Studying abroad on a full scholarship can be life-changing for talented African students. Many governments and institutions offer fully-funded scholarships that cover tuition, living expenses and even travel costs. For 2025 entry, leading programs include UK government awards (Chevening, Commonwealth), European grants (Erasmus Mundus, DAAD), Asian initiatives (MEXT Japan, Schwarzman China), and global fellowships (Rotary Peace, Mastercard Foundation, etc.). These schemes explicitly cover full tuition, a living stipend, health insurance and round-trip airfare. Below are some of the top international scholarships open to African nationals in 2025:
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Chevening Scholarships (UK) – A prestigious UK government scholarship for one-year master’s degrees. Chevening provides full financial support: it pays the UK university tuition and gives a generous living allowance, plus covers return economy flights. The program selects outstanding emerging leaders worldwide (including all African countries) through a competitive process. (Applications open annually around August and close in early October)
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Commonwealth Scholarships (UK) – Funded by the UK’s Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, these awards target students from Commonwealth countries (many in Africa) who cannot afford UK fees. Most Commonwealth scholarships are fully funded, covering tuition, living stipend and return airfare to the UK. They support master’s or PhD study in development-related fields and prioritize applicants with high academic merit and commitment to positive change.
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Rotary Peace Fellowships (Global) – Rotary offers fully-funded fellowships for master’s degrees in peace and conflict studies. Applicants from any African country may compete. Rotary Peace Fellowships cover 100% of tuition, housing, transportation and field-study costs. Recipients study at one of several Rotary Peace Centers worldwide (e.g. in the US, Japan or the UK) for 15–24 months, gaining strong leadership and networking support.
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Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EU) – This European Union program funds dozens of two-year international master’s degrees (studies split among 3+ universities). Top-ranked candidates worldwide (including Africans) can receive a full Erasmus+ scholarship. These awards cover the “participation costs” (tuition/fees) and also include a generous monthly subsistence allowance, as well as travel and visa support. In practice, Erasmus Mundus scholars enjoy tuition-free study, monthly stipends and allowances for travel, making it a truly fully-funded opportunity.
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DAAD Scholarships (Germany/Africa) – The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers several fully-funded awards for Africans. For example, the In-Country/In-Region Scholarship supports Sub-Saharan graduates to do a master’s or PhD at universities in their home country or a neighboring African country. This scholarship covers tuition, a monthly stipend for living expenses, and travel and health insurance for in-region students. (There is also the DAAD Leadership for Africa program, which sends African students to top German universities; it provides a full living stipend, health insurance and funds for study costs)
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Schwarzman Scholars (China) – A highly competitive, fully-funded one-year master’s program in Global Affairs at Tsinghua University (Beijing). Schwarzman Scholars cover all tuition and living costs for a year of study, plus enrichment activities. African applicants who demonstrate leadership potential are encouraged; each year ~150 scholars from around the world (often including Africa) are selected for this merit-based award.
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MEXT Japanese Government Scholarships (Japan) – Japan’s Ministry of Education (MEXT) offers fully-funded scholarships to international students, including Africans, for undergraduate and graduate studies. The embassy-recommended MEXT award covers full tuition, a monthly living stipend and travel to/from Japan (Applicants apply via the Japanese Embassy in their country or through Japanese universities.) Many African countries participate, and fields include science, engineering, social sciences, etc.
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Australia Awards Africa (Australia) – Funded by the Australian government, these long-term awards enable Africans to do postgraduate degrees in Australia. Australia Awards are fully funded: they pay full tuition fees, provide a living stipend (CLE), cover health insurance and even pay a return economy airfare to Australia. Scholars typically spend 1–2 years at an Australian university in development-relevant fields. For 2025 intake, applications often open early 2025 for study beginning late 2025 or 2026.
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Mastercard Foundation Scholars (Global/UK) – A partnership between the Mastercard Foundation and top universities (e.g. Cambridge, Oxford, and several African universities). This program offers fully funded master’s scholarships specifically for Sub-Saharan African youth. For example, at Cambridge and Oxford the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program covers full tuition and provides a living stipend. These awards emphasize leadership and development impact in Africa. (The Cambridge and Oxford scholarships have separate application portals, usually in late calendar year.)
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Eni‑Oxford Africa Scholarship (UK) – A specialized fully-funded scholarship for African nationals (usually from oil-producing African countries) to pursue the one‑year MBA at Oxford Saïd Business School. The Eni-Oxford Africa Scholarship covers the entire MBA tuition plus a living stipend and one return economy air ticket to the UK. Only a few scholars are selected each year, making it highly competitive but extremely generous.
How to Apply for Fully-Funded Scholarships
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Research Early and Carefully. Identify scholarships by deadlines (many 2025-intake programs open applications mid-2024 and close by late 2024). Use official websites (e.g. Chevening.org, Commonwealth’s CSC, DAAD, MEXT Japan, Australia Awards sites) to confirm eligibility and deadlines.
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Meet Eligibility. Ensure you hold citizenship of an eligible African country and meet academic criteria (e.g. bachelor’s or master’s degree, work experience). Some programs require language tests (IELTS/TOEFL). Check specific country requirements (e.g. Australia Awards often require mid-career status).
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Prepare Strong Documents. Gather transcripts, proof of degrees, letters of recommendation and identity documents. Many scholarships require essays or personal statements (e.g. leadership potential for Chevening, development vision for Commonwealth). Emphasize achievements and future plans to benefit Africa. Portfolios or research proposals may be needed for PhD programs.
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Apply Through Official Channels. Submit your application online or via the designated nominating agency. For Chevening and Commonwealth, apply on the official portals; for Erasmus Mundus and DAAD, apply to the program or university as instructed. Follow application guides carefully: for example, Chevening applicants must select their country, submit references and (if longlisted) attend an embassy interview.
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Highlight Leadership and Impact. Most fully-funded scholarships, especially those aimed at Africans, look for candidates who will contribute to development. In essays or interviews, articulate how your studies will help your country or community. Mention any volunteer, work or research experience that demonstrates your potential.
By carefully selecting suitable scholarships and submitting polished applications, African students can secure funding that covers all major costs – tuition, living and travel. These fully-funded awards open doors to world-class education abroad in 2025, without the financial burden of study fees or living expenses.
