Scholarships to Study in Europe & the UK

Below: how scholarships work, a table linking every scholarship guide, options by country and by level, the application timeline, and the honest truth about your odds.

How scholarships work: fully funded vs partial

Before you apply for any scholarship to study in Europe, get clear on what is — and is not — covered. The single most abused phrase in study-abroad marketing is “fully funded,” so here is the plain version.

A fully funded scholarship usually covers:

• Full tuition — waived or paid directly to the university.
• A monthly living stipend — for food, transport and daily costs.
• Accommodation — a free dormitory place or a housing allowance.
• Health insurance — mandatory for your visa, often included.
• Sometimes flights — return airfare is included by a few (Türkiye Scholarships, Chevening) but not by most (DAAD, Stipendium Hungaricum). See our full guide to fully funded scholarships.

A partial scholarship covers only some of that — typically a tuition discount (say 25–50%) or a one-off grant. It still helps, but you fund the rest yourself, so read the coverage line carefully before you celebrate.

What “fully funded” almost never means:

• It rarely covers your family or dependants — most awards fund one student.
• It may not cover visa fees, the blocked account, or your first months before the stipend starts.
• A stipend is not a salary. It pays for a modest student life, not savings or money sent home.

The honest part. Every serious scholarship below is competitive. None is “guaranteed,” none is “98% success,” and anyone who asks for a fee to “secure” you a scholarship is a scam — no honest service can promise selection. What raises your odds is the right shortlist, a strong file and meeting the deadline. That is exactly where our scholarship application support helps.

Top scholarships to study in Europe & the UK

These are the largest, most reputable scholarships open to African students. This table is the map of this hub — each row links to its full guide. Award values and deadlines change every cycle, so confirm each one on the official site before you apply.

Read the eligibility column carefully — it is where most listing sites get it wrong. Stipendium Hungaricum is open to many African countries but not all: Zimbabwe and Zambia are excluded. Poland’s Banach/NAWA excludes Ghana, Zimbabwe and Zambia (Nigeria and Kenya qualify). Chevening, by contrast, does cover both Zimbabwe and Zambia. Commonwealth Scholarships cover Zambia but not Zimbabwe (which left the Commonwealth). We keep these checks current because applying for an award your country cannot win wastes the one thing scholarships punish hardest: time.

Scholarships by destination country

Different countries fund students differently. Here is the quick map — follow the link for the full picture.

• Hungary — the most accessible fully funded route, via Stipendium Hungaricum. Dedicated country quotas mean you compete mainly against applicants from your own country. Open to many African countries, but not Zimbabwe or Zambia.
• Germany — public universities already charge no tuition, so a DAAD scholarship mainly adds a living stipend. Even without DAAD, Germany is the closest thing to free study in Europe.
• EU-wide — Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters fund a master’s spread across two or more European countries, covering full tuition plus a generous allowance and travel.
• United Kingdom — the two big fully funded master’s awards are Chevening (UK government) and Commonwealth Scholarships. Both are competitive and both cover flights.
• Poland — Banach / NAWA funds master’s study in selected fields, but check eligibility first: Nigeria and Kenya qualify; Ghana, Zimbabwe and Zambia do not.
• Türkiye — Türkiye Scholarships offer the most complete package (it even includes return flights), open across Africa at all levels.

For the full comparison, see our guide to fully funded scholarships in Europe.

Scholarships by your country

Eligibility is set country by country, so we maintain a guide for each major market. Start with yours:

• 🇳🇬 Scholarships for Nigerian students — Nigeria qualifies for Stipendium Hungaricum, DAAD, Erasmus Mundus, Chevening, Commonwealth, Türkiye and Banach/NAWA, plus home routes like PTDF.
• 🇬🇭 Scholarships for Ghanaian students — Ghana qualifies for Stipendium Hungaricum, DAAD, Erasmus Mundus, Chevening, Commonwealth and Türkiye. Note: Ghana is NOT eligible for Poland’s Banach/NAWA.
• 🇰🇪 Scholarships for Kenyan students — Kenya qualifies for Stipendium Hungaricum, DAAD, Erasmus Mundus, Chevening, Commonwealth, Türkiye and Banach/NAWA.
• 🇿🇼 Scholarships for Zimbabwean students — Zimbabwe is NOT eligible for Stipendium Hungaricum, Banach/NAWA or Commonwealth Scholarships (Zimbabwe left the Commonwealth), but is eligible for Chevening, DAAD, Erasmus Mundus and Türkiye.
• Other African countries — see our pan-African guide to scholarships for African students.

If you are in Zimbabwe or Zambia: do not waste time on Stipendium Hungaricum or Banach/NAWA — there is no quota for your country. Focus on Chevening, DAAD, Erasmus Mundus and Türkiye, all of which you can win. Zambia can also apply for Commonwealth Scholarships; Zimbabwe cannot (it left the Commonwealth), so Chevening is its main UK government route.

Scholarships by study level

The level you are applying for changes which scholarships are realistic.

• Bachelor’s (undergraduate). Fully funded bachelor’s awards are rarer. Your best starting points are Stipendium Hungaricum and Türkiye Scholarships, which both fund undergraduate study. Most other big funders favour postgraduates.
• Master’s. This is where the most money sits. Stipendium Hungaricum, DAAD, Erasmus Mundus, Chevening, Commonwealth, Banach/NAWA and Türkiye all fund master’s study.
• PhD / doctoral. DAAD, Stipendium Hungaricum, Commonwealth and Türkiye all fund doctoral study, often with a higher stipend than at master’s level.

If you are not sure which level or award fits your grades and background, our advisors will tell you honestly — start with the free eligibility check.

Application timeline & deadline discipline

The biggest reason African students miss scholarships to study in Europe is timing, not talent. Deadlines fall months before the course starts, and a missed deadline cannot be appealed. For a September 2026 intake:

Deadline discipline is everything. Scholarship deadlines move every cycle — treat the dates above as a planning guide and confirm each one on the official scholarship site before you rely on it. The “Last updated” date at the top of this page tells you how fresh our figures are; always cross-check the official source on the day you apply.

How we help

World Study helps African students find the scholarships they can actually win — not a copy-paste list of 50 awards, half of which exclude your country. We shortlist by your nationality, level and grades, then help you build a strong, honest application and hit every deadline.

Our core guidance is free. Our optional scholarship application support is for students who want hands-on help with essays, documents, certified translations and submission. We never charge a fee to “secure” a scholarship — no honest service can.

[Talk to an advisor on WhatsApp →] or take the free 2-minute eligibility check → to see which scholarships to study in Europe you qualify for.