Verified list · Updated automatically

10 Scholarships Without IELTS, GRE, or Work Experience

Ten fully funded international scholarships that don't require IELTS/TOEFL, GRE/GMAT, or prior work experience — verified by our editors for African applicants in 2026.

By Scholarships for Africans EditorialUpdated June 4, 202610 verified fully funded scholarships

African student smiling with laptop — applying to scholarships that don't require IELTS, GRE or work experience

Three things stop most African graduates from applying abroad: the IELTS, the GRE, and the "2+ years of work experience" line they read on prestigious scholarship pages. The ten awards below cut at least one of those barriers — and several cut all three.

How to use this list

Each entry says exactly which barrier it removes and how. Start with the three-barrier awards if you have neither test scores nor work history. If you only need to skip one test, jump to the matching section below.

New to scholarship applications? Read Scholarships Without IELTS or TOEFL first for waiver-letter templates, then shortlist 4–6 awards from this page and apply in parallel.

without IELTS

without GRE

for fresh grads

9d ago

last verified

The ranked top 10

Ranked by how many barriers they remove and the strength of the funding package.

1. MEXT (Monbukagakusho) Scholarship
Government of Japan — Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology · Japan · Bachelor, Master, PhD, Specialized Training · Fully Funded
No IELTS · No GRE · No work experience — Japan's flagship government scholarship. The Embassy track uses MEXT's own English/Japanese tests instead of IELTS or TOEFL, no GRE is required, and undergraduate applicants apply straight out of high school.
Open
Varies (Embassy track typically May–Jun)
2. Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC)
China Scholarship Council (CSC) / Ministry of Education of China · China · Bachelor, Master, PhD · Fully Funded
No IELTS · No GRE · No work experience — CSC accepts a wide range of English-proficiency evidence (including university-issued medium-of-instruction letters), never asks for GRE/GMAT, and is open to fresh secondary-school and bachelor's graduates.
Open
Varies by program (typically Jan–Apr)
3. Türkiye Scholarships
Republic of Türkiye, Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) · Türkiye · Associate, Undergraduate, Masters, PhD, Research · Fully Funded
No IELTS · No GRE · No work experience — Türkiye Bursları runs a single online application with no IELTS, no GRE/GMAT and no required work experience — undergrad, master's and PhD applicants are all welcome from any African country.
Open
4. Schwarzman Scholars Program
Schwarzman Scholars · China · Masters · Fully Funded
No GRE · No work experience — Schwarzman explicitly states the GRE/GMAT is not required and accepts applicants up to age 28 — recent graduates with under two years of experience are eligible. English-test requirements are waived for English-medium degree holders.
Open
September 9, 2026 at 3 p.m. EDT (U.S./Global); May 20, 2026 (China track)
5. MOE Taiwan Scholarship Program
Ministry of Education (MOE), Taiwan · Taiwan · Undergraduate, Masters, PhD · Fully Funded
No GRE · No work experience — Taiwan's MOE scholarship has no GRE/GMAT requirement and is open to fresh undergrads and master's applicants. English-taught programmes typically accept a university MOI letter in place of IELTS.
Open
6. Taiwan ICDF Higher Education Scholarship
Taiwan ICDF · Taiwan · Masters, PhD, Undergraduate · Fully Funded
No GRE · No work experience — ICDF runs English-taught degrees at partner universities. No GRE/GMAT is asked for, and applicants apply directly to the partner programme — many waive IELTS for English-medium degree graduates.
Open
7. Heinrich Böll Foundation Scholarships
Heinrich Böll Foundation · Germany · Masters, PhD · Fully Funded
No GRE · No work experience — Böll never asks for GRE/GMAT and selects on academic record + political/social engagement. Master's applicants can apply during or right after their bachelor's — no professional experience required.
Open
1 Sept 2001
8. Brunei Darussalam Government Scholarship
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brunei Darussalam · Brunei Darussalam · Multiple · Fully Funded
No GRE · No work experience — Open to fresh high-school and bachelor's graduates from any African nation. No GRE/GMAT, and Brunei's universities accept English-medium-of-instruction letters as proof of language ability for most programmes.
Open
Academic Session 2026/2027
9. Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM)
European Commission (Erasmus+) · European Union · Masters · Fully Funded
No GRE · No work experience — Virtually no Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters requires the GRE/GMAT, and they're explicitly designed for new graduates — no minimum years of work experience. Each consortium sets its own English bar (IELTS waivers for English-medium degrees are the norm).
Open
Varies by program (typically Oct–Feb)
10. Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program · Multiple · Undergraduate, Masters · Fully Funded
No GRE · No work experience — Mastercard Foundation partners select on leadership, financial need and academic merit — not standardised tests. No GRE/GMAT, no mandatory work experience, and partner universities routinely waive IELTS for English-medium graduates.
Open
Varies by partner institution

Removes all three barriers

No IELTS, no GRE and no work experience — the lowest barrier-to-entry awards on this list.

1. MEXT (Monbukagakusho) Scholarship
Government of Japan — Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology · Japan · Bachelor, Master, PhD, Specialized Training · Fully Funded
No IELTS · No GRE · No work experience — Japan's flagship government scholarship. The Embassy track uses MEXT's own English/Japanese tests instead of IELTS or TOEFL, no GRE is required, and undergraduate applicants apply straight out of high school.
Open
Varies (Embassy track typically May–Jun)
2. Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC)
China Scholarship Council (CSC) / Ministry of Education of China · China · Bachelor, Master, PhD · Fully Funded
No IELTS · No GRE · No work experience — CSC accepts a wide range of English-proficiency evidence (including university-issued medium-of-instruction letters), never asks for GRE/GMAT, and is open to fresh secondary-school and bachelor's graduates.
Open
Varies by program (typically Jan–Apr)
3. Türkiye Scholarships
Republic of Türkiye, Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) · Türkiye · Associate, Undergraduate, Masters, PhD, Research · Fully Funded
No IELTS · No GRE · No work experience — Türkiye Bursları runs a single online application with no IELTS, no GRE/GMAT and no required work experience — undergrad, master's and PhD applicants are all welcome from any African country.
Open

No IELTS or TOEFL required

Apply with an EMI letter, the scholarship's own English test, or Duolingo English Test.

1. MEXT (Monbukagakusho) Scholarship
Government of Japan — Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology · Japan · Bachelor, Master, PhD, Specialized Training · Fully Funded
No IELTS · No GRE · No work experience — Japan's flagship government scholarship. The Embassy track uses MEXT's own English/Japanese tests instead of IELTS or TOEFL, no GRE is required, and undergraduate applicants apply straight out of high school.
Open
Varies (Embassy track typically May–Jun)
2. Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC)
China Scholarship Council (CSC) / Ministry of Education of China · China · Bachelor, Master, PhD · Fully Funded
No IELTS · No GRE · No work experience — CSC accepts a wide range of English-proficiency evidence (including university-issued medium-of-instruction letters), never asks for GRE/GMAT, and is open to fresh secondary-school and bachelor's graduates.
Open
Varies by program (typically Jan–Apr)
3. Türkiye Scholarships
Republic of Türkiye, Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) · Türkiye · Associate, Undergraduate, Masters, PhD, Research · Fully Funded
No IELTS · No GRE · No work experience — Türkiye Bursları runs a single online application with no IELTS, no GRE/GMAT and no required work experience — undergrad, master's and PhD applicants are all welcome from any African country.
Open

No GRE or GMAT required

Skip the GRE entirely — none of these programmes ask for it.

1. MEXT (Monbukagakusho) Scholarship
Government of Japan — Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology · Japan · Bachelor, Master, PhD, Specialized Training · Fully Funded
No IELTS · No GRE · No work experience — Japan's flagship government scholarship. The Embassy track uses MEXT's own English/Japanese tests instead of IELTS or TOEFL, no GRE is required, and undergraduate applicants apply straight out of high school.
Open
Varies (Embassy track typically May–Jun)
2. Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC)
China Scholarship Council (CSC) / Ministry of Education of China · China · Bachelor, Master, PhD · Fully Funded
No IELTS · No GRE · No work experience — CSC accepts a wide range of English-proficiency evidence (including university-issued medium-of-instruction letters), never asks for GRE/GMAT, and is open to fresh secondary-school and bachelor's graduates.
Open
Varies by program (typically Jan–Apr)
3. Türkiye Scholarships
Republic of Türkiye, Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) · Türkiye · Associate, Undergraduate, Masters, PhD, Research · Fully Funded
No IELTS · No GRE · No work experience — Türkiye Bursları runs a single online application with no IELTS, no GRE/GMAT and no required work experience — undergrad, master's and PhD applicants are all welcome from any African country.
Open
4. Schwarzman Scholars Program
Schwarzman Scholars · China · Masters · Fully Funded
No GRE · No work experience — Schwarzman explicitly states the GRE/GMAT is not required and accepts applicants up to age 28 — recent graduates with under two years of experience are eligible. English-test requirements are waived for English-medium degree holders.
Open
September 9, 2026 at 3 p.m. EDT (U.S./Global); May 20, 2026 (China track)
5. MOE Taiwan Scholarship Program
Ministry of Education (MOE), Taiwan · Taiwan · Undergraduate, Masters, PhD · Fully Funded
No GRE · No work experience — Taiwan's MOE scholarship has no GRE/GMAT requirement and is open to fresh undergrads and master's applicants. English-taught programmes typically accept a university MOI letter in place of IELTS.
Open
6. Taiwan ICDF Higher Education Scholarship
Taiwan ICDF · Taiwan · Masters, PhD, Undergraduate · Fully Funded
No GRE · No work experience — ICDF runs English-taught degrees at partner universities. No GRE/GMAT is asked for, and applicants apply directly to the partner programme — many waive IELTS for English-medium degree graduates.
Open
7. Heinrich Böll Foundation Scholarships
Heinrich Böll Foundation · Germany · Masters, PhD · Fully Funded
No GRE · No work experience — Böll never asks for GRE/GMAT and selects on academic record + political/social engagement. Master's applicants can apply during or right after their bachelor's — no professional experience required.
Open
1 Sept 2001
8. Brunei Darussalam Government Scholarship
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brunei Darussalam · Brunei Darussalam · Multiple · Fully Funded
No GRE · No work experience — Open to fresh high-school and bachelor's graduates from any African nation. No GRE/GMAT, and Brunei's universities accept English-medium-of-instruction letters as proof of language ability for most programmes.
Open
Academic Session 2026/2027
9. Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM)
European Commission (Erasmus+) · European Union · Masters · Fully Funded
No GRE · No work experience — Virtually no Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters requires the GRE/GMAT, and they're explicitly designed for new graduates — no minimum years of work experience. Each consortium sets its own English bar (IELTS waivers for English-medium degrees are the norm).
Open
Varies by program (typically Oct–Feb)
10. Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program · Multiple · Undergraduate, Masters · Fully Funded
No GRE · No work experience — Mastercard Foundation partners select on leadership, financial need and academic merit — not standardised tests. No GRE/GMAT, no mandatory work experience, and partner universities routinely waive IELTS for English-medium graduates.
Open
Varies by partner institution

Open to fresh graduates

Apply with zero years of professional experience — straight from your last degree.

1. MEXT (Monbukagakusho) Scholarship
Government of Japan — Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology · Japan · Bachelor, Master, PhD, Specialized Training · Fully Funded
No IELTS · No GRE · No work experience — Japan's flagship government scholarship. The Embassy track uses MEXT's own English/Japanese tests instead of IELTS or TOEFL, no GRE is required, and undergraduate applicants apply straight out of high school.
Open
Varies (Embassy track typically May–Jun)
2. Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC)
China Scholarship Council (CSC) / Ministry of Education of China · China · Bachelor, Master, PhD · Fully Funded
No IELTS · No GRE · No work experience — CSC accepts a wide range of English-proficiency evidence (including university-issued medium-of-instruction letters), never asks for GRE/GMAT, and is open to fresh secondary-school and bachelor's graduates.
Open
Varies by program (typically Jan–Apr)
3. Türkiye Scholarships
Republic of Türkiye, Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) · Türkiye · Associate, Undergraduate, Masters, PhD, Research · Fully Funded
No IELTS · No GRE · No work experience — Türkiye Bursları runs a single online application with no IELTS, no GRE/GMAT and no required work experience — undergrad, master's and PhD applicants are all welcome from any African country.
Open
4. Schwarzman Scholars Program
Schwarzman Scholars · China · Masters · Fully Funded
No GRE · No work experience — Schwarzman explicitly states the GRE/GMAT is not required and accepts applicants up to age 28 — recent graduates with under two years of experience are eligible. English-test requirements are waived for English-medium degree holders.
Open
September 9, 2026 at 3 p.m. EDT (U.S./Global); May 20, 2026 (China track)
5. MOE Taiwan Scholarship Program
Ministry of Education (MOE), Taiwan · Taiwan · Undergraduate, Masters, PhD · Fully Funded
No GRE · No work experience — Taiwan's MOE scholarship has no GRE/GMAT requirement and is open to fresh undergrads and master's applicants. English-taught programmes typically accept a university MOI letter in place of IELTS.
Open
6. Taiwan ICDF Higher Education Scholarship
Taiwan ICDF · Taiwan · Masters, PhD, Undergraduate · Fully Funded
No GRE · No work experience — ICDF runs English-taught degrees at partner universities. No GRE/GMAT is asked for, and applicants apply directly to the partner programme — many waive IELTS for English-medium degree graduates.
Open
7. Heinrich Böll Foundation Scholarships
Heinrich Böll Foundation · Germany · Masters, PhD · Fully Funded
No GRE · No work experience — Böll never asks for GRE/GMAT and selects on academic record + political/social engagement. Master's applicants can apply during or right after their bachelor's — no professional experience required.
Open
1 Sept 2001
8. Brunei Darussalam Government Scholarship
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brunei Darussalam · Brunei Darussalam · Multiple · Fully Funded
No GRE · No work experience — Open to fresh high-school and bachelor's graduates from any African nation. No GRE/GMAT, and Brunei's universities accept English-medium-of-instruction letters as proof of language ability for most programmes.
Open
Academic Session 2026/2027
9. Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM)
European Commission (Erasmus+) · European Union · Masters · Fully Funded
No GRE · No work experience — Virtually no Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters requires the GRE/GMAT, and they're explicitly designed for new graduates — no minimum years of work experience. Each consortium sets its own English bar (IELTS waivers for English-medium degrees are the norm).
Open
Varies by program (typically Oct–Feb)
10. Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program · Multiple · Undergraduate, Masters · Fully Funded
No GRE · No work experience — Mastercard Foundation partners select on leadership, financial need and academic merit — not standardised tests. No GRE/GMAT, no mandatory work experience, and partner universities routinely waive IELTS for English-medium graduates.
Open
Varies by partner institution

How we picked these 10

Transparency on what "no IELTS" actually means, and how we verify.

Selection rules

A scholarship qualifies only if it (a) is fully funded, (b) waives at least one of IELTS/TOEFL, GRE/GMAT or work-experience requirements per its own official documentation, and (c) is currently open or runs an annual cycle. We rank by how many barriers each award removes, then by prestige and funding generosity.

What "no IELTS" means

For most of these awards, "no IELTS" means the scholarship accepts substitutes — an English-Medium-of-Instruction (EMI) letter from your prior university, a Duolingo English Test, or the scholarship's own English assessment (MEXT, some CSC partners). Always confirm the latest accepted substitute on the official application page before applying.

Freshness

All 10 entries are editor-verified within the last 180 days, with the most recent check 9d ago. We re-verify after every annual cycle.

Frequently asked questions

The questions African applicants ask most about skipping IELTS, GRE and work-experience requirements.

Can I really apply to scholarships without IELTS or TOEFL?

Yes — for every scholarship on this page, English-medium-of-instruction (EMI) graduates can typically substitute a letter from their university for IELTS or TOEFL. Some programmes (like MEXT) use their own English assessment, while others accept Duolingo English Test or PTE. Always check the latest official application brief; rules tighten and loosen each cycle.

What is an EMI waiver and how do I get one?

EMI means 'English Medium of Instruction'. If your previous degree was taught fully in English, your university's registrar can issue a one-page letter stating so. Most universities have a template — search '[your university] English medium instruction letter request'. Submit it instead of IELTS where the scholarship allows.

Which countries don't require GRE for masters?

Most master's programmes outside the United States do not require the GRE. Japan (MEXT), China (CSC), Taiwan, Türkiye, Germany (Böll, DAAD), most Erasmus Mundus consortia, the Netherlands and Scandinavia almost never ask for GRE. Even in the US, GRE is increasingly optional — many STEM departments dropped it after 2020.

Do scholarships for fresh graduates exist?

Yes. Of the ten on this page, all accept applicants with zero work experience. MEXT and Chinese Government Scholarship even take you straight out of high school. Schwarzman caps eligibility at age 28 specifically to attract recent graduates with under two years of professional experience.

How do I prove English proficiency without IELTS?

Four common routes: (1) an EMI letter from your university, (2) the Duolingo English Test (around $59, takes 1 hour), (3) the scholarship's own English test (MEXT, some CSC partners), or (4) a previous degree from an English-speaking country. Choose whichever the scholarship's official page explicitly accepts.

Are these scholarships really fully funded?

Yes — every entry on this list covers tuition plus a monthly living stipend. Most also include international airfare, health insurance and a settling-in allowance. We exclude partial and tuition-only awards from this ranking.

Keep reading

Guides that pair well with this list.

Full IELTS-waiver guide IELTS / TOEFL targets Write a winning essay SOP template

Back to all articles