Master’s Scholarships in Europe for African Students
Master’s scholarships in Europe for African students cover some of the most generous full-funding packages available anywhere — but competition is intense and eligibility rules are specific. Confirmed schemes open at master’s level include Chevening (all eight African origins, full award, UK), DAAD Study Scholarships (all eight origins, €934/month, Germany), Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (all eight, full tuition plus travel allowance), Stipendium Hungaricum (six origins, Hungary), Commonwealth CSC (six origins, not Zimbabwe or Egypt, UK), and the Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship (all eight, €10,000 plus fee waiver). This guide covers each in detail — what it pays, who qualifies, and what the catches are.
For the full scholarships index by country and level, see world-study.africa/scholarships/.
How to Read This Guide
Every figure here traces to verified official sources or to the World Study Africa verified-figures sheet (June 2026). Eligibility is stated exactly — where a country is excluded, we say so plainly. Deadlines are flagged VOLATILE because annual programmes change their opening dates; always confirm on the official programme website before you act.
One rule applies across every scheme: we never promise guaranteed awards, and you should distrust any agent who does. These are competitive selections, not entitlements.
UK Schemes
Chevening Scholarship
Chevening is a UK government award (FCDO) funding a one-year taught Master’s at any eligible UK university. It covers full tuition fees, a monthly living stipend, and return international flights.
Eligibility by origin:
| Origin | Eligible? |
|---|---|
| Nigeria | ✅ Yes |
| Ghana | ✅ Yes |
| Kenya | ✅ Yes |
| South Africa | ✅ Yes |
| Uganda | ✅ Yes |
| Egypt | ✅ Yes |
| Zambia | ✅ Yes |
| Zimbabwe | ✅ Yes — often mistakenly listed as ineligible |
Key requirements: approximately 2,800 hours of post-graduation work or leadership experience; a return-home commitment of at least two years after the scholarship ends; two referee endorsements; three UK university choices.
Deadline: Chevening typically closes in November each year for entry the following September. The application usually opens in late summer. Confirm the current cycle at chevening.org.
Chevening is explored in much greater depth in the dedicated post Chevening for African Students.
Commonwealth Scholarship (CSC)
Commonwealth Scholarships are funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and administered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission. They cover Master’s and PhD study at UK universities.
Eligibility by origin:
| Origin | Eligible? |
|---|---|
| Nigeria | ✅ Yes |
| Ghana | ✅ Yes |
| Kenya | ✅ Yes |
| South Africa | ✅ Yes |
| Uganda | ✅ Yes |
| Zambia | ✅ Yes |
| Zimbabwe | ❌ No — Zimbabwe left the Commonwealth in 2003 |
| Egypt | ❌ No — Egypt is not a Commonwealth member |
Coverage: Full scholarship (exact components vary by award type — confirm at cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk for the current cycle). Awards include shared scholarships, distance-learning scholarships, and professional fellowships alongside the full-resident Master’s/PhD track.
Deadline: Commonwealth Scholarships are nominated through UK universities and through your country’s nominating body. Deadlines vary by award type. The CSC opens applications annually — verify timing on cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk.
The dedicated post Chevening vs Commonwealth compares both UK awards in detail.
Germany Schemes
DAAD Study Scholarships — Master’s Level
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) runs Study Scholarships for postgraduate study in Germany. All eight African origins are eligible.
What it covers (as of June 2026): A monthly stipend of €934 (approximately ₦1.47 million or KSh 138,000 at June 2026 rates — VOLATILE, re-check before acting), plus travel allowance, health insurance, and where applicable a rent subsidy and family allowance. The €934 figure is a DAAD stipend, not the €992 monthly release from the Germany blocked account — do not conflate the two.
Key requirements: A bachelor’s degree completed no more than six years before the application deadline; a study or research plan; usually a contact at a German host university or institution.
Deadline: The main annual call is in the second quarter (Q2) of the year — VOLATILE; verify the current cycle on daad.de.
DAAD EPOS — Development-Related Postgraduate Courses
DAAD’s EPOS programme funds Master’s study in specifically designated development-relevant postgraduate courses in Germany. It is funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
What it covers: €934/month at Master’s level, plus travel, health insurance, and potential rent/family supplements. In exceptional cases the programme also funds doctoral candidates at €1,300/month.
Key requirements: Minimum two years of post-graduation professional work experience; degree completed within the last six years; must apply to one of the designated EPOS-listed courses.
All eight African origins are eligible. Apply via the individual postgraduate course — not through a central DAAD portal. Find the current EPOS-listed courses on the DAAD scholarship database.
Deutschlandstipendium
This is a top-up award, not a full scholarship. It pays €300/month to Bachelor’s and Master’s students at participating German universities. Nationality is not a criterion — African students are fully eligible.
The award is co-funded: €150 from the Federal Government, €150 from a private sponsor recruited by the university. Apply through your university’s scholarship office after receiving an offer. There is no central deadline.
On its own, €300/month does not cover living costs in Germany (which average around €849/month officially). Combined with part-time work (German students are permitted to work up to 240 part-time days per year), it is a meaningful supplement.
Hungary — Stipendium Hungaricum
Stipendium Hungaricum, administered by Hungary’s Tempus Public Foundation, is a bilateral government scholarship covering Bachelor’s, Master’s, one-tier Master’s, and PhD study. At master’s level it is a strong option for eligible origins.
Eligibility:
| Origin | MA-Level Eligible? |
|---|---|
| Nigeria | ✅ Yes |
| Ghana | ✅ Yes |
| Kenya | ✅ Yes |
| South Africa | ✅ Yes |
| Uganda | ✅ Yes |
| Egypt | ✅ Yes (~200 places/year across all levels) |
| Zimbabwe | ❌ No |
| Zambia | ❌ No |
What it covers: Tuition fee waiver, monthly living allowance, accommodation contribution, and medical insurance. Confirm current stipend amounts and accommodation contribution on stipendiumhungaricum.hu — these are set per cycle.
Process: You must be nominated by your national sending authority (e.g. Kenya’s Ministry of Education, the Nigerian agency). You cannot apply directly to Hungary. Your national authority has its own internal deadline, which is often earlier than the ~15 January Tempus portal closure.
Catch: Self-funded master’s study in Hungary costs approximately USD 6,000–8,000/year. If you do not receive Stipendium Hungaricum, Hungary is a mid-cost destination, not a cheap one.
Ireland — Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship (GOI-IES)
GOI-IES is awarded to outstanding international postgraduate students admitted to Irish higher education institutions. All eight African origins are eligible.
What it covers: €10,000 stipend plus full fee waiver (as of June 2026, VOLATILE). Approximately 60 awards per year are made.
Where to apply: GOI-IES is administered through Irish higher education institutions in conjunction with Higher Education Authority Ireland. Apply once you have been admitted to an eligible postgraduate programme. Verify current application windows and participating institutions at the HEA Ireland website.
Note that non-EU Master’s tuition in Ireland runs approximately €9,500–36,000/year depending on institution and subject (as of June 2026). The fee waiver is therefore highly significant — but so is the competition for ~60 places.
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM) are EU-funded programmes run by consortia of European universities. African students from all eight origins are eligible to apply.
What they cover: Full tuition, a monthly living allowance, and a contribution to travel and installation costs. The exact monthly living grant is set by each programme consortium — verify on the individual programme page, as rates are not uniform across all EMJM programmes.
How they work: You apply to the programme (not to a single university). Successful applicants study at two or more consortium universities across Europe, receiving a joint or double degree. Deadlines vary by consortium but typically fall in the January-March window for October entry.
Find current open EMJM programmes at erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu.
Country-Specific Awards
Malta MFA Scholarship
The Malta Ministry of Foreign Affairs scholarship is available at master’s level to students from Ghana and Nigeria only (not Kenya or other African origins). Verify the current call, level coverage, and deadline directly at the Malta MFA website — coverage has varied between cycles.
NAWA (Poland)
The Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) runs several scholarship programmes. Confirmed as eligible (as of June 2026): Nigeria and Kenya. Ghana is explicitly excluded from the main NAWA track. The Banach programme (NAWA) does not list Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, or Zambia — do not promise it to students from these countries.
Master’s Scholarship Comparison Table
| Scheme | Origin Eligibility | Coverage | Approximate Deadline | Host Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevening | All 8 | Full (tuition + stipend + flights) | ~November | UK |
| Commonwealth CSC | NG/GH/KE/SA/Uganda/Zambia | Full (varies by award) | Annual (varies) | UK |
| DAAD Study Scholarships | All 8 | €934/mo + travel + insurance | Q2 annually (VOLATILE) | Germany |
| DAAD EPOS | All 8 | €934/mo + travel + supplements | Per course (VOLATILE) | Germany |
| Deutschlandstipendium | All nationalities | €300/mo top-up | Per university | Germany |
| Stipendium Hungaricum | NG/GH/KE/SA/Uganda/Egypt | Tuition + stipend + accommodation | ~15 January | Hungary |
| GOI-IES | All 8 | €10,000 + full fee waiver (~60 places) | Annual (check HEA) | Ireland |
| Erasmus Mundus EMJM | All 8 | Full tuition + allowance + travel | Jan–Mar typically | Multiple EU |
| Malta MFA | GH/NG only | Partial (verify per cycle) | Annual (verify) | Malta |
| NAWA | NG/KE (not GH/ZW/ZM) | Varies by programme | Annual (verify) | Poland |
Nigerian Government Scheme: PTDF
The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) funds Nigerian citizens for MSc and PhD study in the UK, Germany, France, and Malaysia. It covers tuition, return flights, health insurance, and living allowances. Eligibility requires a minimum 2:1 first degree, completion of NYSC, and a field related to oil and gas or technology. The 2026 cycle deadline was 27 February 2026 — verify the 2027 cycle directly at scholarship.ptdf.gov.ng.
How World Study Helps
World Study’s core advisory is free for eligible students — we earn 15–25% commission from universities, not from you. We help match your academic record, work experience, and nationality to the schemes where you have the strongest real chance. To discuss whether Chevening, DAAD, or Stipendium Hungaricum makes sense for your specific situation, contact us on WhatsApp.
Start with the eligibility check at world-study.africa/eligibility-check/ to see which destinations and scholarships open up for your profile in under two minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Four schemes confirmed as open to all eight African origins covered by World Study (Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Egypt, Zambia, Zimbabwe): Chevening (UK, one-year taught Master's), DAAD Study Scholarships (Germany, €934/month), Erasmus Mundus (EU consortium, full tuition plus travel), and the Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship (€10,000 plus full fee waiver). Check eligibility for your specific nationality on each programme's official page each year, as participation lists can change.
Chevening covers Egypt and Zimbabwe — both are on the official Chevening eligible-countries list. Commonwealth Scholarships (CSC) do not cover Egypt (never a Commonwealth member) or Zimbabwe (which left the Commonwealth in 2003). These are two completely separate programmes with different eligibility rules; many guides conflate them. If you are from Egypt or Zimbabwe, Chevening is the UK award to focus on, not Commonwealth.
Chevening requires approximately 2,800 hours of relevant work or leadership experience before the application closes — roughly equivalent to 18 months of full-time work. This does not need to be in a single role or sector, but it must be demonstrable and connected to your application narrative. Fresh graduates who have not yet built significant professional experience are unlikely to reach the shortlist stage.
Stipendium Hungaricum competition varies by country and field. The programme allocates approximately 200 places annually for countries like Egypt and has separate allocations for other eligible origins. Importantly, you must first be nominated by your national sending authority — you cannot apply directly to Hungary. That nomination step adds a layer of domestic competition before you even reach the Tempus portal. Confirm your country's internal deadline and quota before counting on this route.
DAAD Study Scholarships require that your degree was completed no more than six years before the application deadline. Beyond that, selection is based on academic merit, your research or study plan, and the fit with a German host supervisor or institution. DAAD does not publish a single minimum grade — selection is holistic — but a strong academic record and a clear project plan are both essential. The application typically opens in the second quarter of each year (VOLATILE — verify on daad.de for the current cycle).
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