Scholarships To Study Abroad In The World’s Best Student Cities

If you’re hoping to study in any of these cities, but need funding to do so, look no further. Below is a select list of scholarships for international students in each of these cities, in reverse order (10-1) of how they ranked this year.

Requirements vary for all scholarships, so make sure to read through all information from each scholarship provider before applying.

=10. Scholarships to study in Hong Kong

Hong Kong (SAR) is up two places in this year's Best Student Cities, now sharing joint 10th place with fellow Asian megacity Seoul.

  • HKSAR Government Scholarships Fund – Government scholarships for local and non-local students to gain funding to study in Hong Kong at selected institutions, such as the Belt and Road Scholarship for outstanding students from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam (it will be expanded in phases to students from other Belt and Road countries).
  • Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) – PhD scholarships for international students to study in Hong Kong at a selected university.

Universities in Hong Kong offering international scholarships:

  • City University of Hong Kong
  • Hong Kong Baptist University
  • Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)
  • Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)
  • University of Hong Kong (HKU)

=10. Scholarships to study in Seoul, South Korea

Seoul, one of Asia’s most exciting student cities, shares joint 10th place with Hong Kong (SAR) this year. Seoul is home to 18 institutions ranked within the QS World University Rankings® 2020 as well as a large community of international students. See below for funding opportunities.

General scholarships for South Korea:

  • KFAS International Scholar Exchange Fellowship (ISEF) – 50 graduate scholarships for students from Asia to study in South Korea at leading institutions.
  • Korean Government Scholarship Program – Master’s and PhD scholarships for international students undertaking study in South Korea.

Scholarships to study in Seoul:

  • Chung-Ang University Tuition Waiver Scholarships – Tuition waivers and dormitory fee reductions on offer to international students studying at Chung-Ang University.
  • Seoul National University Exchange Program Scholarships – Various scholarships for international exchange students studying at Seoul National University.
  • Sogang Global Scholarship – Scholarships for international students participating in the Sogang Exchange Program at Sogang University in Seoul.

Other universities in Seoul offering international scholarships:

  • Hanyang University
  • Kyung Hee University

9. Scholarships to study in Sydney, Australia

Also retaining its position in this year’s Best Student Cities ranking, Sydney is ranked second for both the desirability and student mix indicators, demonstrating that its diverse mix of students are certainly enjoying the city’s laid-back lifestyle. See what scholarships are on offer below.

General Australian scholarships:

  • Australia Awards Scholarships and Fellowships – Australian government scholarships and fellowships for students from selected countries at any degree level (bachelor’s, master’s, PhD) to study in Australia.
  • Destination Australia Scholarships for International Students – Over 1,000 scholarships of up to AU$15,000 per student per year are available to both domestic and international students to study at all study levels at universities in regional Australia.
  • Australian Government Research Training Program (AGRTP) – Australian scholarships for graduate students from anywhere in the world to study towards a research degree at a participating Australian university.

Scholarships to study in Sydney:

  • Macquarie University Vice-Chancellor’s International scholarship – Partial tuition fee scholarships available to ‘outstanding’ international students to study in Australia at Macquarie University in Sydney. Not open to Australians or New Zealanders.
  • University of Technology Engineering and IT scholarships– Scholarships on offer to undergraduate and postgraduate engineering and IT students at the University of Technology, Sydney.

Other universities in Sydney offering international scholarships:

  • University of New South Wales
  • University of Sydney 
  • Western Sydney University 

8. Scholarships to study in Zurich, Switzerland

Ranked eighth in the Best Student Cities index is Zurich, Switzerland’s largest city, which hosts some of the highest-ranked universities in Switzerland, including ETH Zurich (The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology), the sixth best university in the world.

Unfortunately, studying in Zurich doesn’t come cheap, but here are some scholarships that can help:

General Swiss scholarships:

  • Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships for Foreign Scholars and Artists – Merit-based scholarship opportunities for international students undertaking postgraduate-level study in Switzerland at selected institutions.

Scholarships to study in Zurich:

  • ETH Zurich Excellence Masters Scholarship Program – Merit-based scholarships are available to students who wish to pursue their master’s degree at ETH Zurich.
  • UBS Center Scholarship @ Zurich Graduate School of Economics at the University of Zurich – Open to graduates from around the world who have received a place to study at the Zurich Graduate School of Economics.

7. Scholarships to study in Paris, France

Down two places to rank seventh in this year’s Best Student Cities, Paris is an iconic city packed with internationally ranked universities. See below for current scholarship opportunities to study in Paris.

General scholarships to study abroad in France:

  • Erasmus+ – A Europe-wide program led by the European Commission offering funding to international students looking to study in Europe.
  • Eiffel Scholarships in France for International Students – Master’s and PhD scholarships available to international graduate students looking to study in Paris (and the whole of France) at selected institutions.

Scholarships to study in Paris:

  • HEC Paris – Various MBA scholarships for students to study in France at HEC Paris, including the Forté Foundation scholarships, for exceptional female students.
  • Sciences Po Paris Emile Boutmy Scholarships in France for International Students – Opportunities for bachelor’s and master’s degree students from outside of the EU to gain funding to study in Paris at Sciences Po Paris.
  • The International Selection at ENS Paris – Scholarships for graduate students to study at ENS Paris within the sciences or humanities departments.
  • University of Kent Paris Scholarships – International scholarships for students looking to study in Paris at master’s degree level at the University of Kent’s Parisian campus.

Other universities in Paris offering international scholarships:

  • Sciences Po Paris
  • École Polytechnique (graduate scholarships)
  • Université Paris-Saclay

6. Scholarships to study in Montréal, Canada

Montréal drops two places to rank sixth in this year’s city ranking, but is the second most popular city according to students themselves (based on our student view indicator). The city offers an eclectic cultural mix and three world-leading universities. For more Canadian scholarships.

General scholarships to study abroad in Canada:

  • Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships – Canadian government fellowships and scholarships for graduate students looking to study within natural and social sciences or health research subjects.
  • IDRC Research Awards – Canadian government scholarships for graduate students from developing countries to undertake a postgraduate research degree at a selected Canadian university.
  • Organization of American States (OAS) Academic Scholarship Program – Canadian government scholarships led by the Organization of American States (OAS), open to graduate students from any OAS member state.
  • Trudeau Scholarships and Fellowships – Scholarships, fellowships and mentorships for international students undertaking doctoral-level study in Canada at selected institutions.