Scholarships That Pay You to Study: 10 Programmes With the Most Generous Monthly Living Allowances (2027)
Not all stipends are equal. Some scholarship living allowances are token amounts that cover perhaps a third of your actual costs. Others are generous enough that you finish your programme with savings rather than debt.
This post ranks the scholarships covered on this site by the generosity of their monthly living allowance, so you can identify which programmes offer the most financially comfortable experience alongside the academic opportunity.
Why the Stipend Amount Matters
When comparing scholarships, most people focus on whether tuition is covered and stop there. But the monthly stipend is what determines your actual quality of life during your programme.
A scholarship with a generous stipend in an affordable city is worth more in real terms than a larger stipend in an expensive one. The table below includes the host city context so you can make realistic comparisons.
The 10 Scholarships With the Most Generous Monthly Allowances
1. FIAS Fellowship Programme — France
Monthly allowance: €2,200
Host cities: Paris, Aix-Marseille, Lyon, Nantes, Montpellier, Cergy, Orléans-Tours
Duration: 10 months
Real-world purchasing power: In cities outside Paris, €2,200 is comfortable. In Paris, it requires careful budgeting.
Full guide: 👉 jobs.iammagnus.com/fias-fellowship-programme-2027-2028-fully-funded-10-month-research-fellowship-in-france-e2200-month/
2. Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholarship — UK
Monthly allowance: £1,592 for 18 months
Host city: Birmingham + London internship
Duration: 2 years total
Real-world purchasing power: £1,592 in Birmingham is workable. The London internship period requires tighter budgeting.
Full guide: 👉 jobs.iammagnus.com/mo-ibrahim-foundation-scholarship-2026-fully-funded-masters-in-the-uk-with-a-paid-internship-for-african-students/
3. IHE Delft Scholarship — Netherlands
Monthly allowance: €1,220
Host city: Delft, Netherlands
Duration: Full Master’s programme
Real-world purchasing power: Delft is significantly cheaper than Amsterdam. €1,220 covers basic living costs comfortably when accommodation is separately provided.
Full guide: 👉 jobs.iammagnus.com/ihe-delft-fully-funded-masters-scholarship-2026-e1220-month-for-water-professionals-from-africa-and-the-middle-east/
4. Friedrich Ebert Foundation — Germany
Monthly allowance: €992 + health insurance coverage
Host cities: Any German university city
Duration: Full study period (Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD)
Real-world purchasing power: €992 in German cities outside Munich or Frankfurt is genuinely workable, particularly with health insurance separately covered.
Full guide: 👉 jobs.iammagnus.com/friedrich-ebert-foundation-scholarship-2026-e992-month-for-international-students-in-germany/
5. KTU Lithuanian State Scholarship — Lithuania
Monthly allowance: €592 + full tuition
Host city: Kaunas, Lithuania
Duration: Full Master’s programme
Real-world purchasing power: Lithuania has one of the lowest costs of living in the EU. €592 in Kaunas is significantly more comfortable than €992 in Munich.
Full guide: 👉 jobs.iammagnus.com/ktu-scholarships-2026-how-to-get-a-masters-scholarship-with-a-monthly-stipend-at-kaunas-university-of-technology/
6. Flinders University AGRTPS — Australia
Annual stipend: $36,061 AUD tax-free (~$3,005/month)
Host city: Adelaide, South Australia
Duration: Up to 3.5 years
Real-world purchasing power: Adelaide is one of Australia’s most affordable major cities. $3,005/month tax-free with tuition and health cover already included is genuinely comfortable.
Full guide: 👉 jobs.iammagnus.com/flinders-university-australian-government-research-training-program-scholarship-2026-fully-funded-phd-for-international-students-36061-tax-free-per-year/
7. Sir James McNeill Scholarship — Monash University, Australia
Annual stipend: $53,608 AUD (~$4,467/month)
Host city: Melbourne, Australia
Duration: Full PhD period
Real-world purchasing power: Melbourne is more expensive than Adelaide, but $4,467/month is well above the local student standard of living — one of the most generous PhD stipends in Australia.
Full guide: 👉 jobs.iammagnus.com/sir-james-mcneill-postgraduate-research-scholarship-2026-53608-per-year-to-research-at-monash-university-australia/
8. Wellington Doctoral Scholarship — New Zealand
Annual stipend: $32,000 NZD (~$2,667/month)
Host city: Wellington, New Zealand
Duration: Up to 3 years
Real-world purchasing power: Wellington is New Zealand’s capital, moderately expensive by NZ standards. $2,667/month with full tuition covered is manageable.
Full guide: 👉 jobs.iammagnus.com/category/scholarship/
9. Jack Pearce Research Scholarship — Victoria University of Wellington
Annual value: $25,000 NZD ($20,000 tuition + ~$5,000 direct stipend)
Host city: Wellington, New Zealand
Duration: 1 year
Real-world purchasing power: Primarily a tuition award with a modest direct stipend, best understood as a significant cost reduction rather than a living allowance scholarship.
Full guide: 👉 jobs.iammagnus.com/category/scholarship/
10. MEXT Scholarship — Japan
Monthly allowance: ¥117,000 (~€730 / ~$800 USD)
Host cities: Any Japanese university city
Duration: Full Master’s or PhD programme
Real-world purchasing power: Japan’s cost of living varies significantly by city. ¥117,000 is adequate in smaller university cities and tight in Tokyo. The additional benefit of covered tuition and flights improves the overall picture significantly.
The Real Purchasing Power Ranking
When you factor in the cost of living at the host city, not just the nominal stipend amount, the ranking shifts:
| Scholarship | Monthly Stipend | City Cost | Real Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sir James McNeill | $4,467 AUD/mo | Melbourne (high) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Flinders AGRTPS | $3,005 AUD/mo | Adelaide (medium) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| FIAS France | €2,200/mo | Provincial France (medium) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Mo Ibrahim | £1,592/mo | Birmingham (medium) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| IHE Delft | €1,220/mo | Delft (medium-low) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Friedrich Ebert | €992/mo | German cities (medium) | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| KTU Lithuania | €592/mo | Kaunas (low) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Wellington Doctoral | $2,667 NZD/mo | Wellington (medium-high) | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| MEXT Japan | ¥117,000/mo | Varies | ⭐⭐⭐ |
FAQ
Which scholarship pays the highest monthly stipend?
In absolute terms, the Sir James McNeill Scholarship at Monash pays the most, approximately $4,467 AUD per month. In purchasing power terms, the KTU Lithuanian scholarship at €592/month in Kaunas offers remarkable real-world value given Lithuania’s low cost of living.
Are stipends taxable?
Tax treatment varies by country. Australian scholarship stipends (AGRTPS, Sir James McNeill) are generally tax-exempt. UK, French, and German stipends have specific tax rules, confirm with the host institution before making financial plans.
Can I work part-time alongside a stipend scholarship?
Most scholarship programmes allow limited part-time work, typically 20 hours per week for student visas and up to 600 hours per year for the Wellington Doctoral Scholarship. Check each programme’s specific conditions.
