How graduate students find scholarship and research funding

Steps graduate students can take to find scholarship and research funding, what to prepare first, and how to check each funder's rules before applying.

By CDings · 2026-10-21

CDings is published by the makers of Raise Buddy and ProductCost, which are compared here alongside other tools.

Graduate students can find scholarship and research funding by getting their academic details ready, setting search rules for their field and level of study, checking several sources, and reading each funder's eligibility rules before applying. Each award's stated purpose, deadline and required documents decide whether it fits.

Option	What it does	Cost
Raise Buddy Free plan ^[1]	Opens programs up to $1,000. ^[1]	Free. ^[1]
Raise Buddy Plus plan ^[1]	Opens programs up to $5,000. ^[1]	$14.99 a month. ^[1]
Raise Buddy Pro plan ^[1]	Opens every program, with advisors' review and AI connection. ^[1]	$199 a month. ^[1]

What you need before you start

Prepare the academic and personal facts a funder may ask for before you start searching. Keeping these details together makes it easier to judge which opportunities fit.

Program and level. Know your degree, field, department, and expected year of completion.
Institution. Keep your university's name and the office that handles student funding ready.
Research summary. Write a short description of your project or study, the question it asks, and the outcome you expect.
Citizenship and residence. Note your country of citizenship and residence, since many funders limit eligibility by these.
Academic record. Gather transcripts, grade averages if requested, and any earlier awards.
Funding purpose. Decide whether the money is for tuition, living costs, fieldwork, equipment, conference travel, or a dissertation.
Documents. Collect a current CV, contact details for referees, and a simple budget outline.

A single summary page with these details can help keep applications consistent from one funder to the next.

Step by step

Define the funding goal. Decide what the money will support and whether a scholarship, a research grant, or another award matches that goal.

Set basic search rules. Note your field, level of study, country, institution, and any other requirement that affects eligibility.

Search reliable sources. Look at your university's funding office, the funder's own website, professional societies in your field, and official government funding lists.

Read eligibility rules carefully. Check who can apply, what the money can be used for, the deadline, and the required documents before you spend time on an application.

Build a shortlist. Separate awards into ones that match now, ones that need preparation first, and ones that need more information.

Confirm unclear details. Contact the funder or your university's funding office when a rule, a document, or a spending limit is not clear.

Prepare each application. Adjust your answers to the specific award and provide exactly the information it requests.

Track deadlines and requests. Record where each application was sent, when it is due, and what action comes next.

Review results and update the search. Funding programs change, so keep your academic details current for future awards.

Tools that can do it

Different sources help with different parts of finding funding, so compare them before relying on one.

Your university's funding office. Check whether it lists scholarships and research awards for your program and whether it keeps a current list of outside funders.

Each funder's own website. Read the official eligibility rules, deadlines, and required documents there, since those are the terms the award is judged against.

Professional societies and research foundations in your field. Check whether they accept applications from students and what career stage they require.

Government funding databases in your country. Check whether they cover the study and research awards you need and whether they publish the eligibility rules for each one.

Raise Buddy. Raise Buddy is made by the team that publishes this site. It lists grants, loans, credits, prizes and other funding you may be able to apply for, after you paste your website or describe what you do. ^[1] Each match says whether you can apply, what one step stands in the way, or what is unclear, with the funder's own words. ^[1] It includes private foundations that take applications, drawn from the yearly tax filings they publish. ^[1] Its program list includes the UK's Find a Grant, Australia's GrantConnect, France's Aides-territoires, Japan's jGrants, Spain's BDNS and Austria's Transparenzportal. ^[1] It keeps track of where each of your applications stands, but you apply on the funder's own site. ^[1]

The first three matches in each section open on every plan. ^[1] For a guest, each search list stops after the first 5. ^[1]

Common mistakes to avoid

Applying without checking eligibility. An award only helps when you meet its stated rules, so check them before you write anything.

Ignoring spending limits. Some awards cover only approved costs, so confirm what the money may pay for before you plan a budget around it.

Relying on a list without checking the source. Confirm the deadline and requirements with the funder itself.

Confusing scholarships with research grants. They often have different purposes, reporting duties, and repayment terms.

Waiting until the last minute. Transcripts, references, and budgets can take time to collect.

Using different details in different places. Keep your academic and project information consistent across every application.

Missing follow-up requests. A request for more information left unanswered can end an application.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a scholarship and a research grant for graduate students?

A scholarship usually supports the student directly, often for tuition or living costs, and may be awarded for academic record, financial need, or field of study. A research grant usually supports a specific project, and its money may only cover approved costs such as materials, fieldwork, or travel. Many research grants also require a faculty advisor to approve the project first. Check each award's stated purpose, allowed spending, and reporting duties before deciding which to pursue.

What documents do graduate students usually need to apply for funding?

Common documents include a CV, academic transcripts, a short research summary, a budget outline, and contact details for referees. Some funders ask for a letter from a faculty advisor or proof of enrollment. Requirements differ between funders, so check each award's own document list before preparing materials. Keeping one master set of these documents makes it easier to adjust answers for each application without starting over.

Can Raise Buddy apply for scholarships on a graduate student's behalf?

No. Raise Buddy keeps track of where each of your applications stands, but you apply on the funder's own site. ^[1] The student still reads each funder's rules, prepares the answers, and sends the application through that funder's process. Check the deadline and required documents on the funder's website before starting, because those are the terms the award is judged against.

Does Raise Buddy check whether a graduate student is eligible before applying?

Each match says whether you can apply, what one step stands in the way, or what is unclear, with the funder's own words. ^[1] That helps you sort options before writing an application. Eligibility rules can still change, so confirm the current rules on the funder's own site before you apply. Read the wording of any unclear match carefully, and contact the funder if a rule is still uncertain.

How much does Raise Buddy cost for a graduate student?

The Free plan opens programs up to $1,000, Plus is $14.99 a month and opens programs up to $5,000, and Pro is $199 a month with every program, advisors' review, and AI connection. ^[1] The first three matches in each section open on every plan. ^[1] For a guest, each search list stops after the first 5. ^[1] Compare these limits against the funding amounts you are considering before choosing a plan.

Free plan opens programs up to $1,000; Plus is $14.99 a month (up to $5,000); Pro is $199 a month (every program, advisors' review, AI connection). The first three matches in each section open on every plan. ^[1]

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Sources

Raise Buddy's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)