Studying abroad on a fully-funded scholarship is one of the few ways a South African graduate can access a globally elite qualification without the debt that normally comes with it - most of the scholarships below cover tuition, flights, and living costs in full, not just a partial contribution. This guide brings together every verified international scholarship currently tracked on this site for the 2027/2028 intake.
Why a Study-Abroad Scholarship Actually Matters for Your Career
An international postgraduate qualification opens career paths that are genuinely hard to access otherwise: diplomatic and foreign policy careers at DIRCO (the Department of International Relations and Cooperation) or think tanks like SAIIA; roles at multilateral institutions such as the UN, World Bank, or African Union; international development and NGO leadership; and fast-tracked entry into global corporate leadership programmes, since employers recognise degrees from Oxbridge, the Ivy League, and similar institutions as a strong signal on a CV. Just as valuable as the degree itself is the alumni network that comes with it - programmes like Chevening, Gates Cambridge, and the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program all explicitly build a global community of former scholars that recipients lean on for opportunities years after they graduate.
Before You Start Applying
Read closing dates carefully here - international scholarships run on the academic calendar of the country you'd be studying in, which is often out of sync with South Africa's. A scholarship for 2027 study might close in mid-2026, sometimes many months before the course itself starts, so don't wait until the year you want to enrol to start researching. Also note how many of these require you to already hold a strong undergraduate result (a First or Upper Second, or a 70%+ average) - these are consistently among the most competitive scholarships on this site, so a realistic academic self-assessment matters more here than almost anywhere else.
Fully-Funded Scholarships at Specific Elite Universities
These fund study at one named institution rather than any university in the destination country.
Gates Cambridge International Scholarship - Funds a full-time Master's or PhD at the University of Cambridge in any subject Cambridge offers. Covers full tuition, a living allowance, airfare, and discretionary funding for fieldwork or conferences. Closes 1 December 2026.
UC Berkeley Mastercard Foundation Scholarship - For African citizens who completed undergrad at an African university and don't already hold a postgraduate degree. Covers the full cost of a UC Berkeley Master's, including travel, fees, housing, and living expenses, plus a structured leadership and entrepreneurship cohort programme.
Government-to-Government and Multilateral Scholarships
Funded directly by a foreign government or a multi-country body as part of their own international development or diplomatic goals.
Chevening Scholarship for Studies in the UK - For working professionals (not students moving straight from undergrad) with at least two years of work experience. Covers full UK tuition, a monthly living allowance, and return airfare. Closes 6 October 2026.
Irish Aid Kader Asmal Scholarship - For citizens/residents with a Bachelor's degree (2015 or later) and at least 2 years of relevant work experience, not currently enrolled in a Master's. Covers application, tuition and exam fees, return airfare, accommodation, a monthly stipend, settling-in allowance, book allowance, and visa costs. Closes 27 July 2026.
Australian Government International Scholarship - Aimed at mid-to-senior professionals already employed, not recent graduates, who can show how the qualification will benefit development outcomes back home. Fully funded: return airfare, establishment allowance, tuition, living contribution, pre-course academic and English programmes, health cover, and fieldwork allowances.
Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships (QECS) - Open to any Commonwealth country citizen (or Commonwealth-based refugee), provided you study outside your own country. Requires a 2:1 or equivalent undergraduate result. Full tuition, living stipend, arrival allowance, and flights for a two-year Master's.
Africa-Focused and Regional Scholarships
These prioritise African nationals specifically, sometimes with a narrower country restriction worth checking closely.
MINDS Scholarship - For nationals of any African country aged 18-45, accepted to study Honours or Master's outside your home country, with a 70%+ average and demonstrated leadership potential. Partial or full funding covering tuition, accommodation, one return flight, a living stipend, and medical insurance.
KAS-SAIIA Scholarship - For Master's students 30 or younger, based in South Africa, who haven't yet completed their first year of study. Fully funds Master's-level study and includes a structured internship at SAIIA or KAS, giving hands-on foreign-policy research experience alongside your funding. Closes 1 September 2026.
Beit Trust Scholarship - Worth flagging clearly: this is restricted to nationals of Zambia, Zimbabwe, or Malawi under 30 (35 for medical doctors) - South African citizens don't qualify directly unless they hold dual nationality with one of those three countries. Funds a full taught Master's at a Beit Trust partner university, though not MBAs or PhD research at initial application.
Other International Funding
These don't fit neatly into the categories above but are worth knowing about.
Fulbright Foreign Student Program (South Africa) - Funds a Master's or PhD in the US, or a one-year Visiting Student Researcher placement if you're already enrolled in a PhD locally. Almost any field qualifies except MBA and most clinical medical study. Requires strong English test scores (GRE/TOEFL) and is awarded for two years.
Cecil Renaud Overseas Scholarship for Postgraduate Studies in the UK - A narrow eligibility pool: your entire secondary schooling must have been at a KwaZulu-Natal school, and you must be under 27 with an outstanding (cum laude or better) result in your final undergraduate or Honours year. Funds up to two years of a UK Master's or PhD. Closes 30 September 2026.
Wells Mountain Initiative Scholarship - For residents of qualifying developing countries (South Africa included) aged 35 or younger, studying their first tertiary qualification in their home country or region - note this one specifically excludes students planning to study in the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, or Western Europe. A partial scholarship toward tuition, fees, books, accommodation, meals, and transport, with a 100-hours-per-year community service commitment. Closes 1 March 2027.
FirstRand International Postgraduate Scholarships - For South African citizens with an outstanding record, admitted or intending to apply to a postgraduate Master's or doctoral programme at a recognised international university. Reported at up to R1.5 million for a Master's and up to R2 million for a PhD.
Didn't find the right fit, or not ready for postgraduate study yet? Browse the full bursaries and scholarships listing for local undergraduate options, or check our Law bursaries guide if international relations or human rights law is part of your plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do some of these scholarships close so far ahead of when I'd actually start studying?
Because the destination country's academic year usually doesn't match South Africa's, and processing visas, admissions, and funding takes time. A scholarship for study starting in late 2027 might close in mid-2026 - always check the specific scholarship's own closing date rather than assuming it lines up with our academic year.
Do I need work experience for all of these?
No - it splits roughly in half. Chevening, Irish Aid, and the Australian Government scholarship specifically want established professionals with 2+ years of relevant experience. Gates Cambridge, QECS, MINDS, and the Mastercard Foundation scholarship are more open to strong graduates moving straight from undergrad into postgraduate study.
Can I apply for more than one of these at the same time?
Generally yes, since they're independently funded and unrelated to each other - but check each one's own rules, and be realistic about the time a strong application takes. Most applicants are better served shortlisting 3-4 genuinely good matches than applying to all of them.
I'm not South African - can I still use this guide?
Some of these are open to any Commonwealth or African national (QECS, MINDS), while others are specifically restricted by nationality (Beit Trust to Zambia/Zimbabwe/Malawi, most others to South African citizens/residents). Check the eligibility notes above carefully before applying.