Distance learning scholarships pay for a degree you study online from home, so you avoid visa costs and keep your job. Fewer are running than most lists suggest. For 2027 entry, the fully funded online master’s awards I could confirm are the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Edinburgh (open now for young Africans) and the University of Manchester Equity and Merit scholarships (ten online places a year for six African countries). Outside scholarships, the University of the People charges no tuition, and edX, Khan Academy and Udemy offer free or discounted courses.
Two schemes that still top many lists are not taking applicants. The Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships are paused and will not run in 2026 or 2027, and the University of Edinburgh’s Global Online Learning Masters Scholarship was last advertised for 2024-2025. Below are the live options, their dates as of 24 October 2026, and what each one covers.
Closing soon
Edinburgh’s Mastercard Foundation online scholarships: the Applicant Declaration Form closes on Monday 26 October 2026 at 5pm UK time (earlier if the limit is reached), and the main application closes on 19 November 2026.
Distance learning scholarships running for 2027
| Programme | Provider | What it covers | Who can apply | Status (24 Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, online master’s and PG diploma | University of Edinburgh | Full tuition, a stipend for a laptop and internet, one in-person gathering, leadership training | Citizens or residents of an African country (or refugees there), aged 35 or under | Open; main forms close 19 Nov 2026 |
| Equity and Merit Scholarships, online master’s | University of Manchester | Full tuition for a part-time online master’s (3 to 5 years) | Nationals of Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe | 2027/28 window closed (August 2026); next window 1 to 31 August 2027 |
| Tuition-free degrees | University of the People | No tuition; you pay a $60 application fee and a fee per course | Applicants worldwide who meet its admission requirements | Rolling admission |
| Financial assistance on verified courses | edX | Up to 80% off the verified (certificate) track | Learners who show financial need | Rolling; up to 5 approvals per 12 months |
The next Manchester window is this year’s window moved forward one year (based on this year’s date; confirm on the official page when the call opens).
Mastercard Foundation online scholarships at Edinburgh
This is the strongest distance learning scholarship open right now, but it is limited to young Africans. Scholars pay no part of the tuition, get money for a laptop and a good internet connection, and join one in-person gathering plus the programme’s Climate Leadership Programme and a week-long Climate Enterprise School.
Eligibility
- Citizen and resident of an African country, or holding refugee status in one.
- Born on or after 1 January 1992 (35 or under in the year the programme starts).
- An undergraduate degree equal to at least a UK upper second class (2:1), with your certificate and final transcript submitted by 19 November 2026.
- For the online master’s, you must not already hold a postgraduate degree. The online postgraduate diploma accepts applicants with a master’s from an African university.
- Selection weighs academic merit, interest in online learning, leadership and community service, and the barriers you have faced.
Online programmes covered
| Programme | Award available |
|---|---|
| International Development | Master’s only |
| Climate Change Management | Master’s only |
| Data Science Technologies | Master’s only |
| Family Medicine (MFM) | Master’s only |
| Global Food Security and Nutrition | Master’s or Diploma |
| One Health | Master’s or Diploma |
| Social Justice and Community Action | Master’s or Diploma |
| Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health | Master’s or Diploma |
| Global Health and Infectious Diseases | Master’s or Diploma |
| Data-Driven Breeding and Genetics | Master’s or Diploma |
| Digital Education | Master’s or Diploma |
| Conservation Medicine | Master’s or Diploma |
2027/28 dates (UK time)
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Mandatory information sessions | 15 to 24 September 2026 (passed) |
| Applications open to eligible applicants | 20 October 2026 |
| Applicant Declaration Form closes | 26 October 2026, 5pm (may close earlier) |
| Postgraduate assessment and main scholarship forms close | 19 November 2026, 5pm |
| Admission decisions | Early February 2027 |
| Online interviews | Late February to mid-March 2027 |
| Interview outcomes | End of March 2027 |
| Programme starts | September 2027 |
If you missed the information sessions, read the eligibility page and contact the programme team before the declaration form closes, because Edinburgh lists the sessions as mandatory.
University of Manchester Equity and Merit online scholarships
Manchester gives 30 Equity and Merit scholarships a year: 20 for one-year on-campus master’s degrees and 10 for part-time online master’s degrees lasting three to five years. The online award pays full tuition. The airfare, living costs and visa money go only to scholars studying in Manchester.
- Open to academically strong applicants from Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe who could not study without funding.
- Subjects include engineering, environment, health sciences, global development, education and law.
- You must show how you would contribute to sustainable development at local, national or regional level. Women are particularly encouraged to apply.
| Stage | 2027/28 round | Next round (2028/29) |
|---|---|---|
| Scholarship application window | 1 to 31 August 2026 (closed) | 1 to 31 August 2027 |
| Eligible applicants apply for their course | 1 to 31 October 2026 | 1 to 31 October 2027 |
| English language qualification deadline | 30 November 2026 | 30 November 2027 |
| Decisions | June 2027 | June 2028 |
Tuition-free online degrees: University of the People
University of the People (UoPeople) is an online university that charges no tuition. You do pay fees, so budget for them:
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee (once, non-refundable) | $60 |
| Assessment fee per undergraduate course | $180 |
| Assessment fee per graduate course | $430 (M.Ed.) or $490 (MBA and MSIT) |
| Estimated total, associate degree | $3,660 |
| Estimated total, bachelor’s (Business or Computer Science) | $7,260 |
| Estimated total, bachelor’s (Health Science) | $7,080 |
| Estimated total, master’s (MBA or MSIT) | $5,940 |
| Estimated total, master’s (Education) | $5,650 |
UoPeople says it works with companies and foundations to offer scholarships that cover some of these fees. Ask about them during admission, because a fee scholarship turns this into a nearly free degree.
Free online courses with certificates or discounts
These will not pay for a degree, but they are useful for building skills before a scholarship application or a job.
| Platform | What is free | Catch |
|---|---|---|
| edX | The audit track: videos and readings for most courses | Access is time-limited, graded work is locked and there is no certificate. Financial assistance cuts the verified track by up to 80%, decided within about four weeks. |
| Khan Academy | Everything in the library: videos, articles and practice | No university credit or degree |
| Udemy | Courses listed as free | Free courses published after 17 March 2020 are under 2 hours of video and come with no certificate or Q&A |
| Coursera | Coursera runs a financial aid application for learners who cannot pay | Not every course accepts it; check the enrol page of the course you want |
How to get edX financial assistance
- Check the course: confirm on the course page that it accepts financial assistance.
- Enrol in the audit track: you can start studying while you wait.
- Complete the application: sign in and fill the financial assistance form, one form per course.
- Wait for the email: a decision can take up to four weeks.
- Upgrade before the deadline: pay the discounted price before the verified-track enrolment deadline or you lose the discount.
Distance learning scholarships that are not running
| Scheme | What happened |
|---|---|
| Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships (UK, CSC) | Paused. The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission says the scheme will not run in 2026 or 2027. Its Shared and Master’s scholarships for on-campus study continue. |
| Edinburgh Global Online Learning Masters Scholarship | Twelve full-tuition awards were last offered for 2024-2025 (deadline 3 June 2024). Edinburgh’s current online scholarships list no longer includes it. |
| Matilda Mwaba Scholarship (University of London) | Not on the University of London’s current scholarships and bursaries list. I could not confirm a current round. |
| Academic Earth | Still listed by many sites as a free course hub, but I could not confirm that it is active. |
If a site promises one of these with a 2027 deadline, check the provider’s own page before you spend time on it.
How to prepare a strong distance learning scholarship application
- Pick the programme first: both Edinburgh and Manchester tie the scholarship to admission on a named online course, so check its entry requirements.
- Gather your degree certificate and transcript early: Edinburgh needs them by 19 November 2026.
- Write about your community as well as your grades: both schemes weigh leadership, service and how you will use the degree at home.
- Show you can study online: mention your internet access, your schedule and any online course you have finished, for example an edX or Coursera course.
- Line up a referee: our recommendation letter samples show what to ask for.
- Format your CV cleanly: the Europass CV guide walks through building a clear, standard CV for free.
If application fees are your main barrier, our list of scholarships with no application fee has on-campus options that cost nothing to apply for.
FAQs about distance learning scholarships
Are there fully funded online master’s scholarships for 2027?
Yes. The Mastercard Foundation online scholarships at Edinburgh (for Africans aged 35 or under) pay full tuition plus laptop and internet money, and Manchester’s Equity and Merit awards pay full tuition for ten online students a year from six African countries.
Is the Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship open in 2026?
No. The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission has paused it, and it will not run in 2026 or 2027.
Can I get an online degree for free?
University of the People charges no tuition, but you pay a $60 application fee and assessment fees per course, about $3,660 to $7,260 for a full degree. Fee scholarships can reduce that.
When is the next Manchester Equity and Merit deadline?
The scholarship window for 2028/29 entry runs from 1 to 31 August 2027. Eligible applicants then apply for their course in October 2027.
Sources and updates
The Mastercard Foundation details come from the University of Edinburgh’s application timelines, eligibility and online postgraduate scholarships pages. Manchester figures and dates come from its Equity and Merit international scholarships page. The pause of the Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships comes from the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission’s scholarships and fellowships page. The closed Edinburgh Global award comes from Edinburgh Registry Services. University of the People fees come from its processing fees page. edX terms come from its financial assistance guide and help centre, Khan Academy’s cost from its help centre, and Udemy’s free course rules from its instructor FAQ. Checked on 24 October 2026. I will update this page as new rounds open.
I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.
