If you want free or fully funded scholarships for master’s degrees in 2027, these are the four verified opportunities with applications open right now: the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans (up to $90,000 over two years, deadline October 29, 2026), the Gates Cambridge Scholarship for 2027/28 entry (full-cost funding at the University of Cambridge, international deadline December 8, 2026 or January 6, 2027 depending on your course), the SMART Scholarship-for-Service Program (full tuition plus a $30,000–$46,000 annual STEM stipend, deadline December 4, 2026 — confirm on the official site), and Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (full tuition plus a monthly living allowance to study across two or three European countries, applications October–January). The US-citizen round of Gates Cambridge closed on October 14, 2026; the international round is still open.

Key Details

  • What: the four verified scholarship programmes funding master’s degrees for the 2027 cycle
  • Who can apply: master’s applicants — New Americans (Soros), non-UK citizens (Gates Cambridge), STEM students with US/UK/Canada/Australia/NZ citizenship (SMART), all nationalities (Erasmus Mundus)
  • Funding: up to $90,000 over two years (Soros); full-cost scholarship (Gates Cambridge); full tuition + $30,000–$46,000/year stipend (SMART); full tuition + monthly living allowance (Erasmus Mundus)
  • Application cost: all four applications are free to submit (note: the Cambridge university application itself carries its own application fee)
  • Level: master’s (all four also cover or include doctoral study)
  • Deadline: October 29, 2026 at 2:00 pm ET (Paul & Daisy Soros, 2027 cycle) — more deadlines below

Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans 2027

  • Coverage: up to $90,000 in financial support over two years (stipend + tuition support) for graduate or professional study; 30 fellows selected each year; merit-based, free to apply
  • Eligibility: an immigrant or the child of immigrants (both birth parents born outside the US as non-US citizens and not eligible for US citizenship at birth); will hold a bachelor’s degree by fall 2027; starting or continuing an eligible full-time graduate/professional degree in the United States in 2027–28 (online programmes are eligible); must not have started the third year of the programme as of the deadline
  • Deadline: October 29, 2026, 2:00 pm ET — no extensions
  • Apply: https://www.pdsoros.org/apply/
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Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2027/28

  • Coverage: a full-cost scholarship at the University of Cambridge — the University Composition Fee, a maintenance allowance, one economy airfare at the start and end of the course, inbound visa costs and the Immigration Health Surcharge (exact figures: confirm on the official Gates Cambridge funding page)
  • Eligibility: citizens of any country outside the UK applying for a full-time eligible postgraduate course; selected on outstanding intellectual ability, reasons for choice of course, commitment to improving the lives of others, and leadership potential
  • Deadlines: the US-citizens-resident-in-the-USA round closed October 14, 2026; all other eligible applicants must apply by their course’s funding deadline — December 8, 2026 or January 6, 2027, 11:59pm UK time
  • Details: https://www.gatescambridge.org/apply/timeline/

SMART Scholarship-for-Service Program 2027

  • Coverage: full tuition and mandatory fees plus an annual stipend of $30,000–$46,000 depending on degree level, health and book allowances, and paid summer internships (reported; confirm at smartscholarship.org before applying)
  • Eligibility: citizens of the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the UK; pursuing or intending to pursue a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree in an approved STEM discipline at a regionally accredited US institution in fall 2027; 3.0 GPA; able to obtain a security clearance; one-for-one post-graduation civilian service commitment
  • Deadline: December 4, 2026, 5:00 pm ET (widely reported — confirm on the official site)
  • Apply: https://www.smartscholarship.org/smart
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Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters 2027

  • Coverage: full scholarships available to the best students — cover participation costs and contribute to travel, visa, and a monthly living allowance (amount set per programme); a joint master’s studied across two or three European countries
  • Eligibility: a bachelor’s degree (or final-year bachelor’s students who graduate before the master’s starts); meet each programme’s field-specific and English requirements
  • Deadlines: in most cases, apply between October and January for courses starting the following academic year — check each programme’s own site
  • Official hub: https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities/individuals/students/erasmus-mundus-joint-masters

How to Apply

  1. Shortlist the programmes you are eligible for — Soros for New Americans studying in the US, Gates Cambridge for study at Cambridge, SMART for STEM students with a service commitment, Erasmus Mundus for a multi-country European master’s.
  2. Check the exact deadline for YOUR programme and round — Gates Cambridge has two rounds (the US round is closed) and Erasmus Mundus has a different deadline per programme.
  3. Create your accounts and start the applications now — the Soros deadline is October 29, 2026 and allows no extensions.
  4. Line up your recommenders early — Soros requires three to five letters and Gates Cambridge requires references submitted by the same deadline.
  5. Prepare the essays and documents — Soros asks for two essays up to 1,000 words each; Gates Cambridge weighs its four selection-criteria answers heavily.
  6. Submit well before the deadline and confirm every document (including references) arrived on time — late submissions are not considered.

APPLY NOW FOR MASTER’S SCHOLARSHIPS

See also: DeepMind Masters Scholarships, Erasmus Mundus Scholarship, and Masters Scholarships for International Students – University of Leeds.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best scholarships for masters degrees in 2027? The four verified options with open 2027 applications are the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships (up to $90,000, deadline October 29, 2026), Gates Cambridge (full-cost, international deadline December 8, 2026 or January 6, 2027), the SMART Scholarship-for-Service Program (full tuition plus stipend, deadline December 4, 2026), and Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (full tuition plus a monthly living allowance, apply October–January).

Are there fully funded scholarships for masters degrees? Yes. Gates Cambridge is a full-cost scholarship covering fees, maintenance, airfare and visa costs; Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters offer full scholarships covering participation costs plus a living allowance; SMART covers full tuition plus a $30,000–$46,000 annual stipend; the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships provide up to $90,000 over two years.

What is the deadline for Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships 2027? 2:00 pm Eastern Time on October 29, 2026, with no extensions, per the official pdsoros.org guidance.

Is the Gates Cambridge 2027 deadline still open? The October 14, 2026 round for US citizens resident in the USA has closed. All other eligible applicants can still apply by their course’s funding deadline: December 8, 2026 or January 6, 2027, per the official Gates Cambridge timeline.

Can international students apply for master’s scholarships in the USA? Yes. The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships fund immigrants and children of immigrants at any accredited US institution, and the SMART Scholarship-for-Service Program is open to citizens of the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK studying STEM in the US.

Do master’s scholarships require IELTS? It depends on the programme. Gates Cambridge and Erasmus Mundus programmes set English-language requirements per course — check the course page. Soros and SMART applications are US-based and do not require IELTS.