Fully funded int'l programmes open doors to Bangladeshi students

Another round of government and multilateral scholarships opens for the 2026 academic year, creating a competitive but promising landscape for fully funded study abroad. From late 2025 to mid-2026, application windows will open for South Korea, the European Union, the United States, Australia, Japan, Türkiye, China, Finland, and development institutions. Though differently structured, all aim to develop skilled graduates capable of contributing to international research, policy, and development. Below are the programmes shaping this cycle.

GKS in South Korea: The Global Korea Scholarship includes tuition, round-trip airfare, living stipends, medical insurance, and a settlement grant, plus one year of Korean-language training for degree coursework at top universities such as Seoul National University, KAIST, and Yonsei University. Applications for 2026 are accepted between February and April via either the Embassy Track or University Track, with placements across engineering, natural sciences, social science, humanities, business, and arts.

Erasmus Mundus: The Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's Scholarship funded by the EU allows scholars to study in at least two European countries, often graduating with a joint or double degree. Tuition, insurance, visa costs, and a living allowance of €1,000-€1,400 per month are covered, totalling €40,000-€55,000 over two years. Applicants need a bachelor's degree, English proficiency, academic transcripts, recommendation letters, a Europass CV, and motivation statement. Applications for 2026 opened in October 2025 with deadlines from December to January.

Fulbright Foreign Student Programme: The Fulbright Foreign Student Programme, available in over 160 countries, fully funds graduate studies including tuition, living expenses, books, research costs, airfare, and health insurance. Candidates are selected based on academic excellence, leadership potential, and commitment to their home country, and must demonstrate English proficiency. Applications run from February to April 2026. Past recipients have studied at Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Columbia, UC Berkeley, Yale, Johns Hopkins, and NYU. Placement depends on field of study and programme availability.

Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship: The Joint Japan/World Bank Scholarship Programme targets professionals in developing countries pursuing master's degrees in development-related areas including economics, infrastructure, agriculture, public policy, health, and environmental studies. The award covers tuition, travel, living expenses, and insurance. Applicants must have a bachelor's degree and at least two years of relevant experience. For 2026, Window 1 runs from January 15 to February 27, and Window 2 from March 30 to May 29.

Türkiye Scholarships: The Türkiye Scholarships programme provides full scholarships for undergraduate, master's, and doctoral students. Coverage includes tuition, accommodation in university residences, health insurance, airfare, and research support. Age requirements are under 21 for undergraduates and under 30 for master's applicants. Top universities include Bogaziçi, METU, Koç, Bilkent, Istanbul, Sabanci, Hacettepe, and ITU. The programme covers engineering, sciences, humanities, arts, health, medicine, law, and business. Applications are open from January to February 2026.

China's CSC Scholarship: China's CSC Scholarship covers study at over 280 Chinese universities, including tuition, dormitory accommodation, medical insurance, and a monthly stipend of 2,500-3,500 RMB. Candidates can choose up to three universities through the central CSC portal. Popular universities include Tsinghua, Peking, Zhejiang, Shanghai Jiao Tong, Fudan, Wuhan, Sun Yat-sen, Nanjing, and USTC. Fields include engineering, computer science, business, medicine, natural sciences, environmental studies, agriculture, social sciences, and humanities. Applications open mid-December 2025 to late April 2026, with deadlines varying by university.

Japan's MEXT Scholarship: Japan's MEXT Scholarship for undergraduate study covers major Japanese universities including Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Tohoku. Coverage includes tuition, monthly allowances, airfare, and language training. Applicants must be under 25 and have finished secondary education. Applications open in April 2026 via Japanese embassies and consulates globally.

Australia Awards: The Australia Awards Scholarship supports students from developing countries for undergraduate or postgraduate studies. Coverage includes tuition, living costs, return airfare, health insurance, and fieldwork support for research degrees. Eligibility requires academic merit, leadership capability, and English proficiency. Applications open in early 2026, closing around April.

ADB-Japan Scholarship Programme: The ADB-Japan Scholarship Programme supports master's studies in science, technology, economics, management, and development-related fields. Candidates need strong academic records, at least two years of work experience, and should not be more than 35 years of age. Coverage includes tuition, housing, subsistence, travel, medical insurance, and books. Applications close on March 31, 2026 for August 2026 admission.

Finland Government Scholarship: The Finland Government Scholarship provides fully funded opportunities for bachelor's and master's students, covering tuition, accommodation, living expenses, travel costs, and health insurance. Programmes include arts, business, engineering, ICT, natural sciences, health, and education. Popular institutions include the University of Helsinki, Aalto University, University of Turku, Tampere University, University of Oulu, LUT University, and the University of Eastern Finland. Applicants must demonstrate English-language proficiency. Deadlines generally fall between January and March 2026.

Bangladesh's education loans: With increasing competition for fully funded scholarships, education loans have become important for Bangladeshi students with partial scholarships. Banks offer collateral-backed loans (Taka 5.0 to 10 million from BRAC Bank, Dutch-Bangla Bank, Islami Bank) and collateral-free loans (Taka 0.5 million to 2.0 million from Eastern Bank, Mutual Trust Bank, One Bank). Loan packages cover tuition, accommodation, travel, and insurance. Repayment starts after graduation with a grace period. Bangladesh Bank and NGOs like BRAC, ASA, and PKSF offer subsidised rates for low-income students.

International collateral-free loan options: Beyond local banks, international students can access specialised collateral-free loan providers designed specifically for overseas study. Prodigy Finance offers loans without collateral or co-signers to students from 120+ countries, covering up to US$ 220,000 at over 1,800 schools worldwide. Loan decisions are based on applicants' future earning potential, allowing Prodigy to offer loans without collateral or a cosigner. The programme primarily serves graduate students pursuing master's degrees in business, engineering, law, and public policy.

MPOWER Financing provides fixed-rate loans from US$ 2,001 to US$ 100,000 for international students at more than 500 schools across the US and Canada, with rates starting from 9.99 per cent. MPOWER doesn't require a cosigner or collateral and builds US credit history through on-time payments. Both lenders assess students based on future earning potential rather than current financial status, offer fully online applications, and provide career support services. MPOWER offers a six-month grace period after graduation before a ten-year repayment term begins. These options particularly benefit students from countries with limited access to traditional credit systems, offering genuine alternatives to conventional education financing.

The 2026 scholarship cycle offers a competitive path for learners globally. Early document preparation, familiarity with deadlines, and clear understanding of programme requirements remain decisive factors for ambitious applicants.

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