How South African Students Can Win a Fully Funded Scholarship in Europe
South African students can fully fund European study through Chevening, Stipendium Hungaricum, DAAD and Erasmus Mundus, each with firm deadlines and genuine competition. South Africa qualifies for more schemes than most African origins: roughly 100 Stipendium Hungaricum awards are reserved per cycle, Chevening is open to all SA citizens, and DAAD funds Master's study at approximately €934 per month.
Which Scholarships Are Open to South African Students?
South Africa’s combination of Commonwealth membership, bilateral education agreements and a recognised university system gives access to a wide range of European programmes. The table below covers the main fully or substantially funded options confirmed as of June 2026.
| Scholarship | Destination | Level | Key Coverage | SA Eligible? | Typical Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevening | UK (any eligible university) | Master’s (1 yr) | Tuition + living costs + flights + visa | ✅ Yes | ~November |
| Stipendium Hungaricum | Hungary | BA / MA / PhD | Tuition-free + monthly stipend + accommodation + medical | ✅ Yes (~100 SA awards) | ~15 January |
| DAAD Study Scholarship | Germany | Master’s | ~€934/mo stipend + travel + insurance | ✅ Yes | Varies by programme |
| Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters | Multi-country (EU) | Master’s | Full (tuition + travel allowance + monthly stipend) | ✅ Yes (worldwide) | ~December–February |
| Commonwealth Scholarships (CSC) | UK | Master’s / PhD | Full | ✅ Yes (SA is a Commonwealth member) | ~October–December |
| Government of Ireland IES | Ireland | BA / MA / PhD | €10,000 + full fee waiver | ✅ Yes | ~March |
| Rhodes Scholarship (Southern Africa) | UK — Oxford | Postgraduate | Full (tuition + stipend) | ✅ Yes | ~Mid-year |
| Weidenfeld-Hoffmann | UK | Master’s | Full + leadership programme | ✅ Yes | Annual |
All deadlines are indicative — verify the live call at each programme’s official site before the season begins. NSFAS funds South African public institutions only and does not cover overseas study.
Chevening — The UK’s Fully Funded Master’s
Chevening is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and covers a fully funded one-year taught Master’s at any Chevening-approved UK university. For most South African applicants, it is the broadest and highest-value scholarship available.
What it covers: tuition in full (no cap on course cost), a monthly living allowance calibrated to the city, return flights to the UK, and the Student visa costs. You arrive with no upfront spend.
Eligibility: South African citizens who hold an undergraduate degree, have accumulated approximately 2,800 hours of work experience after their first degree, are willing to apply to three different UK universities simultaneously, and commit to returning to South Africa for at least two years after study.
Realistic odds: Chevening is highly competitive globally. The programme does not publish South Africa-specific acceptance rates, but the number of awards per country is limited and the application pool is large. A compelling leadership narrative — not just academic achievement — is central to selection.
Deadlines: typically opens in August, closes in November each year. Do not assume the same date applies year to year; confirm at chevening.org/scholarship/south-africa/.
Stipendium Hungaricum — Free Study in Hungary
South Africa is the 53rd partner country in the Stipendium Hungaricum programme, run by the Hungarian Government through the Tempus Public Foundation. Approximately 100 awards are available for South African students per intake, across Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD levels.
What it covers: tuition-free study, a monthly stipend (HUF 43,700 per month as of the research date — approximately R2,315 at June 2026 exchange rates; re-check annually as stipends are reviewed), student accommodation support, and medical cover. This makes Hungary one of the most cost-effective European study destinations for SA students who secure the award.
Language: all Stipendium Hungaricum programmes listed for international applicants are taught in English.
How to apply: nominations go through the South African Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), not directly to Hungarian universities. You apply via apply.stipendiumhungaricum.hu and list preferred programmes from the published catalogue. The deadline is typically around 15 January each year — confirm the live call at internationalscholarships.dhet.gov.za.
Fields emphasis: the programme steers South African nominations toward engineering, agriculture, water management and natural sciences. Check the current programme catalogue before assuming your desired course is available.
The qualification note: South Africa’s standard 3-year Bachelor’s (NQF 7) may not automatically qualify for direct Master’s entry at Hungarian universities. The +1-year Honours (NQF 8) strengthens Master’s applications considerably. Confirm entry requirements per programme before applying.
DAAD — German Scholarships for Master’s Students
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) operates several postgraduate scholarship programmes open to South African students. The two most widely cited for the project destinations are the DAAD Study Scholarship and the EPOS (Development-Related Postgraduate Courses) scholarship.
What it covers: a monthly stipend of approximately €934 (as of June 2026 — confirm the current figure at daad.de), a travel allowance and health insurance during the award period. The study visa fee (€75) is waived for DAAD scholarship holders.
Language: most DAAD-funded programmes are in German. English-taught Master’s exist but require a targeted search in the DAAD database — filter by country of applicant (South Africa) and language of instruction.
Deadlines: vary by programme and partnering university, typically in the second quarter of the year. Use the DAAD scholarship database to search current calls open to South African applicants.
Credential note: Germany does not require South Africans to obtain an Akademische Prüfstelle (APS) certificate. That requirement applies to China, Vietnam, India and specific other countries — not South Africa. Most German universities require a uni-assist VPD (Vorprüfungsdokumentation, €75) instead.
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters — Funded Study Across Multiple Countries
Erasmus Mundus is the European Commission’s flagship funded Master’s programme, structured as a joint degree across at least three European universities in at least two countries. It is open to applicants worldwide, including South Africa.
What it covers: full tuition (no cap), a monthly living allowance and a travel contribution. The funding is substantial enough to cover the full cost of the programme for most students.
How it works: you study at multiple partner universities across countries during the programme. Relevant consortia for South African students may include institutions in Germany, Ireland, Hungary, Poland or Malta — all project destinations.
Finding programmes: search the Erasmus+ catalogue by subject area. Each consortium sets its own deadline; most fall between December and February for an intake beginning the following September. Acceptance rates vary enormously by programme — some of the most competitive programmes receive hundreds of applications per available place.
DHET lists Erasmus Mundus in its scholarship portal as a recommended funded pathway for outbound South African students.
Other Significant Awards
Commonwealth Scholarships (CSC): South Africa is a Commonwealth member, making SA students eligible for UK Commonwealth Scholarships funding Master’s and PhD study. Applications typically open October to December and are routed through DHET. Full details at cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk.
Rhodes Scholarship (Southern Africa): Fully funded postgraduate study at Oxford — among the most competitive scholarships globally. South Africa falls in the Southern Africa constituency. Deadlines are mid-year; check rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk. Aim to have a strong research proposal and leadership portfolio before applying.
Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships: A fully funded UK Master’s combined with a leadership development programme, open to South African applicants. Annual deadline; see weidenfeldhoffmann.org.
Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship (GOI-IES): €10,000 stipend plus a full fee waiver across approximately 60 awards per year, open to South Africans at undergraduate, Master’s and PhD level. Deadline typically March. Details at educationinireland.com.
What Makes an Application Competitive?
Winning any of these scholarships comes down to a consistent set of factors.
Academic record. Most flagship programmes expect the equivalent of a UK upper second-class degree (2:1) or better. For South African degrees, this generally means an overall result of 65% or above; several programmes look for 70%+. For postgraduate scholarships, your Honours result (NQF 8) typically matters more than your Bachelor’s alone.
Work experience and leadership. Chevening requires approximately 2,800 hours of documented professional experience. Other programmes value demonstrated impact — what you changed or built, not just where you worked.
Motivation statement. A tightly argued case for why this specific programme fits your specific research or career goals outperforms a generic statement every time. Reviewers read thousands of letters that describe wanting to “make a difference.” The ones that advance explain precisely what change, through what mechanism, and why this institution and country.
References. Referees who can speak specifically to your potential in the field of study — rather than simply confirming your employability — carry more weight.
Timeline. Applications that succeed are rarely written in the final two weeks. Chevening, for example, expects you to already have conditional university offers when you submit your scholarship application. Give yourself twelve months of preparation for the most competitive schemes.
The Honest Catches
A few things are worth stating plainly before you apply.
NSFAS does not fund overseas study under any circumstances. If you relied on NSFAS for domestic study, you will need either a scholarship or family funding for European study.
No scholarship removes the need for a separate, correctly prepared study-visa application. The scholarship award does not automatically grant a visa; that is a separate process with the relevant embassy.
Most fully funded scholarships include a return-home commitment, typically one to two years after study. Chevening imposes this contractually.
Partial awards — university merit reductions, DAAD travel supplements, departmental bursaries — exist and can be stacked. They do not eliminate the funding gap; they reduce it.
To compare all eligible destinations and what each one costs without a scholarship, visit our South Africa study-abroad hub.
How World Study Africa Helps
World Study Africa is a study-abroad advisory. The core service — programme shortlisting, university applications, document review — is free to you; we receive a commission from universities when you enrol. We do not charge fees to “help you win” a scholarship, and any third party asking for payment to secure a scholarship award is not legitimate. Premium visa application support is available as a separate, clearly priced optional service.
Check your eligibility across all seven European destinations at world-study.africa/eligibility-check/, or message us on WhatsApp to speak with an adviser directly.
For a full destination comparison, scholarship details and current visa requirements, visit the scholarships for South African students pillar page.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. South Africa is the 53rd partner country in the programme. Approximately 100 awards are available for South African students per cycle, covering tuition, a monthly stipend, accommodation support and medical cover. Nominations go through DHET. The deadline is typically around 15 January — confirm the live call at internationalscholarships.dhet.gov.za before applying.
Yes. South Africa is eligible for Chevening, which funds a fully funded one-year taught Master's at any approved UK university. You need approximately 2,800 hours of work experience, three university choices and a commitment to return home for two years after study. Chevening typically opens in August and closes in November; confirm the live deadline at chevening.org each year.
No. Germany's Akademische Prüfstelle (APS) certificate applies to applicants from China, Vietnam, India and a separate list of other countries — South Africa is not on it. Do not confuse it with South Africa's domestic Admission Point Score. Most German universities require a uni-assist VPD (preliminary review document, €75) instead.
Yes. DAAD Study Scholarships fund Master's study in Germany (stipend approximately €934/month — confirm at daad.de). The Government of Ireland IES provides €10,000 plus a fee waiver for roughly 60 awards per year. Stipendium Hungaricum covers Hungary. Erasmus Mundus crosses multiple EU countries and is open to South Africans worldwide.
Competition, not eligibility. Most fully funded schemes receive far more applicants than they have places. The quality of your motivation letter, the strength of your referees and the coherence between your career aims and the programme's focus are what separate shortlisted applicants from the rest. Starting twelve months before the deadline is the norm for successful applicants.