Scholarship Calendar 2026-2027: Month-by-Month Deadlines
The #1 reason students miss out on scholarships? They don’t know when to apply.
Most prestigious scholarship deadlines cluster in specific windows — and if you miss them, you wait a full year for the next cycle.
Here is your complete month-by-month calendar for the 2026-2027 scholarship cycle. Bookmark this page and check it every month.
—
How to Use This Calendar
- 🔴 This Month (Jul 2026): Urgent deadlines approaching within days
- 🟡 Next 30 Days (Aug 2026): Applications opening or closing soon
- 🟢 Planning Ahead (Sep 2026 onwards): Start preparing now
—
July 2026 🔴
If the table is wider than your screen, scroll within the table to see every column.
| Deadline | Scholarship | Level | Coverage | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 15 | AU RUFORUM Graduate Research Grants | Master’s, PhD | Full tuition | Apply now |
| Jul 31 | African Union Mwalimu Nyerere | Master’s, PhD | Fully funded | URGENT |
| Jul 31 | Mandela Rhodes Scholarship | Honours, Master’s | Fully funded | URGENT |
| Jul 31 | Oxford Ellison Scholars | Undergraduate | Fully funded | URGENT |
| Jul 31 | KOICA Scholarship (Korea) | Master’s, PhD | Fully funded | Apply now |
| Jul 31 | University of Pretoria LLM Human Rights | Master’s | Fully funded | Apply now |
—
August 2026 🟡
🔔 This is the most important month of the year. Multiple flagship programs open or close.
Closing in August
If the table is wider than your screen, scroll within the table to see every column.
| Deadline | Scholarship | Level | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 3 | Rhodes Southern Africa 2027 | Master’s, PhD | Fully funded |
| Aug 10 | Sabancı University Graduate (Turkey) | Master’s, PhD | Fully funded |
| Aug 13 | Deutschlandstipendium @ FU Berlin | All levels | Living Stipend |
| Aug 15 | DAAD In-Country/In-Region (Africa) | Master’s, PhD | Fully funded |
| Aug 20 | EAC Student Mobility (East Africa) | UG, Master’s, PhD | 197 fully funded spots |
| Aug 21 | Mastercard Foundation @ McGill | Master’s | Fully funded |
| Aug 27 | Rhodes West Africa 2027 | Master’s, PhD | Fully funded |
| Aug 27 | Rhodes Kenya 2027 | Master’s, PhD | Fully funded |
| Aug 28 | Sabancı University Undergraduate (Turkey) | Bachelors | Fully funded |
| Aug 31 | OWSD PhD Women in Science | PhD | Fully funded |
| Aug 31 | University of Cape Town Postgrad Funding | Master’s, PhD | Full tuition |
Opening in August
If the table is wider than your screen, scroll within the table to see every column.
| Opens | Scholarship | Level | Key Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 4 | Chevening Scholarship (UK) | Master’s | Closes Oct 6 |
| Aug | DAAD EPOS (Germany) | Master’s, PhD | Closes Aug-Oct |
| Aug | DAAD Helmut-Schmidt (Germany) | Master’s | Closes Aug |
| Aug | University-specific scholarships (various) | Varies | Rolling |
—
September 2026
If the table is wider than your screen, scroll within the table to see every column.
| Deadline | Scholarship | Level | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1 | Heinrich Böll Foundation (Germany) | Master’s, PhD | Fully funded |
| Sep 1 | Schlumberger Faculty for Future OPENS | PhD, Postdoc | Fully funded |
| Sep 15 | Santander Mobility (Spain) | All levels | €1,500 |
| Sep 30 | Expatrio Scholarship (Germany) | All levels | €15,000 prize |
| Sep 30 | QuestBridge National College Match (USA) | Undergraduate | Full ride ($325K+) |
Opens This Month
If the table is wider than your screen, scroll within the table to see every column.
| Opens | Scholarship | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 1 | Gates Cambridge (applications open) | Oct-Jan |
| Sep 1 | Schlumberger Faculty for Future | Nov 6, 2026 |
—
October 2026 🟡
If the table is wider than your screen, scroll within the table to see every column.
| Deadline | Scholarship | Level | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 6 | Chevening (UK) — FINAL DEADLINE | Master’s | Fully funded |
| Oct 6 | Knight-Hennessy @ Stanford (USA) | Master’s, PhD | Fully funded |
| Oct 7 | Rhodes Scholarship USA | Master’s, PhD | Fully funded |
| Oct 14 | Gates Cambridge (US round) | Master’s, PhD | Fully funded |
| Oct 15 | Swedish Institute Pioneering Women in STEM opens | Master’s | Fully funded |
| Oct 16 | Lester B. Pearson @ U of Toronto | Undergraduate | Fully funded |
| Oct | Oxford MSc African Studies (second round) | Master’s | Partially/fully funded |
—
November 2026
If the table is wider than your screen, scroll within the table to see every column.
| Deadline | Scholarship | Level | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1 | Emory University Scholar Programs (USA) | Undergraduate | Merit scholarships |
| Nov 5 | Chevening (some countries) | Master’s | Fully funded |
| Nov 6 | Schlumberger Faculty for Future | PhD, Postdoc | Fully funded |
| Nov 14 | Oxford MSc African Studies (first round) | Master’s | Fully funded |
| Nov 15 | Flinn Scholarship (Arizona HS seniors) | Undergraduate | Full ride ($135K+) |
| Nov 15 | University-specific merit (various USA) | Undergraduate | Varies |
| Nov | Commonwealth Scholarships (opens via agencies) | Master’s, PhD | Fully funded |
—
December 2026
If the table is wider than your screen, scroll within the table to see every column.
| Deadline | Scholarship | Level | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 1 | Vanderbilt Merit Scholarships (USA) | Undergraduate | Full tuition |
| Dec 1 | Gates Cambridge (international round) | Master’s, PhD | Fully funded |
| Dec 1 | University-specific deadlines (USA) | Undergraduate | Various |
| Dec 7 | Wichita State Merit (USA) | Undergraduate | $4K-$24K/yr |
| Dec | Rhodes (various countries) | Master’s, PhD | Fully funded |
| Dec | Clarendon Fund (Oxford auto-consideration) | Master’s, PhD | Fully funded |
—
January 2027
If the table is wider than your screen, scroll within the table to see every column.
| Deadline | Scholarship | Level | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 5 | University of Dallas Scholars of Excellence | Undergraduate | Full tuition |
| Jan 7 | Gates Cambridge (international round) | Master’s, PhD | Fully funded |
| Jan 15 | Stipendium Hungaricum (Hungary) | UG, Master’s, PhD | Fully funded |
| Jan 15 | Ohio University Admission Promise (USA) | Undergraduate | $2,000 |
| Jan | Erasmus Mundus (many programs close) | Master’s | Fully funded |
| Jan | Oxford course deadlines (auto-considered for Clarendon) | Master’s, PhD | Fully funded |
—
February 2027
If the table is wider than your screen, scroll within the table to see every column.
| Deadline | Scholarship | Level | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 15 | East Texas A&M Merit (USA) | Undergraduate | Up to $5,000/yr |
| Feb | Commonwealth Scholarships (varies by country) | Master’s, PhD | Fully funded |
| Feb | Türkiye Bursları (Turkey — applications open) | UG, Master’s, PhD | Fully funded |
| Feb | Australia Awards (varies by country) | UG, Master’s, PhD | Fully funded |
| Feb | DAAD scholarships (various) | Master’s, PhD | Monthly stipend |
—
March – April 2027
If the table is wider than your screen, scroll within the table to see every column.
| Month | Scholarship | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 1 | University-specific merit (various USA) | Varies |
| Mar 31 | Aga Khan Foundation Scholarship | Master’s, PhD |
| Apr 1 | University of Arizona FAFSA priority (USA) | Need-based |
| Apr | Australia Awards (varies by country) | Fully funded |
| Apr | GREAT Scholarships UK (varies by university) | £10K+ |
—
May – June 2027
If the table is wider than your screen, scroll within the table to see every column.
| Month | Scholarship | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| May | GREAT Scholarships UK (varies) | £10K+ |
| Jun 1 | Full-tuition Transfer @ University of Dallas | Undergraduate |
| Jun | Rhodes (applications open for new cycle) | Master’s, PhD |
—
Visual: The Scholarship Year at a Glance
“`
Jan ████ Stipendium Hungaricum, Erasmus Mundus, Oxford/Cambridge deadlines
Feb ████ Turkey applications open, Commonwealth, Australia Awards
Mar ████ University-specific USA, Aga Khan Foundation
Apr ████ Australia Awards, University-specific
May ████ GREAT Scholarships
Jun ████ Rhodes opens
Jul 🔴██ AU Nyerere, Mandela Rhodes, Ellison Scholars, KOICA
Aug 🔴██ CHEVENING OPENS, Rhodes Africa closes, DAAD In-Country, Mastercard Foundation
Sep 🟡██ Gates opens, QuestBridge, Schlumberger, Expatrio
Oct 🔴██ CHEVENING CLOSES, Rhodes USA, Knight-Hennessy, Gates US round
Nov 🟡██ Schlumberger, Commonweath opens, Emory, Flinn
Dec 🟡██ Vanderbilt, Gates international, Clarendon auto-consideration
“`
—
Your Personalized Action Plan
By Student Type
High School Senior:
- Jul-Sep: QuestBridge, Flinn, National College Match
- Oct-Dec: US university merit deadlines
- Jan-Apr: FAFSA, local scholarships, remaining university deadlines
Recent Graduate (0-2 yrs experience):
- Aug-Oct: Chevening (needs 2 yrs+ experience)
- Nov-Feb: Commonwealth Scholarships
- Dec-Jan: Erasmus Mundus
- Ongoing: DAAD (check specific program deadlines)
Professional (2+ yrs experience):
- Aug-Oct: Chevening (ideal timing)
- Aug-Oct: DAAD EPOS, Helmut-Schmidt
- Sep-Oct: Knight-Hennessy
- Nov-Feb: Commonwealth
PhD/Researcher:
- Sep-Nov: Schlumberger Faculty for Future
- Oct-Dec: Gates Cambridge
- Dec-Jan: Clarendon/Oxford
- Aug-Oct: DAAD Research Grants
- Ongoing: OWSD, various
—
Downloadable Checklist
Print this and stick it on your wall:
- [ ] July: Submit AU Nyerere, Mandela Rhodes, Ellison Scholars
- [ ] August: Prepare Chevening essays, submit DAAD In-Country, Mastercard Foundation
- [ ] September: Submit QuestBridge, Expatrio; start Gates Cambridge prep
- [ ] October: Submit Chevening, Knight-Hennessy, Rhodes USA
- [ ] November: Submit Schlumberger, prepare Commonwealth applications
- [ ] December: Submit Vanderbilt, Gates Cambridge
- [ ] January: Submit Erasmus Mundus, Stipendium Hungaricum
- [ ] February: Prepare Turkey Scholarships, Australia Awards
- [ ] March-April: Submit remaining university-specific applications
—
Bookmark this calendar — we update it every cycle. Missing a deadline is the #1 scholarship mistake. Don’t let it happen to you. Share with someone who’s planning their scholarship journey.