Fully Funded vs Partial Scholarships: What They Actually Cover

Not all scholarships are equal, and the word "funded" hides a lot. Before you spend hours on an application, know exactly what you're competing for.

Fully funded

These cover tuition, living stipend, and usually return flights. Many also include health insurance, a settling-in allowance, and a research/thesis grant. Chevening and Commonwealth are classic examples. Competition is fierce — but so is the payoff.

Partial / tuition-only

These waive some or all tuition but leave living costs to you. They can still be worth it if you have savings or can work part-time under your visa — but budget honestly for rent, food, and transport in the host city.

The hidden costs to plan for

• Visa and biometrics fees
• Proof-of-funds bank balance (even when funded)
• IELTS/TOEFL and application fees
• The gap between arrival and your first stipend payment

On FundedAfrica, every listing is tagged by funding type so you can filter to fully funded in one click and stop guessing.