15 Highest Paying PhD Scholarships for International Students 2027

Not all fully funded PhDs pay the same. Some give you a few hundred dollars a month; others pay more than many full-time jobs. We ranked the PhD scholarships open to international students with the highest stipends, and checked every amount on the official page.

Note: Amounts are the latest official rates and change every year. A high stipend in an expensive city (London, Singapore, Stanford) may go less far than a smaller one elsewhere. Rent matters as much as the headline figure.

Closing soon

• Commonwealth PhD Scholarships: 20 October 2026 (Nigerians eligible)
• Imperial President's PhD Scholarships: 2 November 2026 (first round)
• Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme: 1 December 2026

The list

1. AI Singapore PhD Scholarship (NUS), Singapore

• Stipend: S$6,300 a month for international students
• Also: 4 years of subsidised tuition
• Field: artificial intelligence research
• Catch: international recipients must work for 2 years in a Singapore-based company afterwards
• Official: https://nusgs.nus.edu.sg/scholarships/ai-singapore-scholarship/

2. Stanford Biosciences PhD Fellowships, USA

• Stipend: US$58,460 a year (2026–27)
• Also: tuition, health and dental insurance
• Catch: only a limited number of fellowships for the most competitive international applicants
• Official: https://biosciences.stanford.edu/faqs/do-you-offer-fellowships-to-international-applicants/

3. Princeton University PhD Funding, USA

• Stipend: US$52,680 for a 12-month University Fellowship (2026–27)
• Also: PhD students are funded through fellowships and assistantships
• Official: https://gradschool.princeton.edu/financial-support/financial-support-model/funding-calendar-university-rates-costs

4. Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, Hong Kong

• Stipend: HK$344,400 a year (about HK$28,700 a month, 2026–27)
• Also: HK$14,400 a year for conference and research travel; many universities add a tuition waiver or top-ups
• Where: 8 Hong Kong universities, including HKU, CUHK and HKUST
• Deadline: 1 December 2026, 12:00 noon Hong Kong time
• Official: https://www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/funding_opport/hkpfs/

5. A*STAR Computing and Information Science (ACIS) Scholarship, Singapore

• Stipend: S$4,550 a month for international students (NUS rate)
• Also: full tuition, plus book, computer, conference and thesis allowances
• Catch: non-Singaporeans must work in Singapore for 3 years afterwards. A*STAR's page also says non-Singaporeans need a degree from a Singapore university, so check this before applying.
• Official: https://www.a-star.edu.sg/Scholarships/For-Graduate-Studies/A-STAR-CIS-Scholarship

6. Nanyang President's Graduate Scholarship (NTU), Singapore

• Stipend: S$4,300 a month for international students
• Also: tuition fees covered, up to 4 years, no bond
• Requirement: a first-class honours degree or equivalent; open to all nationalities
• Official: https://www.ntu.edu.sg/admissions/graduate/financialmatters/scholarships/npgs

7. Imperial College Business School PhD Scholarship, UK

• Stipend: £29,580 a year (2026–27), tax-free
• Also: full tuition waiver (including overseas fees), for up to 5 years
• Official: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/business-school/phd/funding-scholarships/

8. NUS President's Graduate Fellowship, Singapore

• Stipend: S$3,900 a month for international students
• Also: full tuition waiver, up to 4 years
• Catch: international students complete 312 hours of teaching duties
• Official: https://nusgs.nus.edu.sg/scholarships/presidents-graduate-fellowship

9. Imperial President's PhD Scholarships, UK

• Stipend: £27,036 a year (2027–28 rate)
• Also: full tuition fees for a 3.5-year PhD; open to all nationalities
• Requirement: first-class degree or distinction-level master's, and an agreed Imperial supervisor
• Deadlines: 2 November 2026, 11 January 2027 or 1 March 2027
• Official: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding/postgraduate-doctoral/grants-scholarships/presidents-phd/

10. NUS Research Scholarship, Singapore

• Stipend: S$3,000 a month, rising by S$500 after you pass the PhD qualifying exam
• Also: full tuition waiver, up to 4 years
• Official: https://nusgs.nus.edu.sg/scholarships/nus-research-scholarship

11. University of Sydney RTP and International Stipend, Australia

• Stipend: A$44,293 a year (2027 rate)
• Also: 100% tuition and Overseas Student Health Cover
• Next deadline: 18 December 2026 (for research periods 3 and 4, 2027)
• Official: https://www.sydney.edu.au/scholarships/australian-government-research-training-program/rtp-international.html

12. Gates Cambridge Scholarship, UK

• Stipend: £23,152 a year (2026–27)
• Also: full university fees, flights at the start and end, visa costs and the Immigration Health Surcharge
• Who: outstanding applicants from any country outside the UK
• Official: https://www.gatescambridge.org/programme/the-scholarship/

13. Commonwealth PhD Scholarships, UK

• Stipend: £2,000 a month in London, or £1,712 a month elsewhere
• Also: full tuition, return flights, study travel grant, fieldwork flights and family allowances
• Who: citizens of eligible Commonwealth countries, including Nigeria. You apply through your national nominating agency and the CSC portal.
• Deadline: 20 October 2026, 16:00 UK time (your nominator may close earlier)
• Official: https://cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk/scholarships/commonwealth-phd-scholarships-for-least-developed-countries-and-vulnerable-states/

14. KAUST Fellowship, Saudi Arabia

• Stipend: US$25,000 to US$30,000 a year, depending on qualifications and progress
• Also: free campus housing, full tuition and bench fees (worth up to US$35,000 a year), health insurance and relocation support
• Who: every admitted KAUST PhD student receives it
• Official: https://admissions.kaust.edu.sa/fees-funding

15. Clarendon Scholarship (Oxford), UK

• Stipend: at least £20,780 a year (2025–26)
• Also: full course fees; no restrictions on nationality or subject
• How: no separate application; apply to your Oxford course by the December or January deadline
• Official: https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/fees-and-funding/funding/clarendon

Tips

• KAUST may leave you with the most money: housing is free, so most of the stipend is savings.
• Singapore scholarships pay well, but several come with a work bond. Read the terms.
• US PhDs usually fund you through your department; you apply for admission, not for a separate scholarship.