PhDs last three to four years and can become expensive if you do not receive funding. With a fully funded scholarship, you will have everything covered.
November 6th, 2026. Some have key deadlines in December and January. Some have earlier university deadlines. Two have no confirmed dates, and one has already closed for most courses.
As of November 2026, the following dates were correct. Please check the official website for confirmation.
What Is Usually Included in a Fully Funded Scholarship?
- Tuition fee waiver.
- Living stipend or salary.
- Flights (usually one return flight).
- Health insurance or contribution.
- Visa fees (only a few include this).
Many scholarships in Europe do not provide full funding. Please check exactly what is included. You will also need a supervisor for your PhD, and most universities will not help you without one.
Key Dates
Gates Cambridge (UK): 8th December 2026 or 6th January 2027, depending on your course.
Clarendon (Oxford, UK): December 2026 or January 2027, depending on your course.
France Excellence Eiffel (France): 6th January 2027 for universities. Earlier deadlines are set by your university. For example, ENS Lyon has an early deadline of 20th November 2026.
Marie Curie Doctoral Networks (Various Countries): Varies depending on the job. Jobs are available throughout the year.
Stipendium Hungaricum (Hungary): Not official. In the last doctoral cycle, the deadline was 15th January, so it will likely be around mid-January.
DAAD Research Grants (Germany): Not confirmed. Applications open in June, so the 2027 round may have already closed.
DAAD EPOS (Germany): Varies depending on your course. Most deadlines I found had passed between August and October 2026.
Open or Soon to Be Open
1. Gates Cambridge Scholarship (University of Cambridge, UK)
This is for postgraduate study. Around two-thirds of the scholarships are for PhD students. Open to anyone who is not a UK citizen.
Application Deadline: 8th December 2026 or 6th January 2027, depending on your course. Check the Cambridge course directory for your deadline. All applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. UK time. US citizens living in the US had an early deadline that closed on 14th October 2026.
What’s Covered: Fully funded. Includes tuition fees, GBP 23,152 for 12 months of living costs (2026/27 rate), one return flight, visa fees, and the health surcharge. PhD students receive funding for up to four years.
Things to Note: You must first apply for a place at Cambridge. You will apply for the scholarship as part of your application. If you have already started your PhD, you cannot receive Gates Cambridge funding for the remainder of your PhD. Around 70 scholarships are awarded each year.
2. Clarendon Scholarships (University of Oxford, UK)
For graduate study. Includes DPhil programmes. Open to all nationalities. No separate application is required.
Application Deadline: December or January, depending on your course. One resource stated 31st January 2027; however, this does not match. Check the official website.
What’s Covered: Fully funded. Includes full course fees and a living stipend. I could not find information on how much the living costs would be for 2027/28. Check the Oxford page.
Things to Note: You must apply for a new DPhil by your course deadline. All full-time DPhil courses are eligible. Over 200 scholarships are awarded each year.
3. France Excellence Eiffel Scholarship (Doctoral) (France)
For graduate study. The doctoral category is very specific. You cannot apply for this scholarship directly, as only French universities can submit applications.
Application Deadline: Applications must be submitted to Campus France by 6th January 2027. Earlier deadlines are set by individual universities. ENS Lyon has an early deadline of 20th November 2026. Results will be released from 12th April 2027.
What’s Covered: Partially funded. Includes a monthly stipend, partial airfare, and insurance. No tuition fees. The monthly stipend is EUR 2,000 according to the guidelines; however, one resource stated that the live page shows EUR 2,100. Check the official page.
Things to Note: Applicants must be 35 or under for a PhD. This scholarship will fund a joint PhD or co-supervised PhD with an international partner. Only seven fields are eligible. New students starting their first year will receive 36 months of funding. Other students will receive 12 or 18 months. It cannot be held alongside any other French government or Erasmus+ scholarships.
4. Marie Curie Doctoral Networks (Various European Countries)
Only for PhD students. You must apply for an advertised position.
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the job. Jobs are available throughout the year on the EURAXESS portal. Check this frequently.
What’s Covered: Living and mobility stipends. Family and special needs allowances, if applicable. No amounts are listed on the EU page. Check each job advertisement.
Things to Note: You cannot already hold a doctorate. You must enrol in a doctoral programme. Usually, you cannot have lived in the country where you are being hired for more than 12 months in the past 36 months. Industrial doctorates must spend at least half their time outside a university.
5. Stipendium Hungaricum (Doctoral) (Hungary)
This covers bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD students. Choose a doctoral programme. I could only find information about last year’s calls on the official pages.
Application Deadline: Not official. The first date listed in the last cycle was 15th January 2026. It will likely be similar this year.
What’s Covered: Free tuition, housing support, and health insurance. One university states 140,000 HUF per month for doctoral students. One resource stated that this increases to 180,000 HUF. Check the call.
Things to Note: You must be nominated by your country’s sending partner. The partner may have an earlier deadline. Some doctoral schools require a statement from your supervisor. Only citizens from partner countries can apply.
Closed for 2027 – Apply Next Year
6. DAAD Research Grants (Germany)
Partially funded. For doctoral students. Funds a research stay in Germany for 2–12 months.
Application Deadline: Not confirmed for 2027. Applications open in June, so deadlines tend to be around the same time as last year. This round may have already closed. Check the official page.
What’s Covered: Partially funded. Monthly stipend for 2–12 months. Rent and family supplements can be added for longer stays. No amounts are listed on the DAAD page.
Things to Note: Your doctorate must be outside Germany. You must have started within three years of the deadline. You cannot apply if you have lived in Germany for over 15 months. You must have a German host who can confirm your project and provide a workplace.
7. DAAD EPOS (Germany)
Postgraduate scholarship. Mostly for master’s students. Occasionally available for PhD students. Open to citizens from eligible developing countries.
Application Deadline: Varies depending on your course. I could not confirm any PhD course deadlines. Most EPOS course deadlines had passed between August and October 2026. Check the DAAD course list.
What’s Covered: Monthly stipend, insurance payments, and travel allowance. PhD students receive EUR 1,300 or 1,400 per month. The amounts do not match across sources. Check the official page.
Things to Note: Funding depends on money from the German government. It can only be used for listed courses. Different rules apply to work experience and country eligibility depending on the study level.
Choosing the Right Scholarship
Consider Your Profile
If you have a strong research plan: Look at Gates Cambridge and Clarendon.
If you would like to work as part of a team: Look at Marie Curie Doctoral Networks.
If you already have a supervisor overseas: Look at Eiffel and DAAD.
Check Your Country
Stipendium Hungaricum and EPOS have country lists. Check whether you are eligible. Do not proceed until you know.
Gates Cambridge is not open to UK citizens. Marie Curie is open to all nationalities.
Eiffel and Marie Curie have age and residency requirements. Check these early.
Consider the Deadlines
Oxford and Cambridge have deadlines in December and January. Both require references.
Many scholarships require you to apply to the university first.
Eiffel requires your university to move your application forward. The university deadline is earlier than the national deadline.
3 Common Mistakes
1. Waiting to Get a Supervisor
Often, you will need your supervisor’s agreement. Email one today.
2. Thinking It Is Fully Funded
Eiffel does not include tuition fees. DAAD Research Grants only cover a short period. Check exactly what each scholarship covers.
3. Not Applying in Two Stages
Eiffel requires your university to move your application forward. Hungary requires your sending partner’s nomination. Cambridge requires you to apply for a full course first.
Conclusion
The closest deadlines are ENS Lyon Eiffel on 20th November 2026. Many courses have a deadline of 8th December for Gates Cambridge. Oxford also has early deadlines. Eiffel at Campus France and other courses at Cambridge and Oxford have a deadline of 6th January 2027.
Today, look up the Cambridge course directory. Find your PhD course and copy the funding deadline (8th December or 6th January) into your phone calendar.