What Scholarships Exist To Study Volcanology Abroad?

I’m older now and still thrilled to point people toward realistic routes into volcanology. If a full degree abroad is the goal, look for big scholarships (Fulbright, Chevening, Commonwealth, Erasmus Mundus, DAAD, MEXT) and for funded doctoral positions advertised on university sites. For shorter-term study or to build your CV, pursue society grants (IAVCEI and national geological societies), observatory training programs, and field-course bursaries.

My practical advice: apply for several sources at once, tailor each application tightly to the scholarship’s aims, and don’t underestimate small grants — they often fund essential travel or fieldwork that makes your larger applications more competitive. Reach out early to potential supervisors and be ready to explain how your experience fits their projects; that connection often unlocks the best funded opportunities and a lot of professional goodwill.

If you’re thinking pragmatically, I’d map out three parallel tracks: (1) global governmental scholarships (Fulbright, Chevening, Commonwealth, Erasmus Mundus, DAAD, MEXT, Eiffel), (2) university-funded PhD/MS positions and research assistantships, and (3) small grants from societies and observatories. In my experience, the most reliable path into a volcanology PhD is being offered a funded position by a professor — that covers tuition and living costs and often includes fieldwork money. For shorter courses and conference travel, IAVCEI, regional volcanology networks, and national geological societies regularly advertise bursaries. Also hunt through university pages for named scholarships or departmental funds, because many labs have discretionary money for fieldwork or student stipends. Finally, don’t overlook country-specific sources: ministries of education, embassies, or science foundations sometimes have bilateral programs that sponsor students to study environmental/geophysical sciences abroad; they’re less flashy but practical. Cast a wide net and tailor each application to the panel you’re addressing.

When I applied for a master’s I split my time between scholarship databases and cold-emailing researchers — oddly enough, the emails paid off more. My process looked like this: first identify programs strong in volcanology (Iceland, New Zealand, Japan, Italy, the Pacific Rim are hotbeds), then list all national/international scholarships I was eligible for (Erasmus Mundus, DAAD, MEXT, Fulbright were on my shortlist), and finally ping a few group leaders with a clear short proposal and ask about funded positions.

Along the way I snagged a small society grant that covered fieldwork and a university scholarship that cut tuition. If you want practical moves: subscribe to mailing lists for IAVCEI and regional volcanology groups, check the EU’s Erasmus+ and MSCA portals for funded programs, monitor DAAD and national scholarship portals, and follow volcano observatories’ job pages for PhD openings. Also, building a concise research statement and CV showing any field or lab skills dramatically increases your chances — supervisors want people who can both think and get muddy in the field. Good luck — the field is small and friendly, so persistence and reaching out go a long way.

I got hooked on volcanoes in college and then chased every scholarship lead like it was a rare volcanic rock — so here’s what I actually used and what I’d tell anyone wanting to study volcanology abroad.

Start with the big, transnational scholarships: Fulbright (if you’re from or applying to the US), Chevening (UK), Commonwealth Scholarships, Erasmus Mundus joint master scholarships, DAAD (Germany), MEXT (Japan), and the Eiffel Excellence scholarship (France). These aren’t volcanology-specific, but they fund full degrees and you can tailor your project to volcanology when you apply. For doctoral-level funding in the EU, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions are huge for postdocs and often support researchers moving between countries.

Parallel to those, look for the field-specific and university-level routes. Many volcanology groups hire PhD candidates with a stipend — that’s effectively a scholarship. Professional societies like IAVCEI and national geological societies often have travel grants, fieldwork bursaries, and small scholarships for students to attend conferences or short courses. Volcano observatories and research institutes (think labs in Iceland, New Zealand, Japan, Italy, Indonesia) sometimes post funded PhD or research positions or offer training grants. My tip: craft a strong email to a potential supervisor describing a clear project and funding ideas — supervisors often know about internal scholarships or can attach you to a funded grant. If you can, apply to several kinds of funding simultaneously: national scholarships plus university positions plus society travel grants; the piecing-together approach works surprisingly well.