20 Scholarships & Opportunities Closing This December 2025 – Don’t Miss Out

December​‍​‌‍​‍‌ is typically a month where people celebrate, take a break, and think about the past year, but for students, job seekers, and ambitious young professionals, it is also one of the most important months of the year. The majority of fully funded scholarships, fellowships, and worldwide opportunities close their application doors in December, and not having your application in time could mean having to wait a whole year to get another chance.

While the academic and professional world is gearing up for 2026, the application cycles of international organizations, elite universities, and global funding bodies for 2025 are coming to an end. In that way, December is a very intense and very rewarding period for those who want to study abroad, advance their careers or get international exposure and are up for taking a bold ​‍​‌‍​‍‌step.

To help you stay ahead, Scholarshiplit has compiled 20 major scholarships and opportunities closing this December 2025. These programs offer life-changing benefits, including:

1. Fully funded tuition
2. Monthly stipends
3. Travel expenses
4. Research grants
5. Accommodation support
6. Global networking opportunities

If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to apply, Scholars, this is it. Don’t let the year end without shooting your shot.

These are the top 20 scholarships and fully funded opportunities with deadlines in December 2025 that every student and professional should pay attention to:

1. Sanders Family Foundation HDR Top-Up Scholarship 2026

1. Application Deadline: 15 December 2025
2. Value: $12,000 per annum
3. Study Level: Postgraduate Research (PhD)
4. Sponsor: Sanders Family Foundation / University of Queensland
5. Course to Study: PhD in Parenting & Family Psychology
6. Eligible Country: All Countries

Related Topics: Finding Local Scholarships: A Step-by-Step Guide for Students

2. AfDB–Shanghai Ocean University (SHOU) Scholarship 2026

1. Application Deadline: 10 December 2025
2. Value: Full tuition, accommodation, meals, monthly stipend (flights & visa not included)
3. Study Level: Summer School, Masters, PhD
4. Sponsor: African Development Bank Group (AfDB) & Shanghai Ocean University (SHOU)
5. Course to Study: Marine Science, Aquaculture, Fisheries, Ocean Governance & related fields
6. Eligible Country: All African countries

3. ESRC WGSSS PhD Scholarship in Economics (RS888) 2026

1. Application Deadline: 11 December 2025
2. Value: Fully funded (tuition + £20,780 annual stipend + Research Training Support Grant)
3. Study Level: PhD (Economics)
4. Sponsor: ESRC Wales Graduate School for the Social Sciences (WGSSS) & Swansea University
5. Course to Study: PhD in Economics (ESRC WGSSS Economics Pathway – RS888)
6. Eligible Country: All Countries

4. UNSW Scientia Scholarship for Commencing Undergraduates 2026

1. Application Deadline: 18 December 2025 (UAC Round 2)
2. Value: $10,000 (duration of program)
3. Study Level: Undergraduate
4. Sponsor: University of New South Wales (UNSW)
5. Course to study: Eligible full-time undergraduate degree programs (except most BMed MD)
6. Eligible Country: Australia

5. Echidna Global Scholars Program 2026

1. Application Deadline: December 15, 2025
2. Value: Fully Funded (includes travel, stipend, and research support)
3. Study Level: Postgraduate, Fellowship
4. Sponsor: Brookings Institution
5. City to Study: Washington, D.C.
6. Eligible Country: Global South countries

Related Topic: How to Get Scholarships in Canada for International Students – Complete 2025 Guide

6. FAO Internship Programme 2025 (Headquarters – Rome)

1. Application Deadline: 31 December 2025
2. Value: Monthly Stipend
3. Study Level: Internship
4. Sponsor: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations
5. Host Country: Italy (Rome HQ)
6. Eligible Countries: FAO Member States (All Regions)

7. African Youth Ambassadors for Peace (AYAP) 2026

1. Application Deadline: 15 December 2025
2. Type: Fellowship
3. Sponsor: African Union
4. Tenure: 2 years (non-renewable)
5. Eligible Gender: Men & Women
6. Eligible Countries: All African Countries

8.2026 University of Arizona CBC Graduate Program in United States

1. Application Deadline: December 15, 2025
2. Value: Fully Funded (Stipend $29,500 per year + Tuition + Health Insurance)
3. Study Level: Postgraduate (PhD)
4. Host Country: United States
5. School to Study: University of Arizona
6. Sponsor: University of Arizona
7. Course to Study: Chemistry, Biochemistry
8. Eligible Country: All Countries

9. Water Literacy PhD Studentship 2026 at University of Portsmouth

1. Application Deadline: 16 January 2026
2. Value: Fully funded – Tuition + £20,780 annual stipend + £1,500 p.a. for project costs/consumables
3. Study Level: PhD (3 years full-time)
4. Sponsor: University of Portsmouth
5. Course to Study: Towards a Water Literate Society: Deconstructing Environmental Habit Forming in Early Childhood
6. Eligible Country: UK & International students

10. Pan African University Call for Scholarships 2026-2027

1. Application Deadline: December 15, 2025
2. Value: Fully funded (tuition, accommodation, and living stipend)
3. Study Level: Masters, PhD
4. Sponsor: African Union Commission
5. School Of Study: Pan African University (PAU)
6. Eligible Country: All African countries & African Diaspora

11. WGSSS PhD Studentship, Bilingualism & Linguistics 2026

1. Application Deadline: 11 December 2025
2. Value/Funding: Tuition + £20,780/year stipend + Research Training Support Grant
3. Study Level: PhD (3.5–4.5 years, full-time or part-time)
4. Sponsor: Swansea University
5. Course to Study: PhD in Bilingualism and Linguistics
6. Eligible Country: UK and international students

12. Welsh Graduate School for the Social Sciences PhD Studentships 2026

1. Application Deadline: 11 Dec 2025
2. Value: Tuition + £20,780/year stipend + Research Training Support Grant
3. Study Level: PhD
4. Sponsor: Bangor University
5. Course to study: Social Sciences
6. Eligible Country: Home & international students

Related Topic: How Can You Create a Powerful Resume as a Student Without Work Experience?

13. Commonwealth Shared Scholarships 2026

1. Application Deadline: December 9, 2025
2. Value: Full tuition, airfare, monthly stipend, and other allowances
3. Study Level: Master’s
4. Sponsor: Commonwealth Scholarship
5. Course to Study: Development-related master’s programs at participating UK universities
6. Eligible Countries: Commonwealth member countries (least developed and middle-income nations)

14. Obama Leaders Program for Emerging Global Leaders 2026–27

1. Application Deadline: December 12, 2025
2. Value: Leadership development, coaching, networking, and access to the global alumni community
3. Study Level: Leadership/Training Program
4. Sponsor: Obama Foundation
5. Eligible Country: Global (all countries)

15. Weiss-Brown Publication Subvention 2026-27

1. Application Deadline: 15 December 2025
2. Value: Up to $8,000
3. Study Level: Postdoctoral / PhD holders / Scholars
4. Sponsor: The Newberry Library
5. Course to study: Scholarly research and book publication on European civilization before 1700
6. Eligible Country: United States

16. Cisco Youth Leadership Award 2026 (With up to $250,000 in Prize)

1. Application Deadline: 17 December 2025
2. Value: $250,000 USD
3. Study Level: Fellowship/Leadership Award
4. Sponsor: Cisco & Global Citizen
5. Host Country: United States
6. Eligible Countries: All Countries

17. ACTS Civil Engineering Scholarship 2026–2027

1. Application Deadline: December 20, 2025
2. Value: Full tuition coverage for undergraduate Civil Engineering studies
3. Study Level: Undergraduate (Bachelor’s)
4. School to study: American University of Beirut
5. Sponsor: Advanced Construction Technology Services (ACTS)
6. Course to Study: Civil Engineering
7. Eligible Country: Open to all nationalities

18. École normale supérieure (ENS) International Selection Scholarship 2026

1. Application Deadline: December 15, 2025
2. Value: €1000 monthly grant for 3 years + accommodation
3. Study Level: Bachelor (L3) / Master (M1)
4. Sponsor: École normale supérieure (ENS)
5. Course to Study: Sciences
6. Eligible Country: All Countries

19. Equitable Excellence Scholarship® 2026 for U.S. High School Seniors

1. Application Deadline: December 18, 2025
2. Value: $5,000 renewable annually (up to $20,000 total) plus mentorship, workshops, and career development support
3. Study Level: Undergraduate (High school seniors entering college)
4. Sponsor: Equitable Foundation
5. Host Country: United States
6. Eligible Country: United States

20. Chinese Government Scholarship (HIT) 2026

1. Application Deadline: Stage 1 – December 31, 2025; Stage 2 – February 20, 2026
2. Value: Fully funded (tuition, housing, insurance, and monthly stipend)
3. Study Level: Master’s & PhD
4. Sponsor: Harbin Institute of Technology
5. Host Country: China
6. Eligible Country: All countries except China

Final Thoughts

As the year draws to a close, these December 2025 opportunities provide a crucial window for students, graduates, and professionals to secure fully funded support for their academic or career goals. Deadlines approach quickly, so take time to prepare your documents, submit strong applications, and stay organized. Scholarshiplit will continue to share verified opportunities to help you stay ahead and make informed decisions. Keep checking the website for more updates throughout the month.

And remember, these 20 aren’t the only options out there. You can explore hundreds of other scholarships and opportunities anytime on Scholarshiplit, your trusted hub for global funding opportunities.