Obtaining a master’s degree requires a major time and financial investment. Scholarships are important in making this dream a reality for many students, particularly those pursuing master’s degrees online. These scholarships enable students to further their studies and careers while avoiding the burden of large student loans.
Fortunately, there are various scholarships designed expressly for online master’s degrees. This guide will look at the best scholarships for online master’s programs that accept free applications, allowing students to focus on their academic and professional goals without paying additional expenditures.
1. Fulbright Foreign Student Program.
The Fulbright Program is one of the most prominent foreign cultural exchange programs, offering scholarships for graduate studies in a variety of disciplines. The US government supports it and seeks to promote international understanding via educational and cultural exchange.
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The Fulbright Program, open to students from over 160 countries, requires a bachelor’s degree and academic excellence. It covers various disciplines and offers benefits like tuition, a monthly stipend, health insurance, and travel expenses. Applications are free and involve interviews and essay submissions.
2. Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Programme (JJ/WBGSP).
The Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program helps students from underdeveloped countries pursue master’s degrees in development-related subjects. This fellowship is appropriate for people who want to use their degree to help their native nations achieve economic and social improvement.
The World Bank is offering a scholarship to eligible applicants with at least three years of development-related work experience in fields such as economics, public policy, health, education, agriculture, and the environment. The scholarship covers tuition, living stipends, airfare, and health insurance.
3. Rotary Foundation Global Grant Scholarship
The Rotary Foundation provides scholarships to graduate students who want to study in areas related to the organization’s emphasis areas, such as peace and conflict resolution, disease prevention, water and sanitation, maternity and child health, basic education, and economic development.
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The scholarship, which covers tuition, travel, supplies, and room and board, is open to applicants with a commitment to community service and a strong academic record, and is free to apply through a local Rotary club.
4. Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship
The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) provides Distance Learning Scholarships to students from Commonwealth countries who wish to study a master’s degree online in the United Kingdom. This scholarship assists individuals who cannot afford to study in person but want to pursue a British education remotely.
Scholarships are available to students from low and middle-income Commonwealth countries, covering tuition fees and other course-related costs in fields like engineering, public health, agriculture, and technology, with a free application process.
5. University-Specific Online Master’s Scholarships.
Many universities that offer online master’s programs have their own scholarships for qualified students. Here are several examples:
University of the People (UoPeople) Scholarships: The University of the People is a tuition-free online university that provides master’s degree programs, including an MBA. UoPeople offers many scholarships to students who cannot pay application or assessment costs.
The University of Edinburgh Online Learning Scholarship is open to online postgraduate students from low-income and developing nations. It provides complete tuition for qualified master’s programs at the University of Edinburgh.
Scholarship eligibility depends on academic merit and financial need, with various fields of study. Benefits include tuition coverage and living stipend. Application processes vary, but most universities don’t charge fees.
6. The Aga Khan Foundation’s International Scholarship Program
The Aga Khan Foundation offers scholarships to talented students from underdeveloped nations who have no other means of funding their education. Although primarily intended for on-campus programs, the foundation may consider funding online studies in extraordinary circumstances.
The program is open to students from developing countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, with financial need and strong academic record. Benefits include tuition fees, living expenses, and other costs covered on a 50% grant, 50% loan basis. Free application through local Aga Khan Foundation offices.
7. Chevening Scholarships for the Online Master’s
While Chevening has typically supported on-campus study in the UK, the organization has recently extended to offer certain online master’s programs. The Chevening Scholarship is a fantastic opportunity for individuals looking to study at top UK schools online.
The program is open to students with a minimum of two years of work experience, covering tuition fees and study materials in UK universities, and is free to apply, assessing leadership potential and academic merit.
8. PEO International Peace Scholarship for Women.
The PEO International Peace Scholarship Fund provides financial aid to women from nations other than the United States and Canada who want to pursue graduate studies in North America. While largely for on-campus programs, occasional exceptions are allowed for online master’s degrees.
The scholarship is open to women from eligible countries accepted into U.S. or Canada graduate programs, offering up to $12,500 per year in funding, with the application process being free and focusing on demonstrated need and leadership potential.
9. Gates Foundation Scholarship
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has a long history of supporting educational projects, including grants for online master’s degrees in healthcare, technology, and education. One of the foundation’s most well-known projects is the Gates Millennium Scholars program, which supports minority students in the United States.
Eligibility for programs in education, public health, and technology requires minority status, financial need, and community service commitment. Benefits include full tuition coverage and potential online support. The free application process focuses on academic merit.
Conclusion
Applying for a master’s scholarship can be a very competitive process, but with determination and diligent research, students can find opportunities that fit their needs. Free application scholarships, such as those listed here, give students with financial aid and a major boost in achieving their academic and career objectives. It is critical to plan ahead of time, complete all required documentation, and make a strong argument for why you deserve the scholarship. With the appropriate scholarship, you can get a world-class education, even online!
