International Scholarships to Study in Latin America

If you’ve checked out the latest QS University Rankings: Latin America, you’ll know there are many leading universities to choose from across the region, many of them also featured in the overall world rankings.

Tuition fees and living costs are generally significantly lower in Latin America than in the rest of the Americas (I’m looking at you, US), but a little extra funding is still likely to come in handy for many international students.

Below you’ll find a selection of current study abroad scholarships and funding opportunities on offer to those hoping to study in Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Argentina or elsewhere in the Latin American region. While some are government scholarships, others are offered by individual universities or external organizations, for students at all levels of study.

To study anywhere in Latin America

• CIEE Bowman Travel Grants  – Study abroad scholarships for students pursuing study in Latin America, Africa, the Asia-Pacific or the Caribbean. Awards based on financial need.
• EUREKA SD Partnership – Bilateral short-term scholarships to study in Latin America for European students. Part of the EU’s student mobility initiative, Erasmus Mundus (now Erasmus+).
• OAS Scholarships Program – Master’s and PhD scholarships open to Canadian residents to study in any OAS Member State, such as Brazil, Peru, Mexico, Argentina and other partner countries around the world.
• Roberto Rocca Education Program – International scholarships to study in Latin America on undergraduate engineering and science programs. Open to residents of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, China, Ghana, Guatemala, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Romania, UK, US, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Scholarships to study in Argentina

• Mente Argentina Scholarships – Various partial international scholarships to study in Argentina at graduate level in Buenos Aires.
• Roberto Rocca Education Program - Argentina – International scholarships to study in Argentina on various undergraduate programs including engineering, geosciences and materials sciences at selected leading universities.
• Scholarships Argentina Spanish Scholarships – Various international scholarships, including 12 for the Spanish and Culture immersion program, 10 for the Latin American studies program and 10 for the Medical Observerships program.

Scholarships to study in Brazil

• Canada-Brazil Awards – Joint Research Projects – Awards promoting cross-cultural research projects between Canadian universities and Brazilian partners.
• IBRASIL Project – Erasmus Mundus – International scholarships for EU students to study in Brazil.
• The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) Fellowships – Fellowships for PhD and postdoctoral scientists from developing countries to work abroad in Brazil, Mexico or other countries.

Scholarships to study in Chile

• Chilean Nelson Mandela Scholarship – Study abroad scholarships for South African students (including Angola and Mozambique) to study in Chile for a master’s degree at selected institutions. Preferred subjects include astronomy, agriculture, energy, public policy, management, health, environment and mining.
• CONICYT National Doctoral Scholarship – PhD scholarships for international students looking to study in Chile at doctoral level.
• CONICYT National Master Scholarship – Graduate scholarships to study in Chile on a master’s degree.

Scholarships to study in Mexico

• Boren Scholarships – Study abroad scholarships for US students interested in working for the US federal government after graduation, to study in Latin America, Africa, Asia and other countries critical to US interests.
• British Academy Newton Mobility Grants – Exchange programs for postdoctoral UK students and students from partner countries to conduct research in partner nations, including Brazil and Mexico.
• Mexican Government Scholarships – Government scholarships to study in Mexico, open to all foreign students enrolling on master’s, doctoral or postgraduate research programs at selected institutions.
• Mexico Multicultural Nation University Programme – Scholarships for indigenous students worldwide to gain funding to study in Mexico at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM).
• Rainforest Alliance Kleinhans Fellowships – PhD scholarships for master’s degree holders in the fields of forestry, ecology, botany, environmental science or a related field, to conduct doctoral/postdoctoral research in Mexico and Central America’s Rainforest Alliance forestry projects.

Scholarships to study elsewhere in Latin America

• IFCO Full Scholarship Program – Study abroad scholarships for US students looking to study medicine in Cuba. Degree taught in Spanish.
• MasterCard Foundation Scholarships – Study abroad scholarships for African, Latin American and Caribbean students to study in Costa Rica.
• Wells Mountain Foundation ­­­– International scholarships for students from developing countries to study at home or within another developing country.

This article was originally published in June 2015. It was updated in June 2016. 

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