Top 20 Excellence Scholarships for Outstanding International Students

Most scholarship programs are based on merit, which means they are given to students who have demonstrated outstanding academic, leadership, athletic, or artistic abilities. These scholarships are often referred to as excellence scholarships because they aim to support the most talented and brightest students. Below are some popular merit-based scholarships available for international students:

Merit-based Scholarships offered by Foreign Governments:

1. Fulbright Foreign Student Program (USA) The Fulbright program allows graduate students, young professionals, and artists from abroad to study and research in the United States for one year or more. It covers tuition, textbooks, airfare, living stipend, and health insurance.
2. Chevening Scholarships (UK) Chevening Scholarships are awarded by the UK government to outstanding scholars with leadership potential from around the world. They cover tuition fees, living allowance, airfare to the UK, and additional grants for essential expenses.
3. Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Canada) These scholarships are designed to attract top-tier doctoral students to Canada and provide funding of $50,000 per year for three years.
4. Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Programme (France) Developed by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this program attracts the best foreign students for Master’s and PhD programs in France. It provides a monthly allowance, return trip, social security coverage, and cultural activities but does not cover tuition fees.
5. Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships (Switzerland) Graduates from all fields can pursue doctoral or postdoctoral research in Switzerland with this scholarship. It covers a monthly allowance, tuition fees, health insurance, and lodging allowance.

Merit-based Scholarships offered by Global Universities:

1. Gates Cambridge Scholarships (UK) These scholarships are for outstanding international students to pursue postgraduate degrees at the University of Cambridge. They cover the full cost of studying, including fees, living allowance, and airfare.
2. Rhodes Scholarships (UK) Established by Cecil Rhodes, these postgraduate awards support exceptional international students at the University of Oxford. The scholarship covers university fees, stipend, health insurance, and airfare.
3. Clarendon Scholarships at University of Oxford (UK) The Clarendon Fund provides scholarships for graduate students based on academic excellence across all subjects. It covers tuition, college fees, and living expenses.
4. Macquarie University Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarships (Australia) This scholarship offers a partial tuition fee scholarship for outstanding students to study undergraduate or postgraduate degrees at Macquarie University.
5. University of Maastricht Scholarships for High Potential International Students (Netherlands) Talented students from outside the EU/EEA can pursue Master’s programs at Maastricht University with scholarships covering tuition fees, living expenses, insurance, and visa costs.
6. Leiden University Excellence Scholarships for International Students (Netherlands) Outstanding Non-EU/EEA students enrolling in a master’s degree program at Leiden University can receive scholarships covering part or all of the tuition fee.
7. Utrecht University Excellence Scholarships (Netherlands) This scholarship offers outstanding prospective students the opportunity to pursue Bachelor’s or Master’s degrees in selected fields at Utrecht University. It covers tuition fees and living expenses.
8. Amsterdam Excellence Scholarships (Netherlands) These scholarships are awarded to exceptionally talented students from outside the EU, covering tuition and living expenses.
9. TU Delft Excellence Scholarships (Netherlands) International MSc students studying at TU Delft can receive scholarships covering tuition fees and a monthly allowance for living expenses.
10. ENS International Selection Scholarships (France) The ENS offers scholarships to promising international students in Science or Humanities to study a two or three-year course at the ENS. Scholars receive a monthly stipend and accommodation.
11. ETH Excellence Scholarships (Switzerland) ETH Zurich supports excellent students pursuing a Master’s degree with two scholarship programs covering living and study expenses, as well as tuition fee waivers.
12. University of Geneva Excellence Master Fellowships (Switzerland) These fellowships are awarded to outstanding students pursuing a Master’s of Science Program offered by the Faculty of Science at the University of Geneva, providing a grant of CHF 10,000 to CHF 15,000 per year.