It’s difficult to find scholarships that only pay for housing; usually, housing support is included in a “Full-Ride” or given as a “Bursary” to help pay for school. However, in 2026, some schools have started offering “Accommodation Bursaries” to help students pay for their living expenses.
Here are the best chances for housing-specific help as of April 12, 2026.
1. Active Targeted Accommodation Bursaries
These are made just for paying for your room, which is often on campus.
- Charles Sturt University (Australia)—Regional Accommodation Bursary:
- • Value: $1,000 AUD added directly to your accommodation account.
- • Deadline: July 15, 2026, for the second session.
- • New international students who are moving to regional campuses, like Bathurst or Port Macquarie, are eligible. It is given out on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Michael Wong Pakshong Bursary at the University of Bristol (UK):
- Value: A living cost scholarship for international graduate students in the Faculty of Arts, Law, and Social Sciences.
- Status: The main “Think Big” deadline just passed (April 10), but keep an eye on departmental “Living Cost Bursaries”, which usually open for offer-holders in May 2026.
- Anne Seagrim Accommodation Scholarship at Imperial College London:
- Value: £10,000 just for housing.
- • Status: The 2025/2026 cycle is over, but the application window for the 2026/2027 cycle usually opens in late 2026. This scholarship is one of the few international awards that focuses almost entirely on the cost of housing in London.
2. Combined “Hostel & Tuition” Awards (for students in Nigeria)
If you are studying in Nigeria, a number of 2026 programs will split their funding in a way that makes sure you have a “bedspace.”
- Elechi Scholarship 2026 (for UNN students):
- The Catch: A new programme starting in 2026 just for 300-level students at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
- Benefit: The university pays your tuition and housing costs directly, and you get a monthly stipend.
- • Unified Portal for the Federal Ministry of Education in Nigeria:
- Status: The 2026 portal is now open. Many scholarships only cover tuition, but some ‘Bilateral Education Agreement’ (BEA) scholarships have a separate line item for a Warm Clothing & Accommodation Allowance.
- PTDF Overseas Scholarship for Master’s and PhD students:
- The deadline for the 2026 window was February 27.
- Benefit: If you’re already on the shortlist, the 2026 package includes a separate Accommodation Allowance that covers your rent in the UK, Germany, or France.
3. The “Accommodation Hack” for 2026
You can use 2026 to earn your own money for housing because many scholarships only pay for “tuition.” Additional Grants:
- GlobalScholarships.com is giving away $3,000. The deadline is May 31, 2026.
- Benefit: A cash prize that you can spend however you want. A lot of students use the award to pay their first six months’ rent in a new country.
- University “Early Bird” Discounts: If you finish your application by May 31, 2026, many schools (like the University of South Wales) will give you an Early CAS Scholarship worth £500 to £1,000. This “extra” money is often enough to pay for your housing security deposit as a student.
4. Immediate Strategy (The “Invisible” Data)
Keep in mind the following when applying for housing help in 2026:
- Direct-to-Bursar: verify that your National Identity Number (NIN) matches your university ID exactly for bursaries like the Charles Sturt one. Payments are usually sent straight to the housing provider, and any difference in names will stop the money.
- 300dpi scans of your lease: If you are applying for a “Hardship” or “Accommodation Grant” in the middle of the semester, you need to send in a high-resolution scan of your lease. AI-auditors in 2026 will not accept blurry photos.
- The “Residential” Narrative: In any bursary essay, talk about how living on campus will help you get more out of your education. If 2026 committees think that accommodation keeps you safe and helps you focus on your studies, they are more likely to pay for it.
