In recent years, there has been a growing number of African students who want to move abroad for greener pastures. For some, this move is not just about the studies but also about eventually migrating. At the same time, Europe has also been generous with many scholarships. The good thing is that applications are ongoing for scholarships for African students in Europe that you can apply for in 2024.
Scholarships for African Students in Europe
1. DAAD Scholarship East Africa
This scholarship is for highly qualified African refugees who hold refugee status and meet the qualifications for Master’s studies in Germany. Candidates should apply via www.daad.de.
However, applicants must meet the following conditions:
- Hold refugee status granted before April 2024 in their host countries
- Their asylum country must be Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, or Uganda
- Must have completed a Bachelor’s degree
Qualified graduates from Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, or Uganda may apply if they meet the qualifications for Master’s studies.
- They must reside in one of the aforementioned countries
- They must have completed a Bachelor’s degree
Before arriving, you’ll have seminars on how to apply to German universities and prepare for your stay in Germany.
The scholarship covers:
- A language course (up to 6 months) in Germany before your studies
- A tuition-free Master’s degree programme at a public or state-recognised university, starting in winter term 2025 (September/October 2025)
- Mandatory training programme LEAD!
2. University of Birmingham Global Masters Scholarships
The University of Birmingham offers European scholarships worth £4,000 to African students pursuing a Master’s degree, starting in September 2025.
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Apply for and receive an offer to study a taught Master’s degree at the University of Birmingham (UK campus) for the 2025/26 academic year
- Be domiciled in one of the selected countries
- Be classified as an overseas fee payer by the University
- Start their studies in September or October 2025 on a full-time programme at the UK campus
MSc programmes at Birmingham Business School are also eligible for the 2025 Anniversary Scholarships.
Students fully funded by third-party organisations are not eligible. The scholarship will be deducted from your tuition fees once you accept your offer and pay the admission deposit.
3. The Rhodes Scholarship for West Africa
The Rhodes Scholarship is a prestigious, fully funded postgraduate award, designed to support outstanding young individuals from across the globe. It allows recipients to study full-time at the University of Oxford.
Each year, three Rhodes Scholarships are available for candidates from West Africa, covering countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Liberia, and others within the region. This includes nations like Benin, Gambia, Sierra Leone, and more. Applicants must ensure they check the specific opening and closing dates as applications are not accepted outside these periods.
While the general framework of eligibility and application procedures remains consistent, each constituency may have slightly different criteria. The selection process is managed locally, overseen by a National Secretary and their dedicated team within each country. This process ensures that the most suitable candidates are chosen to represent their region at Oxford. Applications should be submitted via Rhodes House portal.
4. Gates Cambridge Scholarship
The Gates Cambridge Scholarship awards approximately 80 full-cost scholarships every year to exceptional candidates from countries outside the UK. These scholarships allow recipients to pursue postgraduate degrees in various fields at the University of Cambridge.
However, there are specific courses that are not covered by the Gates Cambridge Scholarship. These include:
- Undergraduate degrees (BA, BA affiliated)
- MASt courses
- Master of Business (MBA), Executive MBA, and Global EMBA
- Master of Finance (MFin)
- Executive Master of Accounting
- Business Doctorate (BusD)
- PGCE
- MBBChir Clinical Studies
- MD Doctor of Medicine (six years, part-time, UK students only)
- Graduate Course in Medicine (A101)
- Part-time degrees, except for the PhD
- Non-degree courses
This comprehensive scholarship covers tuition, maintenance, and travel costs, allowing scholars to focus entirely on their studies. Interested candidates should go to www.gatescambridge.org/apply/eligibility.
5. Erasmus+ Postgraduate Scholarship
The Erasmus+ Postgraduate Scholarship is a highly regarded programme that provides African students with the chance to pursue Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in European universities. This scholarship is fully funded by the EU, covering tuition, travel, and living expenses.
The programme has expanded to include teaching and non-teaching staff from higher education institutions. This extension fosters knowledge-sharing and promotes professional development, which helps greater collaboration between African and European institutions. Interested candidates should apply via the Erasmus+ portal.
6. Chevening Scholarship 2024
Study in the UK on a fully funded Chevening scholarship. Applications are open until 5 November 2024, 12:00 (GMT). Interested applicants should visit https://asams.chevening.org/apply to apply.
The Chevening Scholarship is an international programme funded by the UK Government through the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office, along with partner organisations. It offers the opportunity to study a fully funded master’s degree in the UK for one year.
To be eligible, all Chevening applicants must submit:
- Education documents
- References
- An unconditional UK university offer
Chevening offers an excellent opportunity to study in the UK while building leadership skills and networking globally.
7. The Glenmore Postgraduate Scholarship
Three scholarships are available for eligible students accepted into postgraduate medical programmes at the University of Edinburgh for the 2024-2025 academic year. The scholarship covers full tuition fees for the duration of the study programme.
This scholarship particularly encourages applications from African students. Eligible applicants must have already been offered a place at the University of Edinburgh and either firmly accepted or plan to accept it. Selection will be based on academic merit and the strength of a personal statement.
Candidates should possess, or expect to achieve, the overseas equivalent of a UK first-class honours degree. All applicants will be informed of the outcome by late June or early July 2024.
8. Cambridge Africa ChangeMakers Scholarship
The Cambridge Africa ChangeMakers Scholarship is open to PhD applicants from any country in Africa. This scholarship covers full costs for any PhD subject at the University of Cambridge.
To apply, candidates must complete the University Graduate Students’ Application Form and fill out the funding section to be considered for all available scholarships.
The deadline for Cambridge Trust scholarships is usually in the first week of December.
9. Innopolis University Study Scholarships
Innopolis University in Russia offers scholarships that cover up to 100% of tuition fees and provide a monthly allowance for both Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes. The scholarships are awarded based on a competitive process, and applicants must apply to participate in the scholarship competition.
Innopolis University offers five Computer Science programmes: one Bachelor’s and four Master’s degrees, including Data Science, Software Engineering, Robotics, and Secure System and Network Engineering (SNE).
The scholarships fully cover 600,000 Rubles per semester for the Bachelor’s programme and 700,000 Rubles per semester for the Master’s programmes. Depending on academic performance and the programme, students receive a monthly allowance of 12,000 to 42,000 Rubles (approximately 200-700 US dollars).
If a student is admitted with a partial scholarship (covering 30%, 50%, or 70% of tuition fees), they will not receive a monthly allowance. Interested candidates should visit https://apply.innopolis.university/en and apply.
The deadline for admission for the Fall 2024 intake is April.
10. The Eira Francis Davies Scholarship (for Females)
The Eira Francis Davies Scholarship is a full tuition fee scholarship awarded to one outstanding female student each academic year. The student must be from an eligible developing country and pursuing a postgraduate taught Master’s programme within the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science at Swansea University.
Applications for the September 2024 intake open in February. Interested applicants will need to complete the application form and provide a recent bank statement from their primary account.
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Be female
- Be a new student at Swansea University starting in September 2024
- Hold at least a 2:1 Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent qualification
This scholarship supports women from developing countries. Interested female students should visit Swansea University portal for application.
Which European Country Offers the Most Scholarships?
Countries like Germany and the United Kingdom are known for offering a large number of scholarships to African students. On the other hand, Sweden and Norway may offer fewer scholarships, but they tend to provide substantial funding.
Read Also:
- India Scholarship for African Students
- Scholarships in Spain for African Students
- UK Universities That Accept WASSCE Results
Conclusion—Scholarships for African Students in Europe
These are some of the best 2024/2025 scholarships African applicants should be targeting. Some are easy to get while some are competitive, so apply for one that matches your academic strength.
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