Fully Funded Scholarships for Mozambique Students 2026 — Chevening, Commonwealth, Portugal, Brazil

Mozambique Has One of the Most Active Chevening Programs in Africa — And Most Students Don’t Realize It

The Republic of Mozambique is not just eligible for Chevening scholarships. It has one of the most established Chevening programs on the continent.

Since its creation, more than 350 Mozambicans have benefited from the Chevening Scholarship. In 2025, ten more Mozambican students will head to the UK to continue this legacy of academic excellence and international cooperation.

Twelve Mozambican students are currently in the United Kingdom, with a return scheduled for 2026.

350+ alumni. 10 new scholars in 2025. 12 currently studying in the UK. This is not a symbolic program, it is a real, active, consistently funded pipeline of Mozambican professionals studying at British universities.

But Chevening is only one part of Mozambique’s scholarship landscape. Mozambique has a unique position shaped by two facts most scholarship guides overlook:

It is a Portuguese-speaking country — opening access to Portugal’s government scholarships, Brazilian scholarship programs, and the CPLP (Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa) educational network.

Mozambique is a Commonwealth member despite never having been a British colony — having joined in 1995 following the end of the civil war, making it one of only two Commonwealth members without British colonial history.

This combination — Lusophone academic world + Commonwealth membership, gives Mozambican students access to a scholarship landscape that is genuinely unlike any other country in this Africa series.

1. Chevening Scholarship — United Kingdom (£1,378-1,690/month)

Chevening is the most well-established scholarship for Mozambican students and has the strongest alumni network in the country.

The British High Commissioner, Helen Lewis, highlighted that the United Kingdom sees education as one of the main catalysts for inclusive development and growth.

The UK also offers Commonwealth Scholarships and direct scholarships to British universities in addition to Chevening, confirming multiple UK scholarship pathways for Mozambican students.

What it covers:

• Full university tuition fees
• Monthly living allowance: £1,690 (London) / £1,378 (outside London)
• Economy class return airfare
• Additional academic grants

Requirements:

• 2 years of work experience (~2,800 hours)
• IELTS 6.5+ or TOEFL iBT 79+ — required
• Must return to Mozambique after scholarship

The IBE connection: The Mozambique Scholarship Institute (IBE — Instituto Bolsas de Estudo) coordinates government scholarship nominations including Chevening. The event was attended by representatives of the Mozambique Scholarship Institute (IBE). Contact IBE directly for current year application guidance: ibe.gov.mz

Apply at: chevening.org/scholarship/mozambique/

Next cycle: Opens August 2027, closes November 2027.

2. Commonwealth Scholarships — United Kingdom (Multiple Categories)

Mozambique joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1995, one of only two countries to do so without British colonial history. This decision has paid significant scholarship dividends for Mozambican students for three decades.

Confirmed active categories for Mozambican students:

Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme: Applications are currently being accepted for the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship programme — one of three Master’s programmes offered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission.

Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships: Applications are currently being accepted for the Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships 2026-2027 for Mozambique students.

PhD Scholarships: Available for developing Commonwealth countries — Mozambique is eligible.

What each covers: Full tuition fees, monthly living allowance, economy class return airfare, thesis grants, study travel grants within the UK.

Apply through: IBE (Instituto Bolsas de Estudo) — ibe.gov.mz — and the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission: cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk

Deadline: Typically October-December for the following academic year.

3. Ruth First Scholarship — Durham University, UK (Mozambique-Specific!)

From the earlier research in this series: the Ruth First Scholarship at Durham University specifically lists Mozambique as an eligible country alongside Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

This gives Mozambican students access to a regionally targeted UK scholarship at one of the UK’s top universities (Durham consistently ranks in the top 10 in the UK).

Apply at: dur.ac.uk — search Ruth First Scholarship in postgraduate financial support.

4. Portuguese Government Scholarships — Portugal (CPLP Advantage)

Mozambique’s Portuguese-speaking status opens a scholarship pathway that no Anglophone African country in this series can access: Portugal’s direct bilateral scholarship programs.

Camões Institute (Camões – Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua): Portugal’s cultural and cooperation institute provides scholarships for students from CPLP member countries including Mozambique. Programs cover postgraduate study at Portuguese universities.

FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia): Portugal’s science and technology foundation provides research fellowships and doctoral scholarships for students from Portuguese-speaking countries, including Mozambique, in science, technology, and research.

Key advantage: Portugal offers tuition-free or very low tuition education at public universities. A Camões scholarship or FCT fellowship in Portugal gives Mozambican students European university education at dramatically lower cost than equivalent UK or French programs.

Apply through: Camões Institute — camoes.mne.gov.pt — and directly via Portuguese universities in your target field.

5. Brazilian Scholarships — CAPES and CNPq

Brazil is a Portuguese-speaking country with active scholarship programs for Lusophone Africa and Mozambique is a primary beneficiary.

CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior): Brazil’s Ministry of Education funding agency provides scholarships for Mozambican students at Brazilian universities through bilateral agreements. Programs particularly strong in agriculture, tropical medicine, engineering, and social sciences.

CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico): Brazil’s national research council provides research fellowships for students from Portuguese-speaking African countries (PALOP, Países Africanos de Língua Oficial Portuguesa).

Why Brazil specifically: Brazil and Mozambique share not just language but tropical agricultural conditions, public health challenges, and development contexts. Brazilian university programs in tropical agriculture, public health, and environmental science are directly applicable to Mozambican development needs.

Apply through: The Brazilian Embassy in Maputo and directly via Brazilian federal universities — capes.gov.br

6. Australian Awards — Australia (Fully Funded)

Mozambique is among eligible developing countries for Australian Awards.

What it covers: Full tuition + return economy airfare + establishment allowance + monthly living stipend + Overseas Student Health Cover.

Requirements: IELTS 6.5+ typically.

Apply through: Australian Embassy covering Mozambique — dfat.gov.au/australiaawards

Deadline: Typically February-April.

7. DAAD Scholarships — Germany (€934-1,300/month)

It offers multiple pathways for Mozambican students, with the EPOS program particularly relevant.

DAAD EPOS (Development-Related Postgraduate Courses): DAAD EPOS Scholarship 2026 at Freie Universität Berlin is specifically active for Mozambique-eligible students. EPOS targets development-related fields directly aligned with Mozambique’s priorities, natural resource management, agriculture, public health, governance.

DAAD Study Scholarships: €934/month for Master’s. Deadline mid-October.

Language: MOI Certificate accepted for English-medium programs, generate at: MOI Generator

8. CSC China Scholarship (CNY 3,000-3,500/month + Free Tuition)

Mozambique is included in China’s FOCAC scholarship framework for African countries.

What it covers: Full tuition + CNY 3,000-3,500/month + free accommodation + health insurance. No IELTS required.

Apply through: Chinese Embassy in Maputo — cn.chinaembassy.org/mozambique or campuschina.org.

Deadline: Embassy track December-January.

9. Fulbright Foreign Student Program — USA

The US Embassy in Maputo administers Fulbright for Mozambique. Given Mozambique’s post-conflict reconstruction context and growing LNG sector, Fulbright applications in public health, governance, energy policy, and environmental management are particularly competitive.

Apply through: US Embassy Maputo — mz.usembassy.gov

Deadline: Typically July-August.

10. GKS Korea (Global Korea Scholarship)

GKS Korea requires no English test, has a minimum GPA of only 2.64/4.0, and is one of the most accessible fully funded scholarships for Mozambican students.

What it covers: Full tuition + monthly stipend (~USD 650-700) + funded Korean language year + round-trip airfare.

Apply through: Korean Embassy. Embassy Track closes February.

11. MEXT Japan Scholarship

Open to Mozambican students via the MEXT Embassy Track.

What it covers: Full tuition + monthly stipend JPY 143,000-147,000 (~USD 950-980) + round-trip airfare + Japanese language year.

Deadline: Embassy Track May-June.

12. Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships

As a Commonwealth developing country, Mozambique is eligible for New Zealand scholarships for postgraduate study in development-relevant fields.

Apply at: mfat.govt.nz/en/aid-and-development/scholarships/

13. Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program

Mozambican students from disadvantaged backgrounds with demonstrated academic excellence and community leadership are competitive applicants given Mozambique’s development context.

Apply through partner universities: mastercardfdn.org/scholarships

14. Erasmus Mundus — Europe (€1,100-1,400/month)

Open to all nationalities. Mozambican students are eligible for all consortium programs, with some French-Portuguese bilingual consortium tracks accessible.

Deadline: Most consortiums January-February.

15. Stipendium Hungaricum — Hungary (Europe)

Full tuition + accommodation support + monthly stipend (~EUR 115-130) + health insurance.

Apply at: stipendiumhungaricum.hu — deadline January-February.

The Natural Gas Context — Energy Sector Scholarship Angle

The discovery of massive natural gas reserves in Mozambique’s Rovuma Basin in the 2010s positioned Mozambique among the world’s most significant emerging LNG producers. Operators including TotalEnergies, Eni, and ExxonMobil have multi-billion dollar investments in the country.

For Mozambican students applying to:

• DAAD EPOS in environmental science or energy policy
• Fulbright in economic development
• Portuguese or Brazilian scholarships in engineering
• GKS Korea or CSC China in petroleum engineering

The Rovuma Basin natural gas development provides a powerful development narrative: studying energy management, environmental protection, or economic policy with the explicit intention of contributing to Mozambique’s sustainable LNG transition is both nationally relevant and internationally compelling.

Quick Reference: Scholarships for Mozambican Students 2026

Mozambique’s Unique Scholarship Position — Three Advantages

1. Commonwealth Without Colonial History Mozambique’s Commonwealth membership gives full access to Chevening, Commonwealth Scholarships, and British university direct scholarships, without the colonial history that most Commonwealth members share with the UK. This combination of independence from colonial legacy plus Commonwealth scholarship access is genuinely unique.

2. Portuguese = CPLP Scholarship World Portuguese-language proficiency opens Portugal’s Camões scholarships, Brazilian CAPES/CNPq programs, and the entire CPLP academic network, a scholarship landscape no English-speaking or French-speaking African country in this series can access. Mozambican students who apply only to English-medium scholarships are leaving the Portuguese-language world entirely unused.

3. IBE as National Coordinator The Instituto Bolsas de Estudo (IBE) is Mozambique’s official national scholarship coordination body centralized, government-backed, and active. This means a Mozambican student has a single official point of contact for understanding government-supported scholarship nominations rather than navigating multiple ministries.

Practical Tips for Mozambican Applicants

1. Contact IBE first — ibe.gov.mz The Mozambique Scholarship Institute coordinates government scholarship nominations including Chevening and Commonwealth. Before applying independently, contact IBE to understand which scholarships are currently nominatable and whether you qualify for a government-backed nomination.

2. Apply to Portuguese and Brazilian scholarships before UK/German programs If your field is well-served by Portuguese or Brazilian universities, the linguistic advantage makes these programs less competitive than Anglophone programs. Portuguese-medium university programs in Europe and Brazil are an underused pathway for Mozambican students.

3. English for Chevening — plan 6-8 months ahead Chevening requires IELTS 6.5+. Most Mozambican secondary and university education is Portuguese-medium. Begin IELTS preparation well in advance of the November deadline. See: IELTS vs TOEFL vs Duolingo for Scholarship Applications 2026 — Which Test?

4. Use MOI Certificate for DAAD and CSC China Both accept a free Medium of Instruction Certificate instead of IELTS for English-medium programs. Generate at: MOI Generator

5. The natural gas narrative strengthens development applications For DAAD EPOS, Fulbright, Portuguese engineering scholarships, or CSC China, a study plan connected to Mozambique’s Rovuma Basin LNG development, sustainable energy transition, or environmental management of natural resources is both personally credible and nationally compelling.

FAQ

Is Chevening active for Mozambique?

Very much so. More than 350 Mozambicans have benefited from Chevening, with 10 new scholars heading to the UK in 2025 and 12 currently studying in the UK. It is one of the most active Chevening programs in Southern Africa.

How did Mozambique join the Commonwealth if it was never a British colony?

Mozambique applied to and was admitted to the Commonwealth in 1995, following the end of its civil war. The decision was driven by regional integration with SADC neighbors who are Commonwealth members. It made Mozambique (alongside Rwanda) one of only two Commonwealth members without British colonial history.

What is IBE?

The Instituto Bolsas de Estudo (IBE) is the Mozambique Scholarship Institute, the government body that coordinates international scholarship nominations including Chevening and Commonwealth. Contact ibe.gov.mz for current year nominations.

Can Mozambican students access Portuguese government scholarships?

Yes, Mozambique is a CPLP (Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa) member. Portugal’s Camões Institute provides bilateral scholarships for Mozambican postgraduate students at Portuguese universities.

Is the Ruth First Scholarship available for Mozambique?

Yes, Mozambique is specifically listed as an eligible country for the Ruth First Scholarship at Durham University alongside Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.