By Zekeria Madadi | September 23, 2026 | 0 Comments

Best Scholarships for High School Students

If you are a high school student and want to study abroad, you do not always have to wait until you finish university. There are scholarship and funded education opportunities designed for students who are still in secondary school, students finishing high school, and recent school graduates.

However, these opportunities are different. Some allow students to study at a secondary school abroad, while others are for students who are finishing high school and want to start a bachelor’s degree.

For Afghan students, several opportunities deserve particular attention, including the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS), MEXT Scholarship, Türkiye Scholarships, UWC, and the Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship. The current application status and eligibility are different for each program.

Quick Details

Scholarship / Program	Country	Main target	Current information
GKS Undergraduate	South Korea	High school graduates / expected graduates	2027 undergraduate guidelines published
MEXT Undergraduate	Japan	Students applying for undergraduate study	2027 guidelines published
Türkiye Scholarships	Türkiye	Undergraduate applicants	2026 cycle closed; next cycle should be checked officially
Lester B. Pearson Scholarship	Canada	Final-year secondary students / recent graduates	2027 cycle currently has published deadlines
UWC Afghanistan	Multiple countries	Secondary-school students	2027 Afghanistan application deadline: October 31, 2026
Stipendium Hungaricum	Hungary	Bachelor applicants and others	2026/27 cycle closed; future call should be monitored

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The table is intentionally limited to programs with strong official information. A scholarship being popular online does not automatically mean that it is currently open or available to Afghan applicants.

1. Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) Undergraduate

The Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) is one of the most relevant government scholarship programs for Afghan students who want to continue their education in South Korea.

The Korean government has already published the 2027 GKS Undergraduate application guidelines. The official notice provides the application guidelines, forms and university information for the 2027 cycle.

The current GKS information says that undergraduate applicants can apply after high school or while they are expected to graduate, subject to the detailed requirements of the applicable cycle. The general GKS undergraduate information also includes academic-performance and age requirements.

What does GKS provide?

The official GKS information lists benefits including:

Airfare
Korean language training
Tuition
Monthly allowances

The exact benefits, duration and conditions should always be checked in the current application guidelines.

Is GKS relevant to Afghan students?

Yes. This is one of the clearest examples of an international scholarship with a documented Afghan application route.

For the 2026 GKS Undergraduate cycle, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea to Afghanistan published an Afghan-specific announcement. It stated that Afghan applicants could apply under the embassy track and listed an Afghan quota of two places for that cycle.

The embassy later announced Afghan students selected for the 2026 GKS-U program.

Important: The 2026 Afghan quota should not be presented as the 2027 quota. Applicants must use the current 2027 announcement and guidelines when applying.

Official 2027 GKS Undergraduate announcement

2. MEXT Scholarship for Undergraduate Students

Japan’s MEXT Scholarship is another major government scholarship route for students who want to study at undergraduate level in Japan.

For the 2027 intake, the official Study in Japan website has published the MEXT Undergraduate Scholarship guidelines. The program is offered by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) for international students who wish to study at Japanese national universities.

The program can also include preparatory education before the undergraduate course, depending on the placement and program rules.

How do students apply?

For the embassy recommendation route, the official procedure says recruitment normally takes place in the previous year, with the first screening conducted by Japanese embassies or consulates.

The exact schedule depends on the applicant’s nationality, so students should check the Japanese diplomatic mission responsible for their application. The official instructions also state that applicants should not send their applications directly to MEXT in Japan.

Official MEXT Undergraduate information

3. Türkiye Scholarships

Türkiye Scholarships is a government-funded scholarship program covering several higher-education levels, including bachelor’s degree programs.

The official 2026 announcement states that applications were open to international students from all countries and included associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs. The 2026 application period was January 10 to February 20, 2026.

Because that deadline has already passed, students should not treat the 2026 application as currently open.

Why is it useful for high school students?

The official scholarship search database includes many bachelor’s programs whose special condition is being a high school graduate. The database includes fields such as agriculture, economics, psychology, nursing, engineering, computer-related subjects and many others.

Türkiye Scholarships also provides financial support and university placement as part of the program.

Students preparing for the next cycle should monitor the official website rather than relying on old social-media posts.

Official Türkiye Scholarships website

4. Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship

The Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship at the University of Toronto is particularly relevant to high school students because the application begins while the student is still connected to their secondary school.

For the 2027 entry, the University of Toronto states that eligible applicants must be international students, be in their final year of senior secondary school in 2026/27 or have graduated no earlier than June 2026, and begin undergraduate study at the University of Toronto in September 2027.

What does the scholarship cover?

The university states that the Pearson Scholarship covers:

Tuition
Books
Incidental fees
Full residence support

for four years of undergraduate study at the University of Toronto.

A very important requirement

Students cannot simply submit an independent scholarship application.

Their high school must nominate them. The University of Toronto states that each high school can nominate one student per year.

For the 2027 intake, the published dates include:

October 9, 2026: school nomination deadline
October 16, 2026: University of Toronto admission application deadline for Pearson consideration
November 6, 2026: Pearson scholarship application and documentation deadline

This makes Pearson especially important for students who are currently in their final year of high school.

Official Lester B. Pearson Scholarship page

5. UWC Afghanistan

The United World Colleges (UWC) route is different from the other scholarships in this list.

It is not simply a bachelor’s scholarship. UWC provides a two-year residential secondary-school education, generally for students around the age of 16–19, leading to the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.

This makes UWC particularly relevant to students who are still in secondary school, rather than only students who have already graduated.

UWC Afghanistan 2027

The official UWC Afghanistan application page for the 2027 entry states that applicants should generally be between 15 and 17 years old at enrolment and should currently be enrolled in, or have recently completed, middle or high school.

The current Afghanistan application deadline is:

October 31, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Kabul time.

The Afghanistan application page also explains that students applying through the UWC Afghanistan National Committee should select that route if they want to be considered for a scholarship.

UWC Afghanistan also explains that more than 80% of students selected through UWC national committees receive full or partial financial assistance, although the level of assistance varies.

Important point for Afghan applicants

The current UWC Afghanistan page specifically addresses Afghan applicants and explains responsibilities related to travel documents and visas. It notes that nominated students may need to travel to a neighbouring country for visa processing because of the lack of consular services in Kabul.

Therefore, UWC is one of the opportunities where Afghan students should read the Afghanistan-specific instructions, not just general UWC information.

Official UWC Afghanistan eligibility information

UWC Afghanistan 2027 application

6. Stipendium Hungaricum

The Stipendium Hungaricum program in Hungary also offers bachelor’s opportunities and can therefore be relevant to students finishing high school.

However, the timing is important.

The latest published call I found is for 2026/2027. Its application deadline was January 15, 2026, so that cycle is already closed.

The official application system includes bachelor’s programs, and the program’s official documentation contains separate requirements for different applicant levels and nationalities.

Therefore, students interested in Hungary should prepare early and wait for the next official call rather than applying through an old 2026/27 application link.

Official Stipendium Hungaricum application page

Which Scholarship Should a High School Student Look At First?

There is no single scholarship that is suitable for every student.

The correct choice depends on age, graduation date, grades, field of study, nationality, language ability, school achievements and the scholarship’s current rules.

A simple way to understand the options is:

If you are still in secondary school

Look particularly at:

UWC Afghanistan if you meet its age and education requirements.
Lester B. Pearson if you are approaching the final year of secondary school and plan to start university in 2027.
Prepare early for government undergraduate scholarships such as GKS and MEXT.

If you are finishing high school

Focus more strongly on:

GKS Undergraduate
MEXT Undergraduate
Türkiye Scholarships
Lester B. Pearson
Stipendium Hungaricum

If you have already graduated from high school

You should search specifically for undergraduate/bachelor scholarships, because many scholarship programs define eligibility based on completion or expected completion of secondary education.

What Should Afghan School Students Prepare Before Applying?

A strong scholarship search should begin before the application opens.

Prepare these items gradually:

1. School certificates and transcripts

Keep clear copies of your school certificates, grade reports and other academic documents.

Check whether the scholarship requires translation, certification, legalization or another form of document verification.

2. Passport or identity documents

Some programs require a valid passport at application or later stages. Check the exact current instructions before assuming that a national ID is sufficient.

3. English or other language preparation

Do not assume that every scholarship requires IELTS.

At the same time, do not assume that IELTS is never required.

Some universities or specific degree programs can have their own language requirements. The official scholarship and university requirements must be checked separately.

4. Personal statement or motivation letter

Some scholarships ask applicants to explain their goals, interests, achievements and reasons for choosing the program.

Start collecting ideas early rather than writing everything one day before the deadline.

5. Activities and achievements

Keep a record of:

Academic competitions
Science projects
Volunteer activities
Leadership roles
School clubs
Community activities
Training and certificates
Relevant competitions
Research or personal projects

Do not add activities that you did not actually complete.

6. Recommendation letters

If a scholarship requires recommendation letters, choose teachers or school officials who actually know your academic work and character.

Ask them early.

Can Students With Average Grades Apply?

Sometimes, yes.

There is no universal academic percentage for every scholarship.

For example, the general GKS undergraduate information lists academic-performance requirements, while Türkiye Scholarships has its own academic criteria. Individual universities can also add program-specific requirements.

Therefore, do not reject yourself based on another scholarship’s GPA requirement.

Instead:

Check the exact scholarship.
Check the current eligibility rules.
Check the university/program requirements.
Compare your grades with the stated requirement.
Apply only when you meet the relevant conditions.

Do High School Students Need IELTS?

Not necessarily.

There is no universal rule that all international undergraduate scholarships require IELTS.

However, language requirements can come from different places:

The scholarship provider
The university
The specific degree program
The country
The language of instruction

For example, the Türkiye Scholarships database shows that some English-taught bachelor’s programs have specific TOEFL requirements, while other programs listed in the same database may have different conditions.

So the correct question is not:

“Does this scholarship require IELTS?”

The better question is:

“Does my chosen university and degree program require proof of English or another language, and what forms of proof are accepted?”

Common Mistakes High School Students Make

Applying without checking the current year

A scholarship page from 2025 or 2026 may contain deadlines that no longer apply.

Always check the current call.

Assuming “scholarship” means every expense is covered

Funding differs considerably.

Some programs may cover tuition, while others may also provide accommodation, living support, insurance or travel support.

Read each benefit separately.

Applying to a university without checking the scholarship conditions

Admission to a university and scholarship selection can be separate processes.

Waiting until graduation to prepare

Important documents, language tests, recommendations and personal statements can take time.

Trusting social-media posts more than official sources

Social media can help you discover opportunities, but the final decision should be based on the official scholarship provider, university or government source.

Paying someone for a “guaranteed scholarship”

Official scholarship programs generally publish their application procedures and conditions.

Be especially careful with anyone promising:

Guaranteed selection
Guaranteed visa
Guaranteed scholarship
Fake admission letters
“Special quota” for a fee
Payment to influence selection

The University of Toronto, for example, has specifically warned applicants about fraudulent Pearson scholarship communications and states that it does not use agencies or educational agents to recruit Pearson scholars.