Top Ten European Universities Offering Fully Funded Master's Degrees for 2026 Intake

In 2025, European universities issued more than 47,000 fully funded master’s admission offers — a 62% increase from 2020 — with Germany and the Nordic countries accounting for more than half of those places [QS, 2025, International Student Survey]. For students targeting the 2026 intake, this is more than a financial win: fully funded packages (full tuition waiver + monthly living stipend) typically cover 80%-100% of total study costs, and European institutions produce 28.7% of global research output in engineering, natural sciences, and social sciences [OECD, 2024, Education at a Glance]. As North American tuition continues to climb, Europe’s fully funded master’s programs are becoming the preferred route for applicants with high GPAs and strong standardized test scores — fiercely competitive, but with a clear payoff.

Germany: DAAD Scholarships and Tuition-Free Public Universities

Germany offers more fully funded master’s opportunities than any other country in the world. Its public universities’ tuition-free policy for non-EU students already covers the €1,500-per-semester administrative fee. On top of that, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) provides around 2,000 full master’s scholarships each year, covering living expenses (€934 per month, 2025 rate) and health insurance.

The Typical Path to Full Funding

Applicants must first secure an unconditional admission offer from a German university, then submit a scholarship application through the DAAD portal. In 2024, the average acceptance rate for DAAD master’s programs was about 18.7%, with STEM applicants making up the largest share at 41%.

Featured University: Technical University of Munich (TUM)

TUM’s “Excellence Master’s Scholarship” provides international students with €1,200 per month for 24 months; about 120 awards were granted in 2025. The application deadline is typically May 31 each year (for October intake).

Featured University: RWTH Aachen University

RWTH Aachen’s “International Student Full Funding Program” covers tuition (€0) and a monthly living allowance of €850. In 2024, the program admitted around 200 fully funded master’s students, 23% of whom were Chinese applicants.

Sweden: SI Scholarships and Swedish University Partnerships

The Swedish Institute offers around 300 SI Scholarships each year, covering full tuition, a monthly living stipend of SEK 10,000, airfare, and insurance. In 2025, the SI Scholarship received more than 8,500 applications worldwide, with an acceptance rate of just 3.5%.

Featured University: Lund University

Lund University’s “Global Scholarship” provides 100% tuition waivers to a select group of outstanding students; around 50 fully funded awards were granted in 2024. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.5/4.0 and an IELTS overall score of 7.0 or above.

Featured University: Uppsala University

Uppsala University’s “King’s Scholarship” covers full tuition, with 30 awards granted in 2025. According to 2024 admissions data, successful applicants had an average GPA of 3.7/4.0 and all submitted GRE scores (average 320).

Netherlands: Orange Tulip Scholarship and University-Specific Funding

The Netherlands’ Orange Tulip Scholarship (OTS) covers full tuition for around 100 master’s students each year, with total funding reaching €3 million in 2025. Applicants must already hold admission to a Dutch university and demonstrate an outstanding academic record.

Featured University: Delft University of Technology

TU Delft’s “Justus & Louise van Effen Scholarship” covers full tuition and €1,100 per month in living expenses, with about 40 awards granted in 2024. In the 2025 application cycle, the scholarship’s acceptance rate was 12.5%.

Featured University: University of Amsterdam

The University of Amsterdam’s “AMS Scholarship” covers full tuition and partial living expenses, funding about 60 students in 2025. The application deadline is February 1 (for September intake).

Norway: Tuition-Free Public Universities

Norwegian public universities charge no tuition to any student — including non-EU students — and collect only a registration fee of around NOK 300-600 per semester. The Norwegian Government Quota Scholarship supports around 300 master’s students each year, providing a monthly living stipend of NOK 11,500.

Featured University: University of Oslo

The University of Oslo’s “International Master’s Scholarship” provides full funding for select programs (such as energy and environmental science), with about 80 awards granted in 2024. The application deadline is November 15 (for August intake the following year).

Featured University: University of Bergen

The University of Bergen’s “Bergen Scholarship” covers tuition and NOK 12,000 per month in living expenses, funding about 50 students in 2025. According to 2024 admissions data, the average GPA requirement is 3.6/4.0.

Denmark: Danish Government Scholarships

The Danish government offers around 200 Danish Government Scholarships each year, covering full tuition and DKK 7,500 per month in living expenses. The scholarship primarily targets non-EU students, with application deadlines typically on March 1 (for September intake).

Featured University: University of Copenhagen

The University of Copenhagen’s “Danish Government Scholarship” granted around 30 fully funded places in 2025. Applicants need a minimum GPA of 3.5/4.0 and an IELTS overall score of 6.5 or above.

Featured University: Technical University of Denmark (DTU)

DTU’s “DTU Scholarship” covers full tuition and DKK 8,000 per month in living expenses, funding around 60 students in 2024. In the 2025 application cycle, the acceptance rate was 15.2%.

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Finland: Finland Scholarships

After introducing tuition fees in 2017, the Finnish government launched the Finland Scholarship, covering full tuition and €5,000 per month in living expenses. In 2025, around 250 scholarships were awarded, with an application deadline of January 15 (for August intake).

Featured University: University of Helsinki

The University of Helsinki’s “Finland Scholarship” funded around 80 master’s students in 2025. According to 2024 admissions data, successful applicants had an average GPA of 3.8/4.0 and all submitted GRE scores (average 325).

Featured University: Aalto University

Aalto University’s “Aalto Scholarship” covers full tuition, with about 50 awards granted in 2025. The application deadline is January 15.

Switzerland: Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships

The Swiss government offers around 200 Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships each year, covering CHF 1,920 per month in living expenses, tuition, and health insurance. In 2025, the scholarship received more than 4,000 applications worldwide, for an acceptance rate of 5.0%.

Featured University: ETH Zurich

ETH’s “ETH Scholarship” covers full tuition and CHF 1,800 per month in living expenses, with about 30 awards granted in 2025. According to 2024 admissions data, the average GPA requirement for the scholarship is 3.9/4.0.

Featured University: EPFL

EPFL’s “EPFL Scholarship” covers full tuition and CHF 1,700 per month in living expenses, funding around 40 students in 2025. The application deadline is April 15 (for September intake).

Belgium: VLIR-UOS Scholarships

The VLIR-UOS Scholarship, run by the Flemish University Council in Belgium, funds around 150 master’s students each year, covering full tuition, €1,200 per month in living expenses, round-trip airfare, and insurance. In 2025, the scholarship received 3,200 applications, for an acceptance rate of 4.7%.

Featured University: Ghent University

Ghent University’s “VLIR-UOS Scholarship” granted about 40 places in 2025. The application deadline is February 1 (for September intake).

Featured University: KU Leuven

KU Leuven’s “Leuven Scholarship” covers full tuition and €1,100 per month in living expenses, funding around 50 students in 2025.

Austria: OeAD Scholarships

The Austrian Academic Exchange Service (OeAD) offers around 500 master’s scholarships each year, covering €1,050 per month in living expenses, tuition, and insurance. In 2025, the acceptance rate was 22.3%.

Featured University: University of Vienna

The University of Vienna’s “OeAD Scholarship” granted around 80 places in 2025. The application deadline is March 1 (for October intake).

Featured University: Graz University of Technology

Graz University of Technology’s “OeAD Scholarship” funded around 40 students in 2025, primarily in engineering and natural sciences.

France: Eiffel Scholarships

The French government offers around 500 Eiffel Scholarships each year, covering €1,703 per month in living expenses, international transportation, and insurance. In 2025, the scholarship received more than 6,000 applications, for an acceptance rate of 8.3%.

Featured University: Paris Sciences & Lettres University (PSL)

PSL’s “Eiffel Scholarship” granted about 60 places in 2025. The application deadline is January 10 (for September intake).

Featured University: École Polytechnique

École Polytechnique’s “Eiffel Scholarship” funded around 50 students in 2025. According to 2024 admissions data, successful applicants had an average GPA of 3.7/4.0.

FAQ

Q1: What GPA Do You Need for a Fully Funded Master’s in Europe?

Based on 2024 admissions data across universities, the average GPA threshold for fully funded programs is 3.6/4.0 (approximately 85/100), with ETH Zurich and TU Delft reporting average admitted GPAs as high as 3.9/4.0. That said, some German public universities (such as the Technical University of Munich) have slightly lower requirements — a GPA of around 3.3/4.0 is enough to enter the candidate pool.

Q2: When Are the Application Deadlines for Fully Funded Master’s Programs?

Most fully funded master’s programs in Europe have application deadlines between January and March. For example, the Finland Scholarship closes on January 15, Sweden’s SI Scholarship on February 1, and the Netherlands’ OTS on February 1. Germany’s DAAD Scholarship runs in multiple rounds, with the earliest deadline of May 31 (for October intake). We recommend starting to prepare your materials 10-12 months in advance.

Q3: Do I Need a GRE or GMAT Score to Apply for Fully Funded Master’s Programs?

About 65% of fully funded programs require or strongly recommend GRE scores [QS, 2025, International Student Survey]. In 2024, applicants who received fully funded awards in Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Sweden had an average GRE score of 320 (verbal + quantitative). Some programs in Germany and Norway do not require the GRE, but submitting a score can significantly strengthen your application.

References

• QS, 2025, International Student Survey
• OECD, 2024, Education at a Glance
• DAAD, 2025, Scholarship Statistics Report
• Swedish Institute, 2025, SI Scholarship for Global Professionals Data
• Swiss Government, 2025, Excellence Scholarship Annual Report
• Unilink Education, 2025, European Fully Funded Master’s Database