Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship 2023


Degree |Masters/PhD, Deadline|17Mar 2023

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The Aga Khan Foundation provides a limited number of scholarships each year for postgraduate studies to outstanding students from developing countries who have no other means of financing their studies. Scholarships are awarded on a 50% grant : 50% loan basis through a competitive application process once a year.

Host Institution(s):

Any reputable university or postgraduate institution of higher learning.

Field of study:

The Foundation gives priority to requests for Master’s level courses but is willing to consider applications for PhD programmes. Applications for short-term courses are not considered.

Scholarship value/inclusions/duration:

  • The Foundation assists students with tuition fees and living expenses only. The cost of travel is not included in AKF scholarships.
  • Scholarships for Master’s studies are granted for the entire duration of the degree course. Funding for PhD programmes is only provided for the first two years of study, after which the students are expected to find alternative sources of assistance.
  • Half of the scholarship amount is considered as a loan, which must be reimbursed with an annual service charge of 5%. A guarantor is required to co-sign the loan agreement. The payback period is five years, starting six months after the study period funded by the Aga Khan Foundation.

Eligibility Criteria:

Geographic Scope:

The Foundation accepts applications from nationals of the following countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Canada*, Egypt, France*, India, Kenya, Kyrgyz Republic, Madagascar, Mozambique, Pakistan, Portugal*, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Uganda and the USA*.
*Note: in Canada, France, Portugal and the USA, applications are accepted from those who are originally from one of the above developing countries, are interested in development-related studies and who have no other means of financing their education.

Residency Requirement

The Foundation only accepts applications of eligible nationals listed above who are residing in one of the countries where there are local Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), Aga Khan Education Services (AKES), or Aga Khan Education Board (AKEB) offices which process applications and interview candidates.

Age Limit:

Preference is given to students under 30 years of age.

Application instructions:

Applicants are advised to contact the local offices for internal deadline dates and requirements as these may vary from country to country. Completed applications should be returned to the agency from which the form was obtained. They should not be sent to Geneva. The deadline for submission of applications is 17 March 2023, although in certain countries internal deadlines may be earlier.