Chiang Mai University’s Presidential Scholarship (ทุนอธิการบดีมหาวิทยาลัยเชียงใหม่) represents a significant institutional commitment to accessibility in graduate education, particularly for international students from low and lower-middle-income countries. Launched in the first semester of the 2019 academic year, this comprehensive scholarship program has evolved into a key mechanism for supporting qualified scholars pursuing advanced degrees while reducing financial barriers to higher education.
The scholarship structure allocates 200 scholarships annually, distributed equally between Master’s degree (100 scholarships) and Doctoral degree (100 scholarships) programs. The 2024 academic year offered two regular application rounds aligned with semester openings. Unlike tuition-only support, the Presidential Scholarship provides comprehensive coverage, including tuition fees, full-cost living allowances (THB 12,000 per month), health insurance (THB 3,000 annually), books and stationery (THB 3,000 per semester), settlement allowance (THB 6,000 upon arrival), thesis publication support (THB 6,000 upon acceptance), and travel expenses (up to THB 15,000 per trip)—a critical factor that enables participation from economically constrained populations.
The 2024 selection process demonstrates the program’s reach and selective rigor. Among 360 applicants, 118 recipients were selected in the first semester round. Recipients predominantly originated from low and lower-middle-income countries, including Myanmar, Pakistan, and Bangladesh—nations where graduate education accessibility remains constrained by limited domestic funding mechanisms.
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