Fully Funded Scholarships for Bangladeshi Students: The Complete List

Searching for a scholarship for Bangladeshi students usually starts with hope and ends with confusion: dozens of lists, half of them out of date, many mixing fully funded government awards with small university discounts. This guide is different. It covers the main awards open to Bangladeshi students in the seven countries we counsel for — the UK, USA, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and Malaysia — and tells you honestly what each one pays for, who it is really meant for and when to apply.

Fully funded vs partial scholarships: know the difference

Before you start, separate two very different kinds of award.

• Fully funded scholarships are mostly run by governments. They pay tuition and a living allowance, and often flights, visa and health cover. They are few in number, highly competitive and nearly always for postgraduate study.
• Partial scholarships are mostly run by universities. They take a fixed amount or a percentage off your tuition. They are far more common, often assessed automatically with your application, and available at bachelor's level too.

Most Bangladeshi students who study abroad with funding do so with a partial award — not a fully funded one. Planning around that reality saves a lot of disappointment.

Scholarships for Bangladeshi students at a glance

Deadlines below are the usual window, not a promise — each award publishes its own dates every year. Dates referring to specific rounds are correct at the time of writing (November 2026).

Award	Country	Level	Covers	Usual deadline
Chevening Scholarships	UK	Master's	Full tuition, stipend, flights, visa	Opens August, closes early October
Commonwealth Master's and PhD Scholarships	UK	Master's, PhD	Full funding	October, with an earlier national nomination deadline
GREAT Scholarships	UK	Master's	£10,000 towards tuition	Spring to early summer, set by each university
Fulbright Foreign Student Program	USA	Master's	Tuition, stipend, flights, insurance	Opens in spring, closes mid-year
Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship	USA	Non-degree (mid-career)	Fully funded year	Usually mid-year
Graduate assistantships (TA/RA)	USA	Master's, PhD	Tuition waiver and monthly stipend	With admission, often December to February
Australia Awards Scholarships	Australia	Master's	Tuition, flights, living allowance, health cover	Usually February to April
Research Training Program	Australia	Research master's, PhD	Tuition offset, often a stipend	Set by each university, often August to October
Destination Australia	Australia	Diploma to PhD	AUD 15,000 a year at a regional campus	Set by each provider
Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship	Ireland	Master's, PhD	Full fee waiver and €10,000 stipend for one year	Usually January to March
Malaysia International Scholarship	Malaysia	Master's, PhD	Tuition and monthly allowance	Usually March to April
Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship	Canada	Bachelor's	Tuition, books, fees, residence for four years	Autumn before entry
UBC International Leader of Tomorrow Award	Canada	Bachelor's	Can cover tuition and living costs	With the UBC application, usually by December
University of Auckland International Student Excellence Scholarship	New Zealand	Bachelor's, taught master's	Up to NZD 10,000 off tuition	Offer by late October for February
University merit scholarships	All seven	Foundation to master's	Partial tuition reduction	With your application

You can filter these by country and level in our scholarship finder.

Fully funded government scholarships for Bangladeshi students

Chevening scholarship (Bangladesh)

Chevening is the UK government's flagship award, run by the FCDO. It pays full tuition, a monthly stipend, return flights and the visa for a one-year master's at a UK university — see our guide to studying in the UK. You need at least two years' work experience, and you agree to return to Bangladesh for two years afterwards. Chevening looks for leadership potential, so a fresh graduate with no work history isn't eligible. The 2027/28 round closed on 6 October 2026; the next usually opens in August.

Commonwealth scholarship

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission funds master's and PhD study in the UK for talented students who could not otherwise afford it. Bangladeshi applicants go through a national nomination first, which has its own earlier deadline, before the main October deadline. Details are on the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission website.

Fulbright and Humphrey (USA)

The Fulbright Foreign Student Program covers tuition, a living stipend, return flights and health insurance for a master's in the USA. The 2027–28 round closed in July 2026; the next usually opens in spring. The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship is different — a fully funded year of non-degree study for mid-career professionals, applied for through the US Embassy in Dhaka.

Australia Awards

Australia Awards Scholarships fund a master's in a priority field: tuition, return flights, a living allowance and health cover. You need IELTS 6.5, and our Australia study guide covers the visa side. The round usually runs February to April, and the 2028 round is expected to open around February 2027 — so now is a good time to prepare.

Ireland and Malaysia

The Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship gives a full fee waiver plus a €10,000 stipend for one year of master's or PhD study. There are only about 60 awards a year, and applications usually run January to March. The Malaysia International Scholarship pays tuition and a monthly allowance for master's and PhD students from eligible countries — check that year's eligible-country list before applying.

Other masters scholarships abroad: partial and research funding

If you don't win a fully funded award, a master's can still be affordable.

• Graduate assistantships in the USA — teaching and research assistantships waive tuition and pay a monthly stipend. They are the most common way Bangladeshi graduate students are funded, especially in STEM. See our USA study guide.
• GREAT Scholarships — £10,000 towards a one-year taught master's at participating UK universities.
• Research Training Program — tuition offset and often a stipend for research master's and PhD students in Australia.
• Destination Australia — AUD 15,000 a year (roughly ৳12 lakh at current rates) for study at a regional campus.

Scholarships for bachelor students from Bangladesh

Here is the honest truth: fully funded undergraduate scholarships are rare. The two big names on our list — the University of Toronto's Lester B. Pearson scholarship and UBC's International Leader of Tomorrow Award — attract applicants from all over the world. Pearson also needs your school to nominate you, and its deadline falls in the autumn before entry (the 2027 deadline was in October 2026).

For most HSC and A-level students, funding means a partial tuition discount: a university merit scholarship, the University of Auckland's award of up to NZD 10,000, or Destination Australia at a regional campus. These are often assessed automatically with your application, and earlier applicants often get more. Strong HSC results, a good IELTS score and an early application are your best tools. If you're planning a bachelor's, read our guide to studying abroad after HSC.

How to give yourself a real chance

1. Start a year ahead. Many government awards close the best part of a year before the course starts.
2. Get your English score early. Several awards need IELTS before the deadline. Our IELTS guide explains the test and booking.
3. Write for the award, not just the university. Chevening wants leadership and networking; Commonwealth wants development impact; Fulbright wants academic and cultural purpose.
4. Apply to universities too. Many awards require an offer, or reward early offer-holders.
5. Have a back-up budget. Plan the visa funds as if you won nothing. Our guide to bank solvency for student visas explains how much you would need to show.

Frequently asked questions

Can a Bangladeshi student get a fully funded scholarship for a bachelor's?

It is possible but rare. Awards like Lester B. Pearson and UBC's International Leader of Tomorrow are open to Bangladeshi students but extremely competitive. Most bachelor's funding is a partial tuition discount.

Can I apply for Chevening straight after my bachelor's?

No. Chevening needs at least two years' work experience. Fresh graduates can look at university scholarships, GREAT Scholarships or US assistantships instead.

Do I need IELTS to apply for scholarships?

Often, yes. Australia Awards asks for IELTS 6.5, and most universities need an English score before they make an offer that a scholarship depends on.

Is a scholarship enough for the visa funds requirement?

A fully funded award usually covers it, and the scholarship letter becomes your financial evidence. A partial award only reduces the amount — you still need to show the rest.

Which scholarships are open right now?

At the time of writing (November 2026), UBC's application deadline usually falls by December, and Ireland and Australia Awards open early in the new year. Our scholarship finder lists the usual windows.

Find the scholarships your profile fits

We match your results, budget and goals to the awards you can realistically win — and tell you plainly when a fully funded award is a long shot, so you have a solid plan B. Whether you're a fresh HSC student in Bogura or a working graduate in Dhaka, the first conversation is the same.

Counselling is free, at our office in Lalmatia, Dhaka, or by phone or WhatsApp from anywhere in Bangladesh. Contact us for a free scholarship check.