Government scholarships
Chevening, Government of Ireland, DAAD, Fulbright, Australia Awards ? competitive, fully funded.
Scholarships & Funding Abroad
Chevening, Government of Ireland, DAAD, Fulbright, Australia Awards, Vanier ? a full map of government, university and foundation scholarships for Pakistani and Bangladeshi students.
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Ireland +353 899 55 77 44UK / WhatsApp +44 7459 898186info@studentmatter.net13 Grafton Court, Main Street, Longford, Ireland N39 P7NO
Funding
Scholarships can reduce your cost of study abroad by 10% to 100% ? but each award has its own eligibility rules, deadlines, essays and competition level. Applying to ten random scholarships without eligibility filtering wastes time. Applying to two or three well-matched awards can change your entire financial plan.
Student Matters builds a scholarship shortlist matched to your grades, nationality, destination, level and intake ? with a deadline calendar so applications are not written the night before.
Scholarship guidance: Ireland +353 899 55 77 44 - UK / WhatsApp +44 7459 898186 - info@studentmatter.net
- Chevening: November deadline ? start your leadership essay 3 months before, not 3 days before
- University merit awards apply with your main application ? do not wait for external scholarship results
- Government of Ireland IES: you must already be enrolled ? apply in first semester
- Australia Awards bond: you must return home for 2 years after ? confirm you are comfortable with this
- SM Fund builds your personalised scholarship shortlist and deadline calendar in the first session
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Scholarship shortlisting desk
SM FUNDStudent Matters
Two well-matched applications beat ten random ones
SM Fund maps government, university and foundation scholarships to your specific profile. We tell you honestly which awards you have a realistic chance at ? and help you build the strongest possible application for each.
- Eligibility check before you spend time on any application
- Deadline calendar built around your target intake
- Essay and personal statement guidance
- University fee-waiver opportunities flagged at shortlisting
Why students choose this support
University merit awards
10-30% fee reductions at most institutions ? often applied with the main application.
Foundation and organisation awards
IsDB, Aga Khan, Commonwealth, HEC and others for eligible nationalities.
Realistic odds assessment
We flag ultra-competitive awards honestly and focus effort where it is most likely to succeed.
How it works
Eligibility filter first
Nationality, level (UG/PG/PhD), field of study, work experience ? check all four before starting any application.
Build a deadline calendar
Government scholarships close 6-12 months before course start. University merit: apply with main application.
Draft the essay around your real story
Leadership, study goal clarity, post-study plan ? specific examples beat generic statements every time.
Get references confirmed early
Most scholarships require 2-3 academic or professional references. Contact referees 8 weeks before deadline.
Apply to university merit simultaneously
Do not wait for external scholarship results before applying to university fee waivers ? timelines overlap.
Guide · 01
1. Chevening Scholarship ? fully funded UK Master's
Chevening is the UK Government's flagship international scholarship. It funds a full one-year Master's at any UK university ? tuition, monthly living allowance, return flights and visa costs.
Competition is intense: typically 1,500 awards globally per year across 160+ countries. Pakistani and Bangladeshi applicants compete in a country quota. Chevening rewards leadership potential, not just academic grades.
- Fully funded: tuition + GBP 1,173/month (London) or GBP 893/month (elsewhere) + flights
- Eligibility: 2+ years work experience, strong undergraduate degree, genuine leadership story
- Deadline: typically November for the following September ? apply 10 months before start
- Process: online application, 4 essays, interviews, then university placement
- Important: you choose up to 3 universities as part of the application ? shortlist carefully
- Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals: check country-specific Chevening quotas each cycle
Guide · 02
2. Government of Ireland International Education Scholarships
The Government of Ireland IES awards 60 scholarships per year to non-EU/EEA students who are already enrolled at an Irish higher education institution. The award is EUR 10,000 per scholarship.
Unlike Chevening, you must already have been accepted to study in Ireland to apply. The scholarship reduces your tuition bill ? it does not fund your initial visa application.
- Value: EUR 10,000 award (typically applied to tuition)
- Eligibility: enrolled at an Irish HEI as a non-EU/EEA international student
- Deadline: typically February for the academic year
- Apply through: your Irish university international office
- Competition: limited places across all nationalities studying in Ireland
- Strategy: apply in your first semester ? do not wait for second year
Guide · 03
3. DAAD Scholarships ? Germany
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers the most comprehensive international scholarship programme in the world ? with funding options at every level from Bachelor's to postdoctoral.
For Pakistani and Bangladeshi students, the most relevant DAAD programmes are the Development-Related Postgraduate Courses scholarship and the DAAD Master's scholarship for specific fields.
- DAAD Development-Related Postgraduate Courses: for students from developing countries; partial or full funding
- Helmut Schmidt Programme: for future public sector leaders; high-value, competitive
- Deutschlandstipendium: EUR 300/month from German companies + government; awarded by universities
- DAAD Research Grants: PhD and postdoctoral research funding
- Application: via DAAD portal at daad.de; each programme has separate deadline
- Strategy: begin DAAD application 12 months before target semester start
Guide · 04
4. Fulbright ? USA
The Fulbright Program is the most prestigious US government scholarship for international students. Awards cover graduate study, research or teaching in the USA.
Competition is intense and applications are processed through each country's Fulbright Commission. Pakistani and Bangladeshi students apply via their national Fulbright offices.
- Fully funded: tuition, living stipend, health insurance, return flights
- Pakistan: Fulbright Foreign Student Program via USEFP (United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan)
- Bangladesh: administered through the US Embassy Dhaka
- Eligibility: Bachelor's degree, strong academic record, leadership, community involvement
- Deadline: varies by country ? typically April-June for following academic year
- Alternative: Fulbright Visiting Scholar for professionals with postgraduate qualifications
Guide · 05
5. Australia Awards
Australia Awards are fully funded scholarships offered by the Australian Government to students from developing countries. They cover tuition, return flights, living allowance and health cover.
Pakistani and Bangladeshi students are eligible. Awards are targeted at students who will return and contribute to their home country's development after graduation.
- Fully funded: tuition, return airfares, living allowance, OSHC
- Eligibility: nationals of eligible developing countries; strong academic record; development sector focus
- Deadline: typically March for July intake
- Bond requirement: must return home for 2 years after graduating (scholarship condition)
- Application: via the Australia Awards website and local Australian High Commission
- Strategy: start application 15-18 months before target intake
Guide · 06
6. University merit scholarships ? apply with your main application
Most universities in Ireland, UK, Australia and Canada offer merit-based fee reductions to strong international applicants. These are not fully funded ? typically 10-30% tuition reduction ? but they require far less competition than government awards.
The key timing difference: government scholarships close 6-12 months before course start. University merit awards are usually applied with or shortly after your main application. Apply to both simultaneously.
- Typical value: 10-30% of annual tuition fees (EUR/GBP 1,500-8,000 range)
- Eligibility: usually based on undergraduate GPA ? typically 3.0/4.0 or 60%+ first class / distinction
- Application: complete automatically with some universities; separate form at others
- Ireland universities: UCD, TCD, DCU, UCC all have international merit awards ? check each year
- UK universities: wide range at Russell Group and modern universities ? check with admissions
- Important: do not wait for government scholarship results before applying for university merit
Guide · 07
7. Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and other foundation scholarships
The Islamic Development Bank Merit Scholarship Programme offers funding for students from IsDB member countries (including Pakistan and Bangladesh) at postgraduate and PhD level.
Other relevant foundation scholarships for South Asian students include the Aga Khan Foundation, Commonwealth Scholarships, and HEC (Pakistan Higher Education Commission) overseas scholarships.
- IsDB Merit Scholarship: partial or full funding for postgraduate study; competitive; apply via your national IsDB office
- Aga Khan Foundation: need-based grants and loans for exceptional students; very competitive
- Commonwealth Scholarships: for Commonwealth nationals; PhD and Master's; managed by national bodies
- HEC Pakistan: overseas scholarships for Pakistani nationals; check current open rounds on hec.gov.pk
- HEC Bangladesh equivalent: Bangladesh Government scholarships via BANBEIS; check gov.bd
- Strategy: these have the longest lead times ? start 15-18 months before target intake
Guide · 08
8. Writing a winning scholarship essay
Most scholarship applications require personal essays or statements. The students who win are not necessarily the most qualified ? they are the ones who write most specifically and authentically about their goals.
Student Matters reviews scholarship essays for content quality, specificity and alignment with the award's stated objectives.
- Answer what they ask ? not what you want to say; re-read the prompt before every paragraph
- Specific over generic: 'I organised a 200-student career fair' beats 'I have strong leadership skills'
- Post-study plan: Chevening and Fulbright want to know you are going back and doing something ? be concrete
- Why THIS university / programme: show you have researched the specific degree, not just the country
- References: contact referees early; brief them on the scholarship's key criteria
- Draft and redraft: three revisions minimum; have someone outside your field read it for clarity
Major scholarships snapshot ? Pakistan and Bangladesh eligible
| Scholarship | Destination | Level | Funding | Key deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevening | UK | Master's | Full (tuition + living + flights) | November (10 months before) |
| Government of Ireland IES | Ireland | Master's / PhD | EUR 10,000 (partial) | February |
| DAAD (various) | Germany | PG / PhD / research | Partial to full | Varies (often 12 months out) |
| Fulbright | USA | Graduate / research | Full (tuition + stipend + flights) | April-June (country-specific) |
| Australia Awards | Australia | UG / PG | Full (tuition + living + flights) | March |
| IsDB Merit Scholarship | Multiple (incl. UK, EU) | PG / PhD | Partial to full | Varies by country office |
| Commonwealth Scholarships | UK | Master's / PhD | Full (various types) | Country-specific (Dec-Feb) |
| University merit awards | All destinations | UG / PG | 10-30% fee reduction | With main application |
Deadlines and eligibility change annually. Always verify on the official scholarship website before applying.
Scholarship eligibility checklist
| Requirement | Check before applying |
|---|---|
| Nationality eligibility | Is your country/nationality listed in the award criteria? |
| Degree level | Does the award cover UG, PG or PhD? Which are you applying for? |
| Work experience | Chevening needs 2+ years ? do you qualify? |
| Academic GPA minimum | What is the minimum grade/percentage stated? |
| Field of study | Some awards limit to development, STEM or social science fields |
| Language score | IELTS/TOEFL required for application? What minimum? |
| Return obligation | Australia Awards require 2-year return ? are you comfortable with this? |
Filter by all criteria before investing time in the application. Applying without meeting eligibility wastes your effort and the committee's time.
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