As of April 24, 2026, there are a number of big international and regional scholarship windows open. A second wave of funding for the September 2026 intake is now available, even though many well-known programmes (like the Commonwealth Masters) have closed their early-year windows.
1. Opportunities in the Commonwealth and around the world
- Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships (QECS): A great way to get a two-year master’s degree in a Commonwealth country with a low or middle income.
- • Status: Open right now (it opened on April 9, 2026).
- • Due date: June 3, 2026, at 15:00 UTC.
- • Benefits: full tuition, a stipend, flights, and money for getting there.
- Rotary Foundation Global Grants: These grants help pay for graduate-level classes or research for one to four years of school.
- • Open status (with a rolling deadline).
- • Value: At least $30,000 in prizes.
2. United Kingdom (September 2026)
A lot of UK universities are now in their “Second Round” of looking at scholarship applications.
- GREAT Scholarships 2026: These give £10,000 for one-year postgraduate courses and are offered in partnership with the British Council.
- • Imperial College London, the University of Warwick, UCL, and the University of Bath are all still open. Deadlines vary by school, but they are mostly in late May or June.
- Countries that can apply: Nigeria, India, Mexico, and Thailand.
- The Aston University International Community Scholarship is for people who want to start school in September 2026.
- • Open status.
- Value: The prizes are worth between £5,000 and £10,000, including the Sir Adrian Cadbury Chancellor’s Scholarship.
- • Chancellor’s International Scholarships at the University of Sussex:
- Due date: April 30, 2026 (only six days left).
- Value: £5,000 off tuition for Master’s students.
3. Awards for specific regions and professions
- The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) has opened its 2025/2026 in-country scholarship programme for undergraduate and graduate students studying oil and gas-related fields in Nigeria.
- • The deadline is May 29, 2026.
- Portal: Use the official PTDF scholarship portal to apply.
- Invest Your Talent in Italy: For students from certain countries, like Nigeria, India, and Brazil, who want to get a Master’s degree in engineering, ICT, or economics in Italy.
- Due date: May 11, 2026.
- Bocconi Graduate Award (Italy): Students who want to get an MSc in Milan can get their tuition paid for based on their grades.
- Very important: the deadline is April 29, 2026.
4. Digital Scholarships with “One-Click” (Bold.org)
These are ideal if you need a fast application without complex document uploads.
- The Justin Moeller Memorial IT Scholarship is for students who love technology.
- • Due date: May 23, 2026.
- Worth: $5,000.
- The Global Scholar Award is open to international students who are studying in a country where they are not a citizen.
- June 16, 2026, is the deadline.
5. This Week’s Plan for Success
- Look at your offer of admission: You usually need to have an offer of admission before you can apply for most UK and Italian scholarships, like GREAT or Bocconi. If you haven’t applied for the course yet, do it right away.
- Transcripts and References: Make sure your referees are ready for the QECS and PTDF awards. On the day of the deadline, these portals will automatically lock, and any applications that aren’t complete will be thrown away.
- Time Zone Awareness: Most UK and EU scholarship portals close at 23:59 CET or 15:00 UTC. If you live in Nigeria or the Americas, make sure to carefully figure out your local time to avoid being locked out for an hour.