Yes, financial support is available to some international students. What you can apply for depends on your nationality or residence, the destination, course, study level and the organisation providing the funding. There is no single average award that reliably predicts what an individual student will receive.
The best approach is to build a course shortlist and a funding shortlist together. A generous-sounding award at one institution may still leave a larger bill than a modest scholarship at another. Compare the remaining cost and the learning opportunity, rather than the headline award alone.
Understand the main types of support
A scholarship may be based on academic achievement, financial need, a field of study, community activity or other stated criteria. A grant or bursary often supports a particular group or purpose. The names are not used consistently everywhere, so read what the scheme actually covers and how recipients are selected.
A tuition waiver reduces a fee; it does not necessarily provide cash for accommodation. A stipend contributes to living costs and may have a fixed payment schedule. A paid assistantship is work with responsibilities, not simply a scholarship under another name. A loan must be repaid under its agreement.
Keep these categories separate in your budget. They have different conditions and may interact: accepting one award could reduce another or require the funder’s permission. The university’s funding office can explain how its schemes fit together.
Start with the institution
Check the course page and the university’s central funding pages. Some awards consider applicants automatically; others require a separate form, portfolio, interview or earlier deadline. Funding can vary between departments and between bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral study.
Ask specifically whether international applicants in your fee category are eligible. Check whether the award covers one year or the full course, what you must do to renew it, and whether a change in study mode or programme affects it. A renewable award is useful only if you understand the conditions.
For US study, the official EducationUSA financing guide recommends early planning and looking at institutional opportunities alongside tuition and living costs. This is a more reliable starting point than an unsourced list promising large awards to everyone.
Look at government and international programmes
Your home country’s education ministry, scholarship agency or relevant public body may support study abroad. Some schemes prioritise particular fields, destinations or career plans. Others involve service or return conditions, so consider whether those fit the future you want.
At master’s level, Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters accept applications from students around the world. The European Commission explains that scholarships may cover participation costs and contribute to travel, visa and living expenses. Students apply to the programme itself, and selection is competitive.
Do not confuse this with every course carrying an Erasmus connection. Different Erasmus+ activities have different purposes and funding arrangements. Read the specific programme’s current scholarship call, study locations, deadlines and award conditions.
US federal aid: check your actual status
It is too broad to say that all non-US citizens are excluded from federal student aid. Certain categories of eligible noncitizens can qualify, subject to the other requirements. Conversely, simply arriving on an international student visa does not normally make you eligible.
Use Federal Student Aid’s noncitizen eligibility guidance and speak with the institution’s financial aid office if you are unsure. A school may also offer its own support to students who do not qualify for federal aid.
Rules in other destinations differ too. Residence, prior residence, citizenship, fee status and course eligibility can all matter. Do not transfer an answer about one country to another or assume that an offer of admission includes public financial support.
Compare the amount you still need
Build a complete course budget including tuition, compulsory charges, housing, food, transport, insurance, equipment and travel. Consider the entire period you intend to stay, including arrival before teaching begins or accommodation commitments after classes end.
Subtract confirmed support and compare the gap. For example, a hypothetical €5,000 tuition discount on a €20,000 fee leaves €15,000 of tuition before living costs. A €2,000 discount on a €7,000 fee leaves €5,000. Those illustrative figures show why the larger award is not automatically the cheaper route.
Payment timing is important. A stipend that starts after arrival will not pay a deposit due beforehand. Check when money is released, whether reimbursement requires receipts and what happens if funding arrives late. Our tuition and living-cost guide can help you structure the calculation.
Build a strong application
Choose schemes whose aims fit your experience and plans. Explain the connection between your studies, the course and what you hope to learn or contribute. Specific examples of a project, responsibility or challenge are more persuasive than a string of broad claims about ambition.
Prepare transcripts, references and any required evidence early. Give referees the deadline and relevant course information. If a statement is required, answer its actual questions and respect its length. Keep a simple calendar because scholarship deadlines can precede admission decisions.
Never pay someone who promises a guaranteed scholarship or asks you to falsify information. Apply through the university, funding organisation or its clearly identified official system. Check unfamiliar offers directly with the named institution.
Have a plan if an award does not arrive
Scholarships can make study possible, but an application is not secured funding. Consider a lower-cost course, another city, a later intake or a different study pattern while you wait. Treat part-time earnings cautiously: permission to work is not the same as finding suitable paid work quickly.
If borrowing remains an option, read our international student loan guide, including current availability restrictions. You can also explore the Διαδικτυακός κατάλογος υποτροφιών και programme directory together to compare education, opportunity and affordability.
Reviewed 25 October 2026. Always use the current funding call for eligibility, deadlines and award conditions.