Full tuition, Monthly stipend, Return flights every year. And if you are married, family housing is included.
That is the complete financial package behind the Hamad Bin Khalifa University scholarship for 2027. It is one of the most comprehensive graduate funding offers currently available in the Middle East, open to students from every country in the world.
HBKU sits at the heart of Qatar Foundation’s Education City in Doha, a research and academic campus that hosts branch campuses of several major international universities alongside its own colleges. The scholarship supports graduate study across five colleges spanning science, law, health, humanities, public policy and Islamic studies.
Two deadlines apply depending on your nationality. International applicants must submit by 1 February 2027. Qatari nationals have until 15 March 2027.
At a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| University | Hamad Bin Khalifa University |
| Country | Qatar |
| Degree levels | Master’s, PhD, Law, JD, LLM, SJD |
| Funding | Fully funded |
| Open to | All nationalities |
| International deadline | 1 February 2027 |
| Qatari nationals deadline | 15 March 2027 |
| Covers | Fully Funded |
| Family housing | Available for married students |
Scholarship Coverage
The HBKU graduate scholarship is structured to support students through their entire program without financial pressure.
The package includes:
- Full tuition fee coverage
- Monthly stipend amount varies by degree level
- Accommodation provided on or near campus
- Return air ticket once per year
- Family housing for married students
That last point sets this scholarship apart from most fully funded programs. Very few graduate scholarships extend housing support to include spouses and dependants. For married applicants or those with families, this is a meaningful practical consideration.
The exact stipend amounts by degree level are confirmed through the admissions process. Verify current figures directly with HBKU’s financial aid office when applying.
Five Colleges, Dozens of Programs
HBKU’s scholarship spans a genuinely wide range of disciplines. This is not a single-department award. It covers five colleges with distinct academic identities.
College of Islamic Studies
- MA in Applied Islamic Ethics
- MA in Islamic Studies
- MA in Islam and Global Affairs
- MSc in Islamic Art, Architecture and Urbanism
- MSc in Islamic Finance
- PhD in Islamic Finance and Economy
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
- MA in Women’s Society and Development
- MA in Intercultural Communication
- MA in Digital Humanities and Societies
- MA in Audiovisual Translation
- MA in Translation Studies
- PhD in Humanities and Social Sciences
College of Science and Engineering
- MSc in Data Science and Engineering
- MSc in Cybersecurity
- MSc in Sustainable Energy
- MSc in Sustainable Environment
- MSc in Logistics and Supply Chain Management
- MSc in Sport and Entertainment Management
- MSc in Information Systems in Health Management
- Data Analytics in Health Management Masters
- PhD in Computer Science and Engineering
- PhD in Sustainable Energy
- PhD in Sustainable Environment
- PhD in Logistics and Supply Chain Management
College of Law
- Juris Doctor JD
- LLM in International Law and Foreign Affairs
- LLM in International Economic and Business Law
- Doctor of Juridical Science SJD
College of Health and Life Sciences
- MSc in Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- MSc in Genomics and Precision Medicine
- MSc in Exercise Science
- PhD in Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- PhD in Genomics and Precision Medicine
College of Public Policy
- Master of Public Policy
- Master of Social Policy and Program Evaluation
The law programs deserve specific mention. Fully funded JD and LLM scholarships are rare anywhere in the world. HBKU offering them alongside PhD and research funding makes this scholarship unusually versatile across professional and academic career paths.
How Admission and the Scholarship Work Together
This is the part most scholarship guides skip and it is important.
HBKU operates on an admission-first model. Students must first apply for and receive an admission offer to a graduate program at the university. Once admitted, scholarship details and eligibility are discussed as part of the enrollment process.
This means the scholarship application does not happen in isolation. Your priority is securing admission to your chosen program. The scholarship consideration follows from there.
Start by identifying the specific program that fits your academic background. Each degree at HBKU has its own admission requirements and conditions. Reading those requirements carefully before applying is not optional. It is the difference between a competitive application and one that gets filtered early.
Eligibility
- Open to students from all countries
- Strong academic record required
- Each program has its own specific academic and admission requirements
- IELTS scores accepted where applicable. Check individual program language requirements
No single IELTS cutoff applies universally across HBKU’s programs. Language requirements vary by college and degree level. Check the specific program page rather than assuming a standard threshold.
Documents Required
Prepare these before beginning your application:
- Academic transcripts
- Completed application form
- Standardized test results where applicable
- Two letters of recommendation
- Personal statement
- Resume or CV
- Passport or valid identity document
- Research proposal for research-based programs
For research degrees, the proposal is where most applications win or lose. It should clearly define a research problem, explain its significance and demonstrate that you understand the existing literature in your field. A generic proposal submitted to multiple universities simultaneously is easy for reviewers to identify.
How to Apply for the HBKU Scholarship
- Visit the HBKU official admissions website
- Create an applicant account
- Browse the list of available degree programs
- Select your target program
- Complete and submit the application with all required documents
- If admitted, scholarship information is provided during enrollment
Submit well before the deadline. HBKU’s admissions team processes applications from a global pool, and early submission gives your application adequate review time particularly important for international applicants navigating document verification across different academic systems.
