know: Internships run from 6 to 24 weeks. You apply to a specific vacancy, so read each posting carefully.
• Full guide on FundedAbroad: WHO Internships: Pay, Eligibility, Deadlines, and How to Apply

ESCAP Internship Programme

• Best for: Graduate students and recent graduates interested in development policy across Asia and the Pacific.
• Funding: Many postings in 2026 were unpaid, so budget carefully. Placements typically range from two to six months.
• Deadline: Vacancy-based. Most positions sit at the Bangkok headquarters, and each posting sets its own closing date.
• Need to know: Interns usually work full-time, 37.5 hours a week, so check the pay terms in each listing.
• Full guide on FundedAbroad: ESCAP Internship Programme 2026