International Scholarships to Study in Latin America

If you’ve checked out the latest QS Latin America University Rankings, 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 (we’re 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+).
• Roberto Rocca Education Program – International scholarships to study in Latin America on undergraduate engineering and science programs. Open to residents of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Ghana, Guatemala, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Romania, the UK, Uruguay and the US.

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 and 10 for the Latin American studies program.
• Universidad de Buenos Aires Financial Aid Scholarships – A range of scholarships to study at Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA).

Scholarships to study in Brazil

• BRASA Brazil Initiation Scholarship - A US$1,500 travel scholarship for students in the US to do exploratory research or language study in Brazil.
• Canada-Brazil Awards – Joint Research Projects – Awards promoting cross-cultural research projects between Canadian universities and Brazilian partners.
• The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) Fellowships – Fellowships for PhD and postdoctoral scientists from developing countries to work abroad in Brazil 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. Both the doctoral and master scholarships have ended, so check back to www.conicyt.cl at a later date for the 2018 round.
• Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC) – A range of scholarships to study at the university.

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 Mexico.
• Tecnológico de Monterrey scholarships – A range of scholarships to study at Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM), including the Socioeconomic Scholarship for students with a grade average of 85/100 who require financial aid.
• UNAM postgraduate scholarships – Scholarships for international master’s and doctoral students to study at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), awarded as monthly maintenance grants.
• 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.
• 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 or other Latin American countries.

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.
• Universidad de Costa Rica Scholarships - Socioeconomic grants are available for students with limited financial resources who demonstrate academic excellence.
• 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 last updated in October 2018.

Want more content like this? Register for free site membership to get regular updates and your own personal content feed.