📅 Last Updated: October 2026
Chulalongkorn University Scholarship 2027 — Thailand Guide
Chulalongkorn University (Chula) in Bangkok, Thailand’s oldest and most prestigious university, runs a Graduate Scholarship Programme for ASEAN or Non-ASEAN Countries. In its most recent published call, it covered tuition, a monthly allowance of 16,000 THB for living and accommodation, and a return economy air ticket, for a 2-year master’s or a 3-year PhD.
Pakistani students apply as Non-ASEAN applicants. The process is different from most scholarships: you never apply to the scholarship office directly. Your chosen faculty must first accept you and then forward your application. This guide explains how the scheme works, what the last official call required, the other Chula funding routes, and how to prepare before the 2027 round is announced.
| University/Organization | Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok |
| Country | Thailand |
| Degree/Level | Master’s (2 years) and PhD (3 years) |
| Funding Type | Tuition + 16,000 THB/month + return airfare (latest official call) |
| Deadline | 2027 dates not yet announced (past main round: late May) |
| Open To | International Students Worldwide (ASEAN and Non-ASEAN) |
| Pakistani Students Eligible | Yes (as Non-ASEAN applicants) |
| Official Link | Apply Here |
🎓 About Chulalongkorn University Scholarships
Founded in 1917, Chulalongkorn University is Thailand’s first university and consistently its top-ranked institution. It offers dozens of English-taught graduate programmes in engineering, science, business, health sciences, public policy and the social sciences, many with strong regional research links across Southeast Asia.
Chula’s scholarships fall into three groups:
- The Graduate Scholarship Programme for ASEAN or Non-ASEAN Countries: the main award for new international master’s and PhD students, and the focus of this guide
- Graduate School scholarships: teaching and research assistantships, conference and research-abroad grants, and named scholarships, mostly for students already enrolled
- The Second Century Fund (C2F): PhD scholarships and postdoctoral funding run through a separate C2F office (verify current terms on the C2F website)
How it compares: nearby, the Chulabhorn Graduate Institute (CGI) Scholarship offers a fully funded science master’s in Bangkok, but in a narrower range of fields. Chula’s ASEAN/Non-ASEAN programme covers far more subjects, but it excludes faculty special fees and pays a modest stipend.
💰 Benefits and Funding (latest official call)
- 🎓 Tuition fees. Faculty or programme special fees are excluded, so you need to arrange these with your faculty in advance
- 💵 16,000 THB a month as a combined stipend and accommodation allowance
- ✈️ Economy return ticket, reimbursed as paid, up to a cap per leg: 12,000 THB for students from Asian countries (including Pakistan), 8,500 THB for ASEAN, 20,000 THB for Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Africa, and 30,000 THB for the Americas
- 📆 Duration: 2 years for a master’s or 3 years for a PhD. It can’t be extended or deferred
What it’s worth: 16,000 THB is roughly PKR 130,000–140,000 a month (approximate; check today’s rate). Bangkok is affordable compared with East Asian or Western capitals, but 16,000 THB is a tight budget once rent is included. A room in a shared apartment near campus can take a large share of it (verify current rents).
Important: the faculty special fees that are excluded can be significant for some programmes. Ask your target programme for its exact fee breakdown before you apply.
✅ Eligibility Criteria (latest official call)
- Nationality: international applicants from ASEAN or Non-ASEAN countries
- Preference: faculty members, researchers and academic staff who will return to teach or work at their home institution after graduating
- Degree: a bachelor’s (for a master’s) or master’s (for a PhD) in a related field
- GPA: at least 2.75 for undergraduate studies, and at least 3.25 for graduate studies
- Age: not over 40
- English: at least TOEFL 500 or IELTS 5.0
- Health: good health, with a medical certificate from your home country
- Not eligible: international students who have already studied at Chula for more than one semester
- Work restriction: no off-campus employment in Thailand during the scholarship
English test status: required at a modest level (IELTS 5.0 or TOEFL 500), but individual programmes may set higher scores for admission (verify on official website).
Pakistani students: eligible as Non-ASEAN applicants. Pakistani university lecturers and researchers are likely to be strong candidates, given the stated preference for academic staff.
✅ Strong Candidates
- Pakistani university lecturers and researchers who plan to return to their institution
- Applicants with a bachelor’s CGPA of 2.75 or above (or master’s 3.25 or above for a PhD) in a related field
- Students targeting English-taught Chula programmes in engineering, science, public health or development
- Applicants able to cover any faculty special fees
❌ Not the Right Fit If
- You’re over 40
- You need a large stipend to support a family
- You’ve already studied at Chula for more than one semester
- You plan to work off-campus in Thailand to supplement your income
On competitiveness for South Asian applicants: the scheme is faculty-driven. Your chosen programme decides whether to put you forward. Pakistani applicants improve their chances by contacting the programme coordinator early, showing a clear link between their research and the programme, and presenting their academic or teaching role where relevant, since staff are explicitly preferred.
📚 Programmes and Other Chula Funding
The ASEAN/Non-ASEAN scholarship applies to Chula’s graduate programmes across its faculties. Browse the Chula programme search to find English-taught master’s and PhD programmes in your field, then check each programme’s own deadline and selection schedule.
Other routes to know about:
- Teaching and Research Assistant scholarships through the Graduate School, usually for enrolled students
- Research and conference grants, such as overseas research experience and academic presentation awards for graduate students
- C2F (Second Century Fund) PhD scholarships. Details and calls are published by the C2F office (verify on official website)
- Faculty-specific undergraduate scholarships in international programmes such as BBA, engineering (ISE), BAScii and others
📄 Required Documents (latest official call)
- Completed application form with a 1-inch photograph
- Curriculum vitae
- Official academic transcript from your last institution
- Certificate of graduation, if available
- Passport copy
- Two recommendation letters from the head, director or dean of your institution, or from your supervisors
- Medical certificate from a hospital in your home country
Notes for Pakistani applicants: university lecturers should ask their head of department or dean for one of the recommendation letters, which matches what Chula asks for. Keep HEC-attested degrees ready for admission and the Thai student visa.
🧭 Step-by-Step Application Process
- Choose a Chula graduate programme and check its admission requirements, fees and internal deadline.
- Contact the programme coordinator to confirm it will consider international scholarship applicants and to ask about special fees.
- Download the scholarship application form from Chula’s academic or international office pages (check the Office of International Affairs page for current links).
- Send your application to the faculty or programme, not to the central office, at least 2 weeks before the university deadline.
- The faculty screens and selects candidates and forwards them to the Office of Academic Affairs.
- Await the university’s decision, then apply for your Thai student visa if selected.
Practical tip: faculties set their own internal deadlines, which come earlier than the university deadline. In the last published call, the university deadline was 30 May, so faculties expected applications by mid-May at the latest. Treat April as your realistic target for an August start.
📅 Typical Timeline
| Milestone | Typical Timing |
|---|---|
| Call for applications published | Early in the year (verify on official website) |
| Faculty internal deadline | At least 2 weeks before the university deadline |
| University deadline (last published call) | 30 May |
| Programme start | August (first semester) |
| 2027 call | Not yet announced. Some sources mention an additional November round (verify on official website) |
📌 Bookmark this page. We update deadlines as soon as changes are announced.
🌟 Why Consider Chulalongkorn
Chula gives you a respected regional degree in a major Asian capital, with relatively modest English requirements and lower living costs than most study destinations. For Pakistani academic staff in particular, a Chula master’s or PhD can be a practical, supported route to further qualifications, with the scholarship explicitly favouring people who will return to teach.
Compare it with other Asian options in our top Asia scholarships guide, the CGI Thailand Scholarship and Chonnam University in Korea. You can also browse all Scholarships, research assistantships in Jobs & Internships, more application guides in Guidelines & Resources, and Asian education fairs in Events & Conferences.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
These questions are based on what students most commonly search about this program.
Q: Can Pakistani students apply for the Chulalongkorn University scholarship?
Yes. Pakistan counts as a Non-ASEAN country. Applicants must meet the GPA, age (40 or under) and English requirements and apply through their chosen faculty or programme.
Q: Is the Chulalongkorn scholarship fully funded?
Largely, but not entirely. The latest official call covered tuition, 16,000 THB a month for stipend and accommodation, and a capped return airfare, but excluded faculty or programme special fees.
Q: What IELTS score does the Chulalongkorn scholarship need?
The latest official call required at least IELTS 5.0 or TOEFL 500. Individual programmes may require higher scores for admission.
Q: When is the Chulalongkorn scholarship deadline for 2027?
Not yet announced. In the last published call, the university deadline was 30 May, and faculties set earlier internal deadlines. Check Chula’s international office page for the new call.
Q: Can I apply directly to the scholarship office?
No. The Office of Academic Affairs doesn’t accept direct applications. You apply to your chosen faculty or programme, which screens you and forwards your file.
Q: Is there an age limit?
Yes. Applicants must not be over 40, according to the latest official programme document.
🔗 Official Source
- Chulalongkorn University: Scholarships
- Chula Office of International Affairs: Scholarships for Graduate Students
- Graduate Scholarship Programme for ASEAN or Non-ASEAN Countries (latest official PDF)
- Steps to apply (PDF)
Contact: Office of International Affairs · int.off@chula.ac.th · +66 2218 3333
📊 Summary Table
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Scholarship | Chulalongkorn Graduate Scholarship Programme for ASEAN or Non-ASEAN Countries |
| University | Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand |
| Level | Master’s (2 years) · PhD (3 years) |
| Coverage | Tuition (excl. special fees) + 16,000 THB/month + capped return airfare |
| GPA | 2.75+ (undergraduate) · 3.25+ (graduate, for PhD) |
| Age | Not over 40 |
| English | TOEFL 500 / IELTS 5.0 minimum |
| How to Apply | Through your chosen faculty or programme (no direct applications) |
| Deadline | 2027 not yet announced (last published call: 30 May) |
| Pakistani Students Eligible | Yes (Non-ASEAN) |
| Official Link | inter.chula.ac.th |
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