Scholarships Closing in December 2026: 23 Deadlines for International Students

23 scholarships, fellowships and funded programmes for international students have confirmed closing dates between 1 and 15 December 2026. They include fully funded PhDs in Hong Kong and the UAE, Erasmus Mundus master’s scholarships in Europe, Cambridge awards in the UK, research fellowships in France and the CrossCulture Programme for civil society workers in Germany. Nine more popular awards usually close in December but have not confirmed their dates yet, and they are listed separately below.

Every date on this page comes from the scholarship pages on this site, which are checked against the provider’s official website. This list was last checked on 21 October 2026. Always confirm the closing date on the official page before you apply.

All December 2026 closing dates

*Cambridge funding deadlines are 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027, depending on your course.

Closing on 1 December

Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (1 December)

The Research Grants Council’s scheme will award 400 fellowships for 2027/28. At the 2026/27 rate, each fellow receives a stipend of HK$344,400 a year and a conference and research travel allowance of HK$14,400 a year, for up to three years. It is open to any nationality. The initial application closes on 1 December 2026, and you must also apply to your chosen Hong Kong universities by their own deadlines. Many host universities also waive tuition, so check yours.

HKU Presidential PhD Scholarship (1 December)

This is the University of Hong Kong’s top award for new full-time PhD students. It pays HK$28,700 a month, waives the composition fee, adds a cash award of HK$40,000 in the first year and HK$20,000 in later years, gives a travel allowance of HK$14,400 a year and a guaranteed hall place in year one. All full-time PhD applicants are considered. Read our HKU Presidential PhD Scholarship guide.

Harvard Kennedy School Fellowships (1 December)

Harvard Kennedy School gives fellowships to master’s students, mostly on merit, and amounts differ from award to award. In 2025–26, 61.5% of HKS students received no financial aid from HKS or Harvard, so do not plan on full funding. The admission application for 2027–28 is due on 1 December 2026, and a Financial Aid tab opens in your status portal after you apply.

DAAD University Summer Course Scholarships (1 December)

DAAD pays a one-time grant of 1,134 euros (1,309 euros for students from Least Developed Countries), a travel allowance for most countries and insurance, for a summer course in German language or regional studies at a German university. You must be a bachelor’s student with at least two years of study, or a master’s student, enrolled at a university outside Germany, and you need some German. Read our DAAD summer course guide.

Erasmus Mundus Theatre SPACEs (1 December)

An Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s in theatre in social, participatory art, community and educational contexts. Scholarship holders receive 1,400 euros a month for 24 months, and Erasmus Mundus scholarships also cover participation costs. Applicants from any country can apply.

Erasmus Mundus Clinical Linguistics, EMCL (1 December)

The European Master’s in Clinical Linguistics trains students in language and its disorders. The portal for the 2027 to 2029 intake opened on 1 October 2026 and closes on 1 December 2026. Erasmus Mundus scholarships cover participation costs and pay 1,400 euros a month.

Politecnico di Milano Merit Scholarships (1 December)

Politecnico di Milano offers Platinum and Gold scholarships for the first year of English-taught MSc programmes. In the last call, Platinum was worth 10,000 euros and Gold 8,000 euros a year before tax, each with a tuition fee waiver. The 2027/28 amounts are not published yet. Only students who apply in the Early Bird period and pay the application fee by 1 December 2026 can take part.

TU Delft Excellence Scholarships (1 December)

TU Delft offers 16 Justus & Louise van Effen Excellence Scholarships, two per faculty, for its regular two-year MSc programmes. They cover tuition and give a contribution towards living expenses. You must have submitted a complete MSc application by 1 December 2026; TU Delft says applications that miss the scholarship deadline are not reviewed.

Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (1 December)

LExS is for non-EEA and non-EFTA students joining a full-time Leiden master’s in September 2027. It reduces tuition at one of several levels, up to the full fee minus the statutory fee. The deadline is 1 December 2026, and results are expected by the end of March 2027.

Erasmus Mundus MAPP, Public Policy (1 December)

Mundus MAPP is a two-year public policy master’s run by Central European University in Vienna, IBEI in Barcelona, ISS in The Hague and the University of York. The Erasmus Mundus scholarship waives the full tuition fee and pays 1,400 euros a month for 24 months. You need a social sciences bachelor’s (natural sciences and engineering degrees are not eligible) and a GPA of at least 3.17 out of 4.0. There is no application fee. Read our Mundus MAPP guide.

Knight-Wallace Fellowship (1 December for international applicants)

The University of Michigan gives experienced journalists an eight-month fellowship in Ann Arbor with a stipend of 85,000 US dollars, 5,000 dollars for relocation and health insurance. You need at least five years of journalism experience and must currently work in journalism. Non-US citizens apply by 1 December 2026; US citizens by 1 February 2027. Read our Knight-Wallace Fellowship guide.

Closing 2 to 14 December

Yale World Fellows Program (2 December)

Yale brings accomplished mid-career professionals from outside the United States to spend four months in residence, from mid-August to mid-December. Fellows receive a stipend, a furnished apartment, medical insurance and round-trip travel. There is a 20 US dollar application fee. Applications close on 2 December 2026.

Cambridge Trust Scholarships (8 December or 6 January)

The Cambridge Trust gives full-cost and part-cost scholarships to international students at the University of Cambridge. You do not apply to the Trust separately: you apply for your course through the University’s postgraduate application and ask to be considered for funding. The funding deadline is 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027, depending on your course.

Gates Cambridge Scholarship (8 December or 6 January)

Gates Cambridge funds about 70 full-cost scholarships a year for citizens of any country outside the UK. It covers tuition, a maintenance allowance (23,152 pounds for 12 months at the 2026–27 rate), airfares, visa costs and the Immigration Health Surcharge. For applicants who are not US citizens, the deadline is 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027, depending on the course.

CrossCulture Programme Fellowship (8 December)

ifa’s CrossCulture Programme places 50 to 60 professionals and volunteers from more than 40 countries with host organisations in Germany or CCP partner countries for two to three months in 2027. Fellows from abroad get 650 euros a month plus flights, accommodation, local transport, health insurance and visa fees. You must be at least 23 and have two years of work or volunteering in a civil society organisation in your home country; students cannot apply. See the CCP Fellowship guide.

University of Sheffield AHRC PhD Studentships (14 December)

Sheffield offers four fully funded arts and humanities PhD studentships a year, paying tuition fees and a stipend of 21,805 pounds a year (2026/27 rate) for 3.5 years. Up to one may go to an international candidate. Submit your PhD study application by 14 December 2026, then the funding application by 19 February 2027. Read our Sheffield AHRC studentship guide.

LPI Summer Intern Program in Planetary Science (14 December)

The Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston takes undergraduates for 10 weeks of research with scientists at LPI or NASA Johnson Space Center, from 7 June to 13 August 2027. Interns receive a stipend and housing. You need at least 50 semester hours of credit, and international students can apply except citizens of countries on NASA’s Designated Countries List. Read our LPI Summer Intern Program guide.

Closing on 15 December

ENS International Selection (15 December)

The École normale supérieure in Paris admits students from foreign universities into a three-year programme that combines a master’s with the ENS diploma. Selected students receive 1,000 euros a month for 36 months and a furnished room on campus. You must be in the third year of a bachelor’s or the first year of a master’s. Applications are open from 16 October to 15 December 2026.

MBZUAI PhD Scholarship (15 December)

Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence in Abu Dhabi funds admitted PhD students with free tuition, a monthly stipend of AED 17,500 for international students, a yearly return airfare, health insurance and a residence visa. Most MSc and PhD programmes close on 15 December 2026; Computational Biology closes on 22 January 2027.

EPFL Excellence Fellowships (15 December)

EPFL pays CHF 10,000 per semester, for up to four semesters, to outstanding students joining a master’s programme. The fellowship does not separately cover tuition or living costs, so it is partial funding. You cannot already hold a master’s degree. Read our EPFL Excellence Fellowships guide.

MOPGA Visiting Fellowship (15 December)

This French government fellowship funds a 12-month research stay in France on climate change and environmental topics. It pays 2,500 euros a month, a settling-in allowance of 500 euros and insurance. You need a PhD awarded between December 2021 and December 2026, and all nationalities except French can apply. Applications close on 15 December 2026.

University of Stirling Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship (15 December)

Stirling takes 7,000 pounds off the tuition fee for new full-time taught master’s students with international (including EU) fee status. You need an offer before you apply, and the award is for self-funded students. The first round for September 2027 and January 2028 starts closes on 15 December 2026, with later rounds on 28 February, 30 April and 15 June 2027.

Erasmus Mundus NOHA, International Humanitarian Action (15 December)

NOHA is an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s that trains students for humanitarian response and policy. The NOHA website gives 15 December 2026 as the deadline for Erasmus Mundus scholarship applications and says selected candidates are told in March.

Expected in December, not yet confirmed

These awards usually close in December, but the provider has not published a single confirmed date for the 2027 round, or each department sets its own date. The dates below are estimates from earlier rounds. Check the official page for your programme before you plan around them.

December deadlines by country

Which ones fit you?

• Bachelor’s students: DAAD University Summer Courses (after at least two years of study) the ENS International Selection (in your third year), and the LPI Summer Intern Program (with at least 50 semester hours of credit).
• Master’s applicants: Theatre SPACEs, EMCL, Mundus MAPP, NOHA, Politecnico di Milano, TU Delft, Leiden, Harvard Kennedy School, EPFL, Stirling, and the Cambridge Trust and Gates Cambridge for one-year courses.
• PhD applicants: the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, HKU Presidential PhD Scholarship, MBZUAI, Gates Cambridge, the Cambridge Trust and the Sheffield AHRC studentships.
• Researchers with a recent PhD: the MOPGA Visiting Fellowship in France.
• Mid-career professionals: the Yale World Fellows Program, the Knight-Wallace Fellowship for journalists with at least five years of experience, and the CrossCulture Programme for people who work in civil society organisations.

If you want full funding for a master’s, the four Erasmus Mundus programmes and TU Delft are the main options on this list. For a PhD, the Hong Kong awards, MBZUAI, Gates Cambridge and the Sheffield AHRC studentships cover the most.

Documents most December scholarships ask for

Each scholarship has its own list, so always follow the official page. Still, most of the awards above ask for a similar set of documents, and you can start preparing them now:

• Transcripts and degree certificate: official copies, with certified English translations if the originals are in another language. Ordering these can take weeks.
• CV: a short academic CV that lists your education, research, work and awards. Our academic CV template shows a clear layout.
• Statement or motivation letter: why you want this programme and what you plan to do. Our motivation letter template gives a structure you can adapt.
• Recommendation letters: usually two or three. Our guide to strong recommendation letters explains how to ask.
• Proof of English: a test result or an exemption document, if the award asks for one.
• Passport: a valid copy, since some portals need your passport details to create an account.

A five-week plan for a 1 December deadline

For a 15 December deadline, you have two more weeks, but the same order of work applies.

Tips for December deadlines

• Ask referees early. Many teachers travel or take leave in late December. Give them at least three weeks and a clear deadline.
• Do not wait for the last day. Portals can be slow near a deadline, and TU Delft says applications that miss its scholarship deadline are not reviewed.
• Check two-step deadlines. For the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme you also apply to universities, and for Politecnico di Milano you must pay the application fee in the Early Bird period.
• Check the closing time on the official page. Closing times are set in the provider’s own time zone, so the deadline can fall earlier in your country.
• Keep copies. Save a PDF of every submitted form and every confirmation email.

How many to apply for

Quality matters more than numbers. A few well-prepared applications are better than many rushed ones. Pick the awards where you meet every rule, then reuse your core documents, such as your CV and transcripts, and write a fresh statement for each one. For Erasmus Mundus, you can apply to up to three programmes in the same year, as our Erasmus Mundus scholarship guide explains.

If you miss a December deadline

Several strong options close in early January 2027, including the TU/e Scholarship for Excellence (1 January), the Erasmus Mundus CYBERSURE scholarship (4 January), the Erasmus Mundus DEAI scholarship (11 January) and the Erasmus Mundus EDISS scholarship (12 January). Cambridge courses with a 6 January funding deadline are another route. For earlier dates, see our list of scholarships closing in November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Which fully funded scholarships close in December 2026?

The HKU Presidential PhD Scholarship, Gates Cambridge, MBZUAI, the Sheffield AHRC studentships, the Knight-Wallace Fellowship, the CrossCulture Programme and the Erasmus Mundus Theatre SPACEs, EMCL, MAPP and NOHA scholarships are fully funded, and all close in December 2026.

Is there a fully funded master’s scholarship closing in December?

Yes. The Erasmus Mundus scholarships for Theatre SPACEs, EMCL, MAPP and NOHA cover tuition or participation costs and pay 1,400 euros a month. Gates Cambridge also funds one-year master’s courses at Cambridge.

Which December deadlines are open to undergraduates?

DAAD University Summer Courses, for bachelor’s students with at least two years of study; the ENS International Selection, for third-year bachelor’s students; and the LPI Summer Intern Program, for undergraduates with at least 50 semester hours of credit.

Do I need IELTS or TOEFL?

Most of these awards need proof of English, but the rules differ. Check each scholarship page, and see our comparison of IELTS and TOEFL.

Are these dates final?

The 23 dates in the main table were confirmed on the official websites between 21 and 23 October 2026. The nine in the expected section are estimates. Providers can change dates, so always check the official page.

Will this list be updated?

Yes. We add new December deadlines as we find and verify them on official websites.