Do I need to pay to use Noustiq Scholar?
No. Country guides, application guides, planning tools, scholarship and funding research and the newsroom are free and do not need an account. A paid destination pass is optional and only becomes relevant when you want to keep a larger shortlist, comparisons, deadlines and supervisor research organised in one workspace.
Can Scholar get me admission or a scholarship?
No, and be careful with anyone who says they can. Scholar is a research resource. Admission and funding decisions are made by universities and sponsors against their own criteria. What Scholar does is help you find realistic options and check the facts that would otherwise cost you an application fee to discover.
What does "fully funded" actually mean?
It has no fixed definition, which is why it causes so many problems. One award may cover tuition only; another covers tuition, accommodation, a monthly stipend and insurance. Always record the specific package, its duration and its renewal conditions rather than accepting the label. Our guide on what fully funded means walks through this.
How do I know a scholarship listing is real?
Trace it to the sponsor. A genuine award has an identifiable sponsor, a published eligibility rule, a stated application route and a deadline on the sponsor's or university's own page. If a listing cannot be traced to that source, treat it as unverified. Never pay a fee to a third party to "apply" for a scholarship.
When should I start applying?
For most postgraduate intakes, useful preparation starts about twelve months ahead, because scholarship deadlines often close months before the admission deadline. Work backwards from the intake date through funding deadlines, references, tests and document preparation rather than forwards from today.
Should I email a professor before applying?
It depends on the system. In several countries a research degree effectively requires a supervisor who is willing and funded to take you, so contact is expected. In others, admission is handled centrally and unsolicited email achieves little. Check the country guide first, then research the person's current work before writing anything.
How much should I budget before I get an offer?
More than most applicants expect. Application fees, credential evaluation, language tests, document translation and courier costs accumulate quickly across a long list. This is the main argument for a shorter, better-checked shortlist, and the application budget tool exists to make that number visible before you commit.
Where does Scholar get its information?
Discovery can start anywhere, but a claim is only treated as usable when it can be traced to a controlling source: the university, the programme page, the sponsor or an official government portal. The research method page explains how a claim is checked, and the sourcing policy explains which sources are relied on.
How current is the information?
Deadlines, tuition and eligibility rules change during a cycle. Scholar shows when a page was last reviewed and links to the source that controls each fact, so you can confirm the current position yourself. Verify anything time-sensitive on the official source before you apply or pay.
What if I find something wrong?
Tell us. Send the page URL and, where possible, the official source showing the change, and we will correct it. The corrections policy explains how that works.
Still stuck on a specific option?
Start from the country you are considering. The system rules decide almost everything else: how you apply, what funding exists, whether supervisor contact matters and what a realistic budget looks like.