Fully Funded PhD Scholarships for International Students 2027

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A funded PhD changes everything. You get a stipend, your fees are covered, and you can spend four years on research instead of worrying about rent.

The catch is timing. Several of the best awards for 2027 entry close in the next few weeks, and a few already have. Most PhD scholarships also need a supervisor before you apply, so you can’t leave it to the last week.

I checked the dates below in early November 2026. If a 2027 call isn’t official yet, I say so. Confirm everything on the official site before you submit.

What “Fully Funded” Usually Covers

It’s different for every award. Most PhD scholarships cover some mix of these:

  • Tuition fees
  • A monthly stipend
  • A flight to your host country
  • Health insurance
  • A small research or travel allowance

Check the benefits page for each one. Some leave smaller costs, like visas, to you.

Deadlines at a Glance

  • Hong Kong PhD Fellowship: 1 December 2026
  • Singapore International Graduate Award: past rounds closed on 1 December, confirm the 2027 date
  • Gates Cambridge (UK): 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027
  • Clarendon (Oxford): your course’s December or January deadline
  • Eiffel (France): 6 January 2027 for universities, earlier for you
  • Stipendium Hungaricum (Hungary): likely opens mid-November, likely closes mid-January
  • DAAD Doctoral Programmes (Germany): varies by country
  • Chinese Government Scholarship: depends on the university, often February to April
  • Türkiye Burslari (Turkey): usually 10 January to 20 February, not confirmed for 2027
  • Swiss Government Excellence: varies by country
  • Global Korea Scholarship, Graduate: not announced yet

Open Now or Opening Soon

1. Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme

This one is open to any nationality. It gives out about 400 fellowships a year across eight universities. You file an initial application first, by 1 December 2026 at 12:00 noon Hong Kong time.

  • After that you send a full application to your chosen university.
  • Funding runs up to three years, with a travel allowance.
  • One guide lists the stipend at about HK$344,400 a year. Check the official figure.
  • University deadlines are close to the same date, so prepare both together.

2. Singapore International Graduate Award (SINGA)

SINGA funds PhDs in science and engineering at Singapore universities. It covers tuition for up to four years, a monthly stipend, a settling-in allowance, and an airfare grant.

  • Past rounds closed on 1 December for the August intake.
  • One guide says no official 2027 close date is verified, so check the A*STAR page.
  • You’ll need to pick a supervisor or project in your application.
  • It’s for people who haven’t studied in Singapore before.

3. Gates Cambridge (United Kingdom)

Gates Cambridge pays the full cost of study at Cambridge. About 80 people win each year, and around two-thirds are PhD students.

  • The international round closes on 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027, depending on your course.
  • You apply through the Cambridge graduate portal.
  • Judges look at academic ability, course choice, commitment to improving others’ lives, and leadership.

Give the “improving others’ lives” part real examples. Most applicants rush it.

4. Clarendon Scholarships (Oxford, United Kingdom)

Oxford gives over 200 new full awards a year, covering fees and a living grant. There’s no separate form.

  • You’re considered when you apply for your DPhil by its December or January deadline.
  • Miss that deadline and you miss Clarendon.
  • Applicants holding a deferred offer aren’t eligible.

5. Eiffel Excellence Scholarship (France)

France’s government award covers master’s and PhD study. You can’t apply on your own, because only French universities can nominate candidates.

  • The universities’ deadline to Campus France is 6 January 2027.
  • Their own deadlines come earlier. One university was collecting PhD nominations until 28 October.
  • Doctoral recipients get a higher monthly allowance than master’s recipients. Ask your university for the exact rate.

6. Stipendium Hungaricum (Hungary)

Hungary’s government funds bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD students. The last cycle closed on 15 January 2026, and the 2027/28 call wasn’t out when I checked. Last year the portal opened on 17 November.

  • Your own country has to nominate you too.
  • Applying only on the Hungarian portal gets applications rejected.
  • PhD applicants should line up a supervisor.

7. DAAD Research Grants, Doctoral Programmes (Germany)

This funds a full PhD at a German university or research institute. The stipend is listed at €1,400 a month plus €460 a year for research.

  • Funding starts at up to three years, extendable to four.
  • You need written confirmation of supervision from a German professor.
  • Deadlines are country-specific. Look up your country’s DAAD page now, because some have already passed.

8. Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC)

The 2027/28 round is now open. You apply online and to your chosen university, and each university sets its own date.

  • Zhejiang Normal lists 20 February 2027. Shanghai Ocean lists 1 February 2027.
  • It covers tuition, accommodation, a living stipend, and medical insurance.
  • The PhD stipend is RMB 3,500 a month.

9. Türkiye Burslari (Turkey)

Turkey’s government scholarship covers tuition, housing, a monthly stipend, health insurance, flights, and a Turkish language course. It also places you at a university.

  • The usual window is 10 January to 20 February.
  • As of early November, the official 2027 opening wasn’t confirmed.
  • Wait for turkiyeburslari.gov.tr and get your documents ready.

10. Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships

These fund PhD students and early career researchers. You need a completed master’s by 31 July 2027 and a Swiss academic supervisor.

  • Deadlines depend on your country, and many fall between September and December 2026.
  • One country’s call, for example, closes on 10 November 2026.
  • PhD funding can be extended up to 36 months.

Look up your country’s page today. Some deadlines are only days away.

11. Global Korea Scholarship, Graduate (South Korea)

South Korea’s government award covers master’s and PhD study. A guide last checked in July said the 2027 graduate call hadn’t been announced, and past calls usually came around February.

  • Don’t use an old application form. Wait for the new one.
  • Watch the Study in Korea site and your nearest Korean embassy.

Closed for 2027: Plan for Next Year

12. Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (United Kingdom)

This is for candidates from the least developed countries and vulnerable states in the Commonwealth. The deadline was 20 October 2026 at 16:00 BST, and Pakistan is on the eligible list.

  • Your nominating agency may set an earlier date.
  • Find out who nominates in your country before the next round.

13. Knight-Hennessy Scholars (Stanford, United States)

This funds up to three years at Stanford, including PhDs. The 2027 deadline was 6 October 2026.

  • You file two applications, one to Knight-Hennessy and one to a Stanford programme.
  • Expect the next deadline in early October 2027.

14. Fulbright Foreign Student Program (United States)

Fulbright brings around 4,000 students from about 160 countries to the US each year. Each country runs its own call.

  • For 2027/28, deadlines varied between February and October 2026.
  • You apply through your local Fulbright commission or US embassy.

15. MEXT Scholarship (Japan)

Japan’s government scholarship takes research students at master’s and PhD level. The embassy route’s 2027 deadlines fell in spring 2026. India’s preliminary date was 15 May 2026, for example.

  • Research students receive ¥143,000 to ¥145,000 a month.
  • Watch your local Japanese embassy’s site from April.

How to Choose the Right Scholarship

Start with the deadline you can still hit. The famous names matter less than a finished application.

Match it to your profile:

  • Science or engineering? Look at SINGA, DAAD, and CSC.
  • Strong research record? Try Gates Cambridge and Clarendon.
  • Already have a supervisor? Hong Kong, DAAD, and Swiss Government are strong fits.
  • Want a stable plan across several awards? Apply to Hungary, Türkiye, and CSC together.

Check your country first:

  • The Swiss and DAAD deadlines depend on where you live.
  • Hungary needs a nomination from your home country.
  • Eiffel needs a French university to nominate you.

Watch the December rush:

  • Hong Kong, SINGA, and Gates Cambridge all land in early December.
  • Start your research proposal and supervisor emails this month.

Three Mistakes That Sink Good Applications

Sending the Same Email to Every Supervisor

Professors get dozens of these. They can tell when one is copied.

Name one paper of theirs you’ve read and say how your work connects.

Asking Referees Too Late

Give your referees six weeks. Send your CV and a short note on what to highlight.

A rushed letter reads like a rushed letter.

Trusting a Blog for the Deadline

Scholarship blogs copy each other. Wrong dates spread fast.

Check the official page. Check the time zone too. A portal that closes at noon in Hong Kong closes in the early morning in many other places.

Conclusion

A funded PhD is hard to win, but people win them every year. Most of them start early and apply to several awards that fit their research.

Your nearest deadlines are the Swiss call for your country, Hong Kong and SINGA in early December, and Gates Cambridge and Clarendon right after. Pick two supervisors tonight, write the first email tomorrow, and put 1 December in your calendar.