Study abroad scholarships: where to look and red flags to avoid

Scholarships can make studying abroad possible, but they are competitive, and deadlines often come a year before your course starts. This guide shows where genuine scholarships are listed, and how to avoid offers that are too good to be true.

Amounts, eligibility and deadlines change every cycle, so this guide does not list them. Always read the official page for the current year.

Start with three kinds of funding

1. Government-funded programmes, usually for postgraduate study, often with work-experience requirements.
2. University scholarships, listed on each university's fees and funding pages.
3. Official scholarship databases run by national agencies.

Government programmes Indian students often look at

Fulbright-Nehru Master's Fellowships (USA)

These are run in India by the United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF). They are aimed at Indian professionals with relevant work experience, and are offered in selected fields of study. Check the current fields, eligibility and deadline on the official page.

• Official: USIEF Fulbright-Nehru fellowships

Chevening Scholarships (UK)

Chevening is the UK government's international scholarship programme for one-year master's courses. It usually asks for work experience and a commitment to return home after your studies. Read the current criteria on the official site.

• Official: Chevening Scholarships in India and eligibility criteria

Commonwealth Master's Scholarships (UK)

These are funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office for candidates from eligible Commonwealth countries. India is on the eligible list for study starting in 2027, but the list can change between cycles, so check it and how to apply on the official page.

• Official: Commonwealth Scholarship Commission

DAAD scholarships (Germany)

Germany's DAAD runs a searchable scholarship database. You can filter it by your country, level and subject. It also includes offers from other funding organisations.

• Official: DAAD scholarship database

University scholarships

Most universities list their international scholarships on the course or "fees and funding" page. Look for:

• whether you are automatically considered, or must apply separately,
• the deadline, which can be earlier than the admission deadline,
• whether it is a one-off award or renewed each year, and on what conditions.

Red flags: how to spot a scholarship scam

• You're asked to pay to apply for, or to "release", a scholarship.
• It's guaranteed. No one can guarantee a competitive award.
• You can't find it on an official site, such as the government programme's or the university's own domain.
• Pressure to decide today, or requests for bank passwords or OTPs.

If in doubt, find the scholarship on the official website yourself. Never use a link someone sent you.

Plan your budget without counting on it

Build your budget as if you won't get the scholarship, then treat any award as a bonus. Our budget guide shows how. You can record in your Wingmate profile whether you need a scholarship, so guidance takes it into account.