Aga Khan Foundation - Aga Khan Foundation - International Scholarship Programme

Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship

You will receive funding for a full postgraduate programme, either a Master’s or a PhD. This covers your tuition fees and living costs. The exact amount is not published, as it depends on your individual needs, your country of origin and the amount of other funding already available to you. Two aspects make this funding unusual. Firstly, only half of it is a grant, which you are allowed to keep. The other half is a loan which you must repay – plus an administration fee – six months after completing or withdrawing from your programme. A guarantor must co-sign the loan agreement. Secondly, a Master’s programme is funded for the entire duration of your studies, whereas a PhD programme is funded only for the first two years. After that, you must arrange alternative funding. The programme was launched in 1969 by the Aga Khan Foundation and has so far supported more than 1,500 students.

Who can apply

• Level: You are starting the first year of a postgraduate programme, usually a Master’s degree. Applications for a PhD programme will also be considered. Part-time and short-cycle programmes are not permitted.
• Not yet enrolled: You can only apply before you start your degree programme. If you have already enrolled on a postgraduate programme or have already started one, you cannot apply.
• Degree: You hold a bachelor’s degree or have equivalent qualifications or professional experience.
• Admission: You have been admitted to a prestigious higher education institution for postgraduate programmes. Local, regional or distance-learning programmes will be considered, provided the quality of the programme is assured.
• Field of study: Open to all subjects.
• Where you come from: You are from one of the selected countries, including Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Egypt, Mozambique, Afghanistan, Kenya, the Kyrgyz Republic, Madagascar, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania and Uganda. People originally from these countries may also apply from Canada, Portugal or the USA.
• Where you cannot study: The scholarship does not apply to study periods in the United Kingdom or Russia.
• Financial need: You are in genuine financial difficulty and have no other realistic way of funding your studies. As this is a last-resort grant, you must submit a realistic plan that combines several sources of funding.
• Grades and profile: You have an excellent academic record, as well as leadership potential, professional experience and a track record of success in voluntary work or extracurricular activities.
• Age: Applicants with 30 will be given preference, although this is not a requirement.

How to apply

The application period takes place once a year and is managed by the local representatives of the Aga Khan Foundation in your country. The usual application deadline is 31 March, although the deadline in your country may be earlier. Use the eligibility checker chatbot on the AKDN website to check whether you meet the requirements and to get in touch with the local team.

How realistic are your chances?

This is a highly competitive programme with only a limited number of new scholarships available each year; you should therefore expect strong competition from applicants from many countries. Selection is based strictly on country of origin and rigorous criteria relating to financial need, which limits the pool of applicants to those who truly have no other means of funding their studies. If you are clearly from one of the listed countries, have excellent grades and demonstrable leadership qualities, and can prove that you have exhausted all other options, your chances are good.