Overview
Scholarship type
Merit based
Number of scholarships to award
One
Grant
50% tuition fee waiver
Scholarship coverage
- tuition fee reduction
- living expenses
Description
The Aga Khan Foundation provides a limited number of scholarships each year for postgraduate studies to outstanding students from select developing countries who have no other means of financing their studies, in order to develop effective scholars and leaders and to prepare them for employment, primarily within the AKDN.
Applicable programmes
Benefits
The ISP awards are structured as a half grant and half loan (i.e. 50 percent of the award amount needs to be paid back by the applicant). Scholarships for Master’s studies are granted for the entire duration of the degree course. For PhD students, scholarships are awarded for the first two years, after which students are expected to find funding from alternative sources.
A cumulative service charge of five percent per annum is levied on the amount of the loan. The student's head of family or another guarantor is required to co-sign the loan agreement.
The award covers tuition fees and living expenses for the student. The award does not cover living expenses for family members or the cost of international travel.
Eligibility
Applicants must meet the following criteria in order to apply for the programme:
- Excellent academic records.
- Genuine financial need. Financial assistance is provided according to the needs of students, but the ISP must be considered a resource of last resort. Applicants must demonstrate that they have explored and secured multiple sources of funding. The award funding need is determined individually, by deducting from the eligible student expenses, the total of other grants, loans (if any), parental contribution and student employment income. All students are encouraged to try to reduce the amount requested from the Foundation by applying to other sources of assistance as well.
- Admission to a reputable postgraduate institution of higher learning. The programme gives priority to Master's degree courses but also considers applications for PhD studies. Local/regional universities and distance learning programmes are acceptable for ISP funding, if the quality of the courses is maintained.
- Strong professional experience, extracurricular achievements, volunteer contributions and leadership skills.
Scholarship requirements
Disciplines
Any
Locations
2 countries
Nationality
13 nationalities
Study experience required
Bachelor
Age
Unknown
Application
Application deadline
Not specified
The 2023-2024 cycle is now closed. The 2024-2025 cycle will open in January 2024. Interested students must contact the local office for application forms, deadline dates and application requirements, as these may vary by country.
Completed applications must be submitted to the agency from which the ISP application form was obtained. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.
Local scholarship committees may interview applicants about their financial situation, academic performance, extra-curricular achievements and career plans.
As this is a global, competitive award, final decisions are made by an international selection panel in July. Students who are part of the final, global round will be informed of the outcome of their application shortly thereafter.