Europe scholarships map: DAAD, Erasmus Mundus, SI, and university-level funding

Scholarships exist. They are competitive, but they exist.

Every European country with significant international student intake runs scholarship programmes. Some are government-funded and cover full tuition plus living costs. Others are university-specific and reduce tuition by a percentage.

This guide covers the major programmes — the ones with annual application rounds, published criteria, and track records.

Germany: DAAD scholarships

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is the largest scholarship organisation in Europe. It funds over 100,000 students and researchers annually.

What DAAD offers for master’s students:

• Study Scholarships for Foreign Graduates: full funding for a complete master’s programme at a German university. Covers monthly stipend of €992, health insurance, travel allowance, and a study/research subsidy. Duration: 10–24 months.
• ERP Scholarships: for students from specific developing and transition countries, focused on economics and business.
• Helmut Schmidt Programme: master’s in public policy and good governance at selected German universities.

Who qualifies: strong academic record, bachelor’s degree completed within the last six years, letter of motivation, two academic references. Language requirements depend on the programme — German or English at C1 level.