Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Programme

Brief description: 

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. 

Target group:

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.

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:

To be eligible for an AKF ISP award, you must:

• • have excellent academic records;
• • hold a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent training/professional experience;
• • demonstrate genuine financial need**;
• • construct a thoughtful, reliable, multi-source funding plan**;
• • be admitted to a reputable postgraduate institution***; and
• • have strong leadership potential, professional experience, extracurricular and/or entrepreneurial achievements, and volunteer contributions.

Note: preference is given to young professionals under 30 years of age.

Application instructions:

Applications are currently closed.

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 31 March 2024, although in certain countries internal deadlines may be earlier.

It is important to visit the official website (link found below) for detailed information on how to apply for this scholarship.

Website:

Official Scholarship Website:  https://www.akdn.org/our-agencies/aga-khan-foundation/international-scholarship-programme

Related Scholarships: List of Universities that offer Scholarships for Developing Country Students