Study Abroad for Free: Our List of the Best Scholarships Available Right Now

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It’s summer, a season often associated with rest, travel, and relaxation, but also a strategic time for those who wish to study abroad for free and prepare for their academic and professional future.

For many students, these months represent a key opportunity to research and apply for the best scholarships available worldwide, making it possible to fully or partially fund their international studies.

Each year, several scholarship programs open their applications during this period, covering different levels of study (Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctorate) and offering concrete opportunities to study abroad for free at prestigious universities.

In this article, we have selected the best scholarships of the moment for you, to help you quickly identify the programs most relevant to your profile. For each opportunity, you will find the essentials to keep in mind: level of study, type of funding, host country, and application deadline.

1. Women for Africa Foundation Scholarships (Learn Africa Canarias)

An online training program reserved for African women who are university students or graduates residing on the continent, with more than 450 scholarships for the 2026 edition. The training, 100% remote and delivered by institutions in the Canary Islands, is entirely free and involves no travel or accommodation costs.

• Deadline: open until places are filled (courses from July to November 2026)
• Level of study: university students and graduates (African women)
• Funding: free access to the training (100% online)
• Country: Spain (Canary Islands) — remote
• Details: Read the full article

2. Government of the Republic of Serbia Scholarships

The “World in Serbia” program funds full studies in Serbia, from the undergraduate level to the doctorate, with an intensive Serbian course offered upon arrival. The coverage includes tuition, accommodation, meals, a monthly allowance, and health insurance.

• Deadline: from 10 to 26 June 2026
• Level of study: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctorate, and professional studies
• Funding: full (tuition, accommodation, meals, allowance, insurance)
• Country: Serbia
• Details: Read the full article

3. Harvard University Radcliffe Fellowship

A research fellowship from the Harvard Radcliffe Institute aimed at established scholars, academics, writers, and artists — it is not a postdoctoral program. It funds a year-long project at Harvard, with a stipend of $78,000 supplemented by $5,000 in project expenses.

• Deadline: 10 September 2026 (humanities, social sciences, arts, journalism) / 1 October 2026 (science, engineering, mathematics)
• Level of study: established scholars, academics, and artists (doctorate generally required)
• Funding: $78,000 stipend + $5,000 in project expenses + possible support (housing, relocation)
• Country: United States (Cambridge)
• Details: Read the full article

4. “Italy Runs Toward the Future” Program of the Italian Government

The second edition of a program offering 20 Master’s scholarships in sport science or sport management to young African student-athletes, at the University of Rome “Foro Italico.” The allowance is €1,000/month, with a waiver of enrollment fees and health insurance; travel and accommodation remain the recipient’s responsibility.

• Deadline: 30 June 2026 at 12:00 noon (CET)
• Level of study: Master’s
• Funding: partial (€1,000/month + fee waiver + insurance)
• Country: Italy
• Details: Read the full article

5. Alexander Rave Foundation Scholarship in Germany

A scholarship reserved for cultural heritage professionals (curators, restorers, mediators, and cultural managers) from countries on the OECD-DAC list, for a professional stay of 3 to 6 months in Germany. The package is one of the most comprehensive: a €1,500/month allowance combined with coverage of travel, visa, insurance, transport, language courses, and family allowances.

• Deadline: 30 June 2026
• Level of study: cultural heritage professionals (studies or training completed)
• Funding: full (€1,500/month + travel, visa, insurance, transport, language, family)
• Country: Germany
• Details: Read the full article

6. Chulabhorn Graduate Institute Scholarship

The Chulabhorn Graduate Institute (CGI) funds a Master’s in science, medical science, or pharmacy in Bangkok, open to international candidates under 30 years of age, including Africans. The funding is full: tuition, round-trip airfare, accommodation, monthly allowance, settlement, and health insurance.

• Deadline: 31 August 2026
• Level of study: Master’s (holders of a science Bachelor’s degree)
• Funding: full (tuition, flight, accommodation, allowance, settlement, insurance)
• Country: Thailand
• Details: Read the full article

7. McCall MacBain Scholarships at McGill University in Canada

Up to 30 fully funded scholarships for a Master’s or professional degree (law, medicine, dentistry) at McGill University, in Montreal; doctorates are not covered. In addition to tuition and a monthly allowance of CAD 2,300, the program includes a leadership development component and French courses.

• Deadline: 19 August 2026 (international candidates); 23 September 2026 (Canada and United States)
• Level of study: Master’s and professional degrees (BCL/JD, DMD, MDCM)
• Funding: full (tuition + CAD 2,300/month + relocation + French courses)
• Country: Canada
• Details: Read the full article

8. Postdoctoral Fellowships of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO)

A prestigious program for postdoctoral researchers in the life sciences holding a doctorate, requiring a change of country to a host laboratory. It covers a salary or an allowance depending on the host country, relocation support, and family support, for a duration of one to two years.

• Deadline: 10 July 2026 at 2:00 p.m. (CEST) — autumn session
• Level of study: postdoctorate (holders of a doctorate)
• Funding: salary or allowance depending on the country + relocation + family support
• Country: international mobility (Europe and beyond)
• Details: Read the full article

9. PhD Scholarships at the University of Messina (Italy)

The University of Messina, in Sicily, is opening the admission competition for 15 doctoral programs (42nd cycle), totaling 64 scholarships, in scientific, human, legal, and social disciplines. The competition is open with no age or nationality limit, and nationals of poor or developing countries — including a large part of Africa — are exempt from the application fee.

• Deadline: from 25 June to 24 July 2026 (11:59 p.m., Italian time)
• Level of study: Doctorate (Master’s required, or obtained no later than 31 October 2026)
• Funding: scholarship of €16,243 gross/year over 3 years (+50% during mandatory stays abroad)
• Country: Italy (Sicily)
• Details: Read the full article

10. Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Scholarships

A development aid program from South Korea aimed at civil servants and professionals recommended by their government (under 40 years of age), for a Master’s or doctorate taught in English at five Korean universities. The scholarship is fully funded, and Tunisia, like many African countries, is among the eligible countries.

• Deadline: 31 July 2025 for the latest published cycle; dates for the next cycle to be confirmed (variable by country)
• Level of study: Master’s, Doctorate
• Funding: full (tuition, monthly allowance, international transport, settlement, accommodation, insurance)
• Country: South Korea
• Details: Read the full article

11. 10 Doctoral Scholarships in Chemistry at ICIQ (Spain)

The Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ), in Tarragona, is recruiting for its fully funded PhD program in chemistry (2nd call 2026), in partnership with the Universitat Rovira i Virgili. This is a four-year predoctoral contract, open to all nationalities, with a progressive salary and full social security coverage.

• Deadline: 28 June 2026
• Level of study: PhD in chemistry (Master’s in chemistry, pharmacy, physics, or chemical engineering)
• Funding: 4-year predoctoral contract (€19,007 to €25,456/year) + social security coverage + enrollment fees
• Country: Spain (Tarragona)
• Details: Read the full article

In Summary

These programs cover a wide range of profiles, from the Bachelor’s to the postdoctorate, with partial or full funding and destinations spread across Europe, North America, Asia, and remote learning. Applications are made exclusively on the official platforms of each program: check the deadlines and exact conditions before applying, as these may change. To make sure you don’t miss any new opportunity, subscribe to our newsletter.