International Scholarships to Study in Asia

Asia’s consistent economic growth, urban development and educational reform mean growing opportunities for ambitious international students, including international scholarships and other forms of funding.

Below you’ll find a selection of some of the most exciting Asian scholarships and funding opportunities, covering China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and South Korea, as well as some other prominent funds spanning the region.

For more inspiration, check out the latest QS Asian University Rankings, and our guides to popular Asian study destinations.

Scholarships to study in China

• CAS-TWAS President’s PhD Fellowship Program – PhD fellowships for international students pursuing PhD studies in China.
• Chinese Scholarships-Great Wall Program– Scholarships for international students from developing countries to study in China for one year at any degree level.
• Chinese Government Scholarships – Government scholarships open to EU students looking to gain funding to study in China. Open to students of all levels.
• Tsinghua University – A range of scholarships to study at Tsinghua University in Beijing.
• USTC Scholarship Program - The University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) offers scholarships for international degree-seeking or exchange students, which award free tuition, free housing, health insurance and a monthly living allowance.

Scholarships to study in Hong Kong 

• HKSAR Government Scholarships Fund – Government scholarships for local and non-local students to gain funding to study in Hong Kong at selected institutions, such as the Belt and Road Scholarship for outstanding students from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam (it will be expanded in phases to students from other Belt and Road countries).
• Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) – PhD scholarships for international students to study in Hong Kong at a selected university.

Universities in Hong Kong offering international scholarships:

• City University of Hong Kong
• Hong Kong Baptist University
• Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)
• Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)
• University of Hong Kong (HKU)

Scholarships to study in Japan 

• ADB-Japan Scholarship Program – Graduate scholarships for students from various Asian and Pacific countries to study in Japan in development-related fields including economics, management, science and technology.
• Aichi Scholarship Program for Asian Students in Japan – Various study abroad scholarships for Asian students studying at graduate level in Aichi Prefectural government-approved manufacturing programs in Japan.
• Japan-IMF Scholarships Program for ASIA – Asian scholarships for students currently working in economy and finance within a government agency (e.g. ministry of trade) to study in Japan in a related field. Open only to students from selected Asian countries.
• Japanese Government MEXT Scholarships for International Research Students – Government scholarships to study in Japan on a graduate-level research program. The next round of applications opens in April 2019.
• JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship Program – Study abroad scholarships for doctorate holders wishing to conduct research in Japan at a selected institution.
• Keio University “Design the Future” Award for International Students– Full-tuition international scholarships to study in Japan within any field at Keio University.
• KUT PhD Engineering Scholarships for International Students – Japanese scholarships for engineering students from selected countries to study in Japan at PhD level at Kochi University of Technology (KUT)
• Master’s Degree ABE Initiative – Scholarship for Africans to study in Japan on a development-related master’s degree program at an accredited university.
• MEXT Scholarship Program – Japan – Japanese government scholarships for Canadians wishing to gain funding for study in Japan. Funds also available for those undertaking Japanese studies.
• Otsuka Toshimi Scholarship Foundation – International scholarships for students of medicine, pharmacology, nutrition, physical education or business administration to study in Japan.
• University of Tokyo Special Scholarship for International Students – Over 100 study abroad scholarships for international graduate students to undertake academic research at the University of Tokyo.

Universities in Tokyo offering international scholarships:

• Aoyama Gakuin University
• Ochanomizu University
• Tokyo Metropolitan University
• Tokyo University of Science
• Waseda University

Scholarships to study in Singapore

• Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships for UK Citizens – Asian scholarships for UK students to study in Singapore at PhD level.
• DST ASTAR Call for Singapore-India Joint Research Grants – Grants for Indian researchers within the fields of science and technology to study in Singapore. Sponsored by the Indian government and AStar Singapore.
• Lee Kong Chian Graduate Scholarships – Graduate scholarships for research students at the National University of Singapore (NUS).
• NTU University Engineering Scholarship – Scholarships for undergraduate engineering students to study in Singapore at Nanyang Technological University (NTU).
• Singapore International Graduate Award (SINGA) – PhD scholarships to study in Singapore in the fields of science and engineering at selected Singaporean universities.

Scholarships to study in South Korea 

• KFAS International Scholar Exchange Fellowship (ISEF) – 50 graduate scholarships for students from Asia to study in South Korea at leading institutions.
• Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP)  – South Korean government scholarships for international students at master’s and PhD level.
• Chung-Ang University Tuition Waiver Scholarships – Tuition waivers and dormitory fee reductions on offer to international undergraduate students studying at Chung-Ang University.
• Seoul National University Exchange Program Scholarships – Various scholarships for international exchange students studying at Seoul National University.
• Silk-Road Scholarship Program at Seoul National University – Scholarships for Indian students to study abroad in South Korea at Seoul National University, on graduate-level humanities or social science programs.
• Sogang Global Scholarship – Asian scholarships for international students participating in the Sogang Exchange Program at Sogang University in Seoul.

Universities in Seoul offering international scholarships:

• Hanyang University
• Kyung Hee University
• Sungkyunkwan University

Other scholarships to study in Asia

• Asia Pacific University – International scholarships for new students to study at Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation (APU) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
• Chulalongkorn University Education and Research Scholarships – A range of scholarships to study at graduate level at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand.
• Commonwealth Scholarship Plan – India – Government scholarships for students from commonwealth countries to study an undergraduate, postgraduate or doctoral degree in India (excluding medicine and dentistry). Funded by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).
• ICCR Africa Scholarships – Scholarships for students from Africa to study abroad in India.
• KIMEP University – A variety of undergraduate scholarships for international students to study at KIMEP University in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
• Malaysia International Scholarships (MIS) – International scholarships funded by the Malaysian government and awarded to incoming master’s and PhD students at Malaysian universities. Priority given to science and engineering students.
• HM King’s and HM Queen’s Scholarships for Asian Students in Thailand – Thai government scholarships for Asian nationals to study in Thailand at master’s level within engineering and technology, management or environment and development at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT).
• SEARCA Full Master’s and PhD Scholarships – Southeast Asian scholarships open to graduate students from SEAMEO member countries (Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia etc.) on research programs in the fields of agriculture, forestry, fisheries, rural development or education.
• Taiwan ICDF Scholarship Program – Study abroad scholarships for students of all levels to study in Taiwan at a university partnered with the ICDF. Open to nationals from selected developing countries only.
• Study in Taiwan Scholarships – A search tool of international scholarships to study abroad in Taiwan at all study levels. The study in Taiwan website also lists government scholarships.
• Westpac Asian Exchange Scholarship – A scholarship for Australian students to take part in an exchange program at a university in China, Hong Kong or Singapore for one or two semesters.

This article was originally published in June 2015. It was last updated in October 2018.