Top 10 Undergraduate Scholarships to Compare Before You Apply for 2027

A scholarship can make a degree affordable without paying every bill. Before choosing where to apply, compare the remaining tuition, accommodation, travel and visa costs, not just the headline award. These ten options include support for studying within Africa and overseas. Some are limited to particular nationalities or residents; others consider international applicants more broadly.

How these options were selected

These are SFA editorial picks, not a global ranking or a list of guaranteed awards. We selected distinct programmes for their relevance to African applicants, clear official information and variety of destinations and funding models. Numbering is for navigation; multiple funding tiers count as one programme.

1. Funza Lushaka Bursary in South Africa

For South African citizens preparing to teach, Funza Lushaka provides capped assistance with tuition, accommodation and meals, books and learning materials, with a living allowance where possible. First-time applicants must be 30 or younger and admitted to an eligible public-university teaching programme in priority subjects. Funding carries a teaching-service obligation for each funded year. Applications are open: new applicants close 31 January 2027; returning bursars close 30 November 2026. This is not a general bursary for all African nationals.

Official programme information · Additional official guidance

2. GETFund Local Scholarships in Ghana

Ghanaian citizens admitted to accredited tertiary programmes in Ghana should consider GETFund's local scholarship route. The local award covers tuition fees only, so accommodation and everyday expenses need a separate plan. The current call includes diploma, HND and bachelor's study, as well as postgraduate levels. Applicants cannot simultaneously hold two Ghanaian government-agency scholarships. Applications are open until 27 November 2026. Choose the local route carefully: this is not funding for any university abroad.

Official programme information

3. University of Stirling Undergraduate Africa Scholarship

Stirling offers a £5,000 annual tuition reduction, worth up to £20,000 over four years. The crucial condition is residence: applicants must be living in Africa when applying, have international fee status and hold an eligible full-time Stirling-campus offer. Foundation progression has additional residence rules. Eligible students are identified automatically through admission, with no separate scholarship form. This is partial tuition support, not a living-cost award; the normal international tuition deposit still applies.

Official programme information

4. University of St Andrews International Undergraduate Scholarship

St Andrews offers an annual tuition reduction based on financial need for new overseas-fee undergraduates entering in 2027. Its award amount will be confirmed by December 2026, so do not build a budget around an assumed sum. Applications are open until 27 January 2027. Submit your course application first, but you need not wait for an admission offer. Transfers from other institutions and the William & Mary joint degree are excluded.

Official programme information

5. Lakehead International Undergraduate Entrance Scholarships

Lakehead's automatic award uses Canadian-equivalent admission grades. The 2027–28 tiers are CAD 6,000 once for 75–79.9%; CAD 7,500 annually for 80–89.9%; and CAD 10,000 annually for 90% or above, with corresponding IB thresholds. Renewable tiers run for up to four years and require continuing grades of 80% or 90%. Eligible non-Canadian entrants include international transfers into years one to three of a degree lasting at least four years. No separate scholarship deadline applies.

Official programme information

6. Marjorie Young Bell Scholarship at Mount Allison

This Canadian award provides CAD 70,000 over four years, or CAD 17,500 annually, to outstanding school-leavers, including international applicants. Leadership, service and academic strength matter alongside an essay and reference. Renewal requires the specified course load, a 3.5 GPA and continued community involvement. Applications for the 2027–28 intake are open, with admission and supporting scholarship documents due by 1 March 2027. Treat the award as a fixed contribution, not a promise to cover the entire cost of attendance.

Official programme information · Additional official guidance · Additional official guidance

7. Nebraska Global Excellence Scholarship

Nebraska offers eligible new international first-year students USD 15,000 annually towards tuition for up to four years. The full amount requires at least 15 credits each semester; lower eligible loads receive prorated support. Renewal also depends on grades and credits, and nonresident status must continue. Applications are open: fall 2027 has a 1 November 2026 priority date and 1 May 2027 final date; spring 2027 closes 1 December 2026. Unconditional English admission is required.

Official programme information · Additional official guidance

8. Whitman International Need Based Scholarship

Whitman meets the institutionally assessed financial need of admitted international students, not an identical fixed amount for every family. Complete the free WISFAA through the admission process. Admission is need-aware and particularly competitive for applicants requiring full support; later years include a work contribution. Whitman encourages international aid applicants to consider Regular Decision, whose deadline is 15 January 2027. First-year and transfer applicants can qualify, but transfer deadlines differ. Do not confuse an early aid estimate with the actual application.

Official programme information · Additional official guidance · Additional official guidance · Additional official guidance · Additional official guidance · Additional official guidance · Additional official guidance · Additional official guidance

9. XJTLU Undergraduate Entry Scholarship in China

Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University offers international undergraduate entrants up to 50% of annual tuition, renewable with strong academic performance. It suits applicants who can finance the remaining tuition and living costs rather than those needing comprehensive funding. The first application round closes 30 November 2026, followed by rounds on 15 January, 28 February and 31 March; the final deadline is 30 April 2027. Indicate interest in the XJTLU Entry Scholarship section of the programme application and supply enough documents to be offer-ready by your assigned round. Applicants missing sufficient documents for that round are not reconsidered in later rounds during the same academic year.

Official programme information

10. Rotary Yoneyama Scholarship for Overseas Candidates

Undergraduate recipients receive JPY 100,000 monthly, with eligible travel reimbursement up to JPY 250,000. Applicants must be non-Japanese degree entrants for 2027, normally living outside Japan until enrolment, born on or after 2 April 1982, and have passed JLPT N3 or higher by the scholarship application date. Prior residence in Japan and other scholarships can affect eligibility. Applications close 31 October 2026 at 13:00 JST. This is a stipend award, not an automatic tuition waiver. Follow the guide’s admission-evidence procedure; an exception applies if the Japanese university has not yet opened applications.

Official programme information · Additional official guidance

Build a shortlist you can actually use

Start with three realistic matches. Record citizenship and residence rules, your uncovered annual costs, renewal conditions and both admission and scholarship deadlines. Then open the provider's current instructions before preparing documents. A smaller award with manageable remaining costs can be more useful than a larger award attached to an unaffordable degree.

Explore SFA undergraduate scholarship coverage

Official provider sources checked 14 October 2026. Check the current course and scholarship instructions before applying.