Scholarships and Funding for Filipino Students Planning to Study Abroad

Scholarships for Filipino students planning to study abroad come in three main forms: fully funded government awards, partial university scholarships and discounts, and EU joint master’s funding. The catch is timing and study level.

The best-known fully funded awards, including Chevening, Australia Awards and Manaaki New Zealand, are for postgraduate study and run on fixed annual cycles, so you generally need to apply a year or more before you plan to start.

This guide explains what each option covers, who can apply, when applications typically open and how to plan your funding across the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Spain.

What Types of Scholarships and Funding Can Filipino Students Get?

Most students who study abroad fund their studies from more than one source, so it helps to know what each type can and can’t do.

• Fully funded government awards: Cover tuition, living costs and flights, but are highly competitive and mostly limited to postgraduate study
• University merit scholarships and discounts: Reduce tuition by a percentage or a fixed amount, and are the most common route for undergraduates
• EU joint master’s scholarships: Fund study across more than one European country, with Spain included in many programmes
• Family funds, savings and education loans: Often combined with a partial scholarship, since overseas study is frequently a family-wide commitment

If you’re a parent of a Senior High School student, this distinction matters. Fully funded awards are almost always postgraduate, so an undergraduate budget usually depends on merit discounts and choosing affordable universities.

Which Scholarships Are Open to Filipino Students at a Glance?

Peso conversions are approximate and based on exchange rates at the time of writing, so treat them as a guide rather than an exact amount.

Which Scholarships Can Filipino Students Apply For in the UK?

The UK’s flagship award is Chevening, a fully funded one-year master’s at any eligible UK university. You need to be a Philippine citizen with an undergraduate degree and at least two years of work experience, apply to three eligible courses, and hold an unconditional offer from one of them by the July deadline.

Chevening scholars also commit to returning to the Philippines for at least two years after the award. Applications typically open around August and close in early October, for study starting the following September or October.

If you don’t yet have the work experience Chevening requires, or you’re applying at undergraduate level, university-level funding is the more practical route, including merit scholarships for international students at many UK universities. Some schemes, such as the British Council’s GREAT Scholarships, only run for selected countries each year, so check whether the Philippines is included before you plan around one.

Which Scholarships Can Filipino Students Apply For in Australia?

The main government award is Australia Awards, which funds master’s study in priority areas such as agriculture, climate change, education, health, governance and economics. Applicants must have lived in the Philippines for at least 12 months, and returning scholars complete a ReEntry Action Plan to apply their learning at home. Applications typically open around February and close at the end of April, for study starting the following year.

Many Australian universities also offer merit scholarships open to Filipino applicants. RMIT University, for example, offers an Academic Merit Scholarship worth a 20 percent tuition reduction to students from the Philippines and several other Southeast Asian countries.

On a course costing AUD 40,000, that would save around AUD 8,000, or roughly ₱352,000 at recent exchange rates. Our guides to the cost of studying in Australia for Filipino students and Australian scholarships cover the wider funding picture.

Which Scholarships Can Filipino Students Apply For in New Zealand?

The Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships are open to Philippine citizens for postgraduate study, from postgraduate certificates through to PhDs. The award covers tuition, a living allowance, an establishment allowance, insurance and flights, and it is aimed at development-related study. Applications typically open around March each year, with scholars starting study the following year, so it pays to prepare well in advance.

New Zealand is also growing in interest because of family rules. Manaaki holders can generally support their children on a student visa, which is not the case for most other students. Our comparison of Australia and New Zealand for bringing your family explains how this works in practice.

Which Scholarships Can Filipino Students Apply For in Spain?

Spain’s best-known scholarships are narrower than many guides suggest, so it’s worth being realistic. The MAEC-AECID Programa Máster funds master’s study in Spain for public-sector employees from Latin America and the Philippines, with details published by AECID. It is a development-cooperation programme rather than an open competition, so it suits students already working in the public sector.

For most Filipino applicants, Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s programmes are the most realistic fully funded route, with a monthly allowance of around €1,400 (about ₱99,000) and study in at least two European countries. Applications usually run from October to January, around a year before the programme starts. Many Spanish universities also offer their own discounts, often decided alongside your admission.

When Should You Apply? Scholarship Timelines

As a rule of thumb, start researching 12 to 18 months before you want to begin, since most fully funded awards open about a year ahead of the study start date. These patterns are based on previous cycles and can change, so always confirm the dates on the official scholarship website before you plan around them.

Do Scholarship Winners Have to Return to the Philippines?

For many government awards, yes. Chevening requires scholars to return to their country of citizenship for at least two years, and Australia Awards builds a ReEntry Action Plan into the programme. These are development scholarships, so check each scheme’s return conditions before you apply.

Partial university scholarships usually don’t carry the same requirement, though any post-study work or residency options still depend on the visa rules in force at the time.

How Can You Tell a Genuine Scholarship From a Scam?

Scholarship scams are common, and families investing a lot in an overseas education are an obvious target. A few checks help.

• Apply only through the official government or university website, never through a link sent in a message
• Be wary of anyone who asks for a processing fee to secure a government scholarship
• Treat guaranteed awards with suspicion, since genuine scholarships are competitive
• Check that the website address matches the official funder, such as a .gov or .ac domain

Can You Get a Loan to Study Abroad?

Some Filipino families explore education loans from Philippine banks or financing institutions alongside savings and family contributions. StudyIn doesn’t provide loans or financing, but our counsellors can talk through realistic funding routes and help you plan the show money you’ll need for your visa.

Find Available Scholarships

Choosing the right funding route starts with an honest picture of your academic profile, budget and timeline. StudyIn’s counselling is completely free and personal, and our counsellors support Filipino students from choosing a course and destination through applications, financial evidence, visa preparation and pre-departure.

We can’t award scholarships or guarantee outcomes, but we can help you apply to the right universities early and avoid missed deadlines. If you’d like to talk through your options, book a free session.

FAQs

Are there scholarships for Filipino students to study abroad?

Yes. Filipino students can apply for fully funded government awards such as Chevening, Australia Awards and Manaaki New Zealand, EU joint master’s scholarships such as Erasmus Mundus, and partial scholarships offered by individual universities.

How early should I apply for scholarships to study abroad?

Start researching 12 to 18 months before you want to begin. Fully funded government awards usually open about a year before the study start date, and most scholarships are linked to a university application.

Are scholarships available for undergraduate Filipino students?

Fully funded awards are mostly postgraduate. Undergraduates usually rely on university merit scholarships and discounts, which reduce tuition but rarely cover living costs.

Do I have to return to the Philippines after a scholarship?

Many government-funded awards expect you to return, for example Chevening requires at least two years back in your country of citizenship. Partial university scholarships usually don’t carry this condition.

Are tuition discounts available for Filipino students?

Yes. Some universities offer discounts to students from the Philippines or Southeast Asia, such as RMIT University’s 20 percent Academic Merit Scholarship, but availability and values change each intake.

How do I avoid scholarship scams?

Apply only through official government or university websites, never pay a fee to secure a government scholarship, and be cautious of anyone who guarantees an award.