Fully Funded Scholarships in Europe 2027: 7 Compared

Written and reviewed by the EuroGulf Guide editor. Last checked: October 2026.

Several governments and the European Union fund international students to study in Europe, and some cover tuition, living costs and travel in full. For 2027-28 intakes, the main programmes include Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters, the Swedish Institute Scholarships for Global Professionals, Chevening (UK), DAAD EPOS (Germany), France Excellence Eiffel, the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships and Stipendium Hungaricum. Most application windows fall between October 2026 and February 2027, so now is the time to prepare.

Not every scholarship labelled fully funded covers everything. Below we compare what each programme actually pays, according to its official website, so you can decide where to focus your effort. All figures are as of October 2026.

Before EuroGulf Guide, I worked on an education and jobs guide website, and the same questions kept coming up: which scholarships are really fully funded, and when do I apply? This comparison is my attempt to answer both clearly. Having moved abroad with my family in 2025, I also know how much easier planning gets once the money side is clear.

Quick comparison table

Scholarship	Country	Level	What it pays (official)	2027-28 application timing
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters	Several EU countries	Master’s	EUR 1,400 per month, no tuition for scholarship holders	Mostly October 2026 to January 2027, set by each programme
SI Scholarship for Global Professionals	Sweden	Master’s	Full tuition, SEK 12,000 per month, travel grant	Scholarship portal 8 to 24 February 2027
Chevening Scholarships	United Kingdom	One-year master’s	Described as fully funded by Chevening	Closed 6 October 2026; next round usually opens in August
DAAD EPOS	Germany	Master’s and PhD	EUR 992 per month (master’s), insurance, travel allowance	Set by each course
France Excellence Eiffel	France	Master’s and PhD	EUR 1,200 per month (master’s) plus services; tuition not covered	Universities submit to Campus France by 6 January 2027
Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships	Switzerland	Mainly doctoral and research	CHF 2,450 per month, insurance for non-EU/EFTA, housing allowance	Opened 20 August 2026, deadlines vary by country
Stipendium Hungaricum	Hungary	Bachelor’s, master’s, PhD	Tuition-free, monthly stipend, dormitory place or housing contribution, health insurance	Next call expected from November 2026

1. Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EU)

Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters are integrated master’s degrees run by at least three universities in at least three countries. You study in at least two countries during the programme.

What it pays: under the current Erasmus+ Programme Guide, EUR 1,400 per month for the full programme (12, 18 or 24 months). Programmes cannot charge tuition or other mandatory participation costs to scholarship holders.
Who can apply: students of any nationality with a bachelor’s degree, or in their final year if they graduate before the programme starts. You can only receive one EMJM scholarship in your lifetime.
How to apply: directly to each programme. Search the EACEA Erasmus Mundus Catalogue.
When: the Commission says most programmes take applications between October and January.

2. Swedish Institute Scholarships for Global Professionals (Sweden)

One of the most complete packages in Europe for professionals who want a master’s in Sweden.

What it pays: full tuition (paid directly to the university), SEK 12,000 per month for living costs and a one-time travel grant of SEK 15,000 (SEK 10,000 for scholars from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine). It does not include insurance or family grants.
Who can apply: citizens of the 34 eligible countries listed by SI, who must be liable to pay Swedish tuition fees, have work experience and demonstrated leadership experience.
Fields: English-taught master’s programmes in governance, public health, entrepreneurship and innovation, and STEM.
Key dates for autumn 2027: apply to master’s programmes through University Admissions from 16 October 2026 to 15 January 2027. Eligible programmes are published on 13 November 2026. The scholarship portal is open 8 to 24 February 2027 and closes at 14:59 CET. Results are announced on 22 April 2027.

3. Chevening Scholarships (United Kingdom)

Chevening is the UK government’s flagship international scholarship for future leaders.

What it pays: Chevening describes its scholarships as fully funded for a one-year master’s at a UK university.
Who can apply: citizens of participating countries with an undergraduate degree and at least two years of work experience (2,800 hours). You must apply to three eligible UK courses and commit to returning home for at least two years after the award.
Timing: applications for 2027-28 opened on 4 August 2026 and closed on 6 October 2026 at 11:00 UTC, according to GOV.UK announcements. Candidates selected must hold an unconditional university offer by 8 July 2027.
What to do now: if you missed this round, use the coming months to build work experience, research courses and watch the Chevening website for the next round. The 2027-28 round opened in early August 2026.

4. DAAD EPOS: Development-Related Postgraduate Courses (Germany)

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) funds professionals from developing and newly industrialised countries to take selected master’s and PhD courses in Germany.

What it pays: EUR 992 per month for master’s students and EUR 1,400 for doctoral candidates, plus health, accident and personal liability insurance and a travel allowance. Rent subsidies and family allowances may be paid in some cases.
Who can apply: graduates with at least two years of professional experience from countries on DAAD’s eligibility list, usually with a four-year bachelor’s degree and strong grades, and a development-related motivation.
How to apply: directly to one of the courses on DAAD’s EPOS list for 2027-28. Each course sets its own deadline, so check the course website.

5. France Excellence Eiffel Scholarship (France)

Funded by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs to attract top international students to French master’s and PhD programmes.

What it pays: EUR 1,200 per month at master’s level and EUR 2,000 at doctoral level (since January 2026), plus services including international travel, insurance, housing assistance and cultural activities. Tuition is not covered, so this is not fully funded in the strict sense.
Who can apply: international students up to 29 years old at master’s level and up to 35 at PhD level, in priority fields.
How to apply: you cannot apply yourself. A French higher education institution must nominate you, so apply to your programme first and ask the university about its internal Eiffel deadline.
When: the 2027 call opened in October 2026, institutions must submit applications to Campus France by 6 January 2027, and results are published from 12 April 2027.

6. Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships (Switzerland)

Awarded by the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS), mainly for research.

What it pays: since 1 January 2026, CHF 2,450 per month (up from CHF 1,920), a one-off housing allowance of CHF 600 and health and accident insurance for scholarship holders from non-EU/EFTA countries, according to the Swiss Federal Council.
Who it is for: mainly doctoral candidates and researchers. Postdoctoral scholarships will no longer be awarded from 2027-28. Art scholarships for a first master’s in an artistic field are available to students from a limited number of countries.
How to apply: applications for 2027-28 opened on 20 August 2026 and are submitted through Swiss diplomatic representations. Deadlines differ by country, so check the SERI country list.

7. Stipendium Hungaricum (Hungary)

A Hungarian government programme for students from partner countries, covering bachelor’s, master’s and PhD study.

What it covers: according to participating universities, full tuition, a monthly stipend for bachelor’s and master’s students (43,700 HUF per month under the 2026-27 rules), a dormitory place or a monthly housing contribution, and health insurance. The stipend is modest, so you will need some personal funds.
Who can apply: citizens of countries with an agreement with Hungary. Your country’s sending partner must nominate you, and universities hold entrance exams.
When: the 2026-27 deadline was 15 January 2026. Universities state that the 2027-28 application period will start in November 2026. Confirm the exact deadline on the official Stipendium Hungaricum website when the call is published.

How to choose the right scholarship

Match your profile. Chevening, SI and DAAD EPOS expect work experience. Erasmus Mundus accepts final-year students.
Check nationality rules. SI, DAAD EPOS, Stipendium Hungaricum and the Swiss scholarships are only open to certain countries.
Read what is really covered. Eiffel does not pay tuition, and the Hungarian stipend is small. Erasmus Mundus and SI include tuition and a living allowance.
Consider the application route. Eiffel and Stipendium Hungaricum depend on nomination by a university or a sending partner.

If I were choosing this year, I’d pick two or three programmes that match my profile and nationality and put real effort into each, rather than sending a dozen rushed applications.

General documents checklist

Most of these programmes ask for:

Valid passport
Degree certificates and transcripts, with certified translations
English (or other language) test results meeting the programme’s minimum
CV, ideally in a European or programme-specific format
Motivation letter or essays tailored to each programme
Reference letters
Proof of work or leadership experience (for SI, Chevening and DAAD EPOS)
An admission letter or proof of application to the university, where required

Suggested timeline for 2027 intakes

When	Action
October to November 2026	Shortlist programmes, book language tests, request references
November 2026 to January 2027	Submit Erasmus Mundus, Stipendium Hungaricum and Swedish university applications; meet university deadlines for Eiffel nomination
February 2027	Submit your SI scholarship application (8 to 24 February)
March to May 2027	Interviews, entrance exams and results for several programmes
Summer 2027	Accept offers and apply for visas
August to September 2027	Begin studies

My advice: put every deadline in your calendar the day you shortlist a programme, including the university deadlines that come before the scholarship ones. Deadline mix-ups were among the mistakes I saw most often on my previous guide site.

Common mistakes to avoid

Trusting unofficial lists. Many websites repeat old amounts. Always check the official page, as several amounts changed in 2026.
Applying to everything with the same essay. Each programme has different goals, such as leadership, development impact or academic excellence.
Missing the university step. For SI you must apply to the master’s programme first. For Eiffel the university nominates you.
Ignoring country eligibility lists. Check that your nationality is eligible before you start.
Paying for help that promises results. No legitimate agent can guarantee a government scholarship.

Amounts in this comparison were checked in October 2026. If a programme has changed its terms, let me know at contact@eurogulfguide.com and I’ll correct it.

Frequently asked questions

Which European scholarships are fully funded for master’s students?

Among the programmes above, Erasmus Mundus, the Swedish Institute Scholarship for Global Professionals and Chevening offer the most complete packages for master’s students, based on their official descriptions. DAAD EPOS pays a monthly stipend, insurance and travel for eligible professionals.

Can I apply for more than one scholarship?

Usually yes, as long as you meet each programme’s rules. If you are offered more than one, you will normally need to choose one.

Do I need IELTS or another English test?

Most programmes taught in English require proof of English. Each university or programme sets its own minimum.

Are these scholarships available for bachelor’s degrees?

Most are for master’s or doctoral study. Stipendium Hungaricum also funds bachelor’s degrees.

Is there an age limit?

Eiffel targets applicants up to 29 for master’s and up to 35 for PhD level. For the other programmes, check the current eligibility rules on each official website, as criteria can change between rounds.

Official sources

Scholarship amounts, eligibility lists and deadlines change every year. Always confirm the details on the official programme website before applying. Last checked October 2026.

Fully Funded Scholarships in Europe for International Students 2027: 7 Official Programmes Compared