Onassis Foundation - Scholarships for Hellenes

Onassis Foundation "Scholarships for Hellenes"

You will receive a monthly grant as well as a one-off lump sum to cover the costs of a Master’s, MPhil or PhD programme, usually abroad. The amount depends on where you study:

• Europe (outside the UK): to 1,000 euros per month, plus a one-off payment of 5,000 euros.
• UK: approx. 950 euros per month plus 4,150 euros (800 pounds sterling + 3,500 pounds sterling).
• USA, Canada or other countries: approx. 1,100 euros per month plus 4,600 euros (1,200 US dollars + 5,000 US dollars).
• Greece: EUR 600 per month plus 5,000 EUR.

The funding runs for 9 to 36 months: up to 24 months for a Master’s degree, up to 36 months for a PhD (extendable by 12 months). PhD students may also apply for up to 1,000 euros towards printing costs and up to 2,000 euros towards publication costs. There are no grants available for travel or family-related expenses. The Greek Onassis Foundation has been running this programme every year since 1978 and is awarding up to 80 scholarships for the year 2026–27.

Who can apply

• Who you are: You hold Greek citizenship (this includes Greek Cypriots and Greeks living abroad). Alternatively, you have obtained a degree from a Greek higher education institution, hold a Greek upper secondary school leaving certificate and have a valid residence permit in Greece.
• Level of study: You are studying for a full-time Master’s degree, an MPhil or a PhD.
• Where you study: Abroad, either wholly or partly (in the case of joint programmes with Greece), or in Greece.
• Field of study: The range of courses on offer covers a wide spectrum of subject areas, from the humanities and social sciences through engineering and the natural sciences to medicine and health sciences.
• Age: To enrol on a Master’s programme, you must have been born in 1991 or later; to enrol on a PhD programme, you must have been born in 1986 or later.
• Grades: To be eligible for a Master’s programme, your Bachelor’s degree from a Greek university must be at least at level 8.00/10 (or an equivalent level, e.g. 2:1 in the United Kingdom, 3.2/4.0 in the USA/Canada, 2.0 in Germany). To pursue a PhD, you must have a minimum of 8.00/10 in your Bachelor’s degree, as well as 8.50/10 in your Master’s degree, or 8.50/10 in your Bachelor’s degree if you are entering the programme without a Master’s degree.
• Language: You must have the language proficiency required by your chosen university, or at least level C1, if no specific level is specified. You are exempt from this requirement if you have already obtained a degree in that language or have already been admitted.
• Military service: Male applicants must provide evidence that they have completed their military service or that they have a valid deferral or exemption.

How to apply

Applications are submitted online via the ‘Onassis Directory’ platform. For the academic year 2026–27, the application deadline was 28 February, although final admission to the university must be confirmed by the end of May. Admissions advisers review each application and, where appropriate, invite applicants to a telephone or online interview. The Foundation’s Board makes the final decision and announces the results in July.

How realistic are your chances?

The admission criteria are strict: applicants must be Greek nationals and meet high academic standards, meaning that the pool of applicants is far smaller than for an open international scholarship. However, with up to 80 places available, this is not an individual award. The selection process is competitive and purely academic in nature, taking into account your marks, your ranking, your publications and your references. If you clearly meet the academic thresholds and can demonstrate strong academic achievement, your prospects are good. Where applicants are of equal merit, socio-economic circumstances are taken into account.