The Zero Waste Foundation’s 2026–2027 Graduate and Doctoral Scholarship Programme supports master’s and PhD researchers working on zero waste sustainability and environmental innovation.
Selected scholars also become active contributors to the Foundation’s research publications and knowledge-sharing work.
If you are a sustainability researcher who wants funding and a platform to make your work matter beyond your thesis, this program was built for exactly that.
Summary.
- Program: Zero Waste Foundation Scholarship 2026–2027
- Funder: Zero Waste Foundation Sıfır Atık Vakfı
- Level: Master’s and Doctoral thesis-based only
- Coverage period: October 2026 to June 2027, max 9 months per year
- Master’s stipend: 28,000 Turkish Lira per month
- Doctoral stipend: 38,000 Turkish Lira per month
- Minimum GPA:00/4.00 or 75/100 or BB/AA
- Thesis requirement: Must be approved and zero-waste related
Who This Program Is Actually For.
Before reading the eligibility criteria, it helps to understand the kind of researcher this scholarship is designed to attract.
The Zero Waste Foundation is not looking for students who happen to have a sustainability chapter in their thesis. It is looking for researchers whose entire academic direction centers on zero waste. People whose approved thesis topic, academic background, and professional motivation are genuinely aligned with reducing waste at a systemic level.
The program spans engineering, health sciences, architecture, urban planning, environmental science, social sciences, economics, and public policy. The breadth is intentional. Zero waste is an interdisciplinary challenge, and the Foundation recognizes that solutions do not come from one field alone.
What connects eligible applicants is not their department. It is their research focus.
The Four Research Categories.
Every application must clearly explain how the research contributes to at least one of these four thematic areas.
Engineering Health and Technology
- Technological innovation,
- Engineering solutions,
- Environmental health,
- Waste management technologies and related fields.
Architecture Design and Urban Planning
- Sustainable urban development,
- Circular design,
- Green infrastructure
- Resource-efficient buildings and waste-conscious planning.
Behavioral, Educational, and Natural Sciences
- Environmental behavior
- Ecology education
- Environmental awareness
- Natural systems and sustainability-related scientific study.
Economics, Communication and Governance
- Policy development
- Public administration
- Communication strategies
- Economic systems
- Governance frameworks and stakeholder engagement around zero waste.
Pick the category that genuinely fits your research. The committee evaluates thematic alignment specifically. A forced fit is visible during the interview stage.
Scholarship Benefits.
- Master’s recipients receive 28,000 Turkish Lira per month.
- Doctoral recipients receive 38,000 Turkish Lira per month.
- Funding covers a maximum of nine months per academic year, running from October through June.
Two things international applicants should factor in.
- First, stipend amounts are denominated in Turkish Lira, which means the real value in other currencies fluctuates with exchange rates. Check the current rate before assessing affordability.
- Second, the Foundation reviews scholarship amounts annually. The figures above apply to 2026–2027 but may be adjusted for future cycles.
Scholarships can be renewed. Master’s awards run for up to two academic years. Doctoral awards run for up to four years. Renewal is not automatic. It requires a new application and evaluation each year.
Eligibility Requirements.
- The headline requirements are standard. Thesis-based enrollment, minimum GPA, and zero-waste research focus. But two eligibility conditions trip up applicants who do not read carefully.
- You cannot hold another scholarship simultaneously. If you are currently funded by another institution or organization, you are ineligible. This is not a minor detail. It disqualifies a significant portion of active postgraduate students who assume multiple awards can be combined.
- You cannot be in full-time employment. Part-time work is not addressed explicitly, but full-time employment during the scholarship period ends eligibility.
- Your thesis topic must already be approved. Not proposed, not planned. Formally approved by your academic institution. Candidates must provide official documentation confirming this. A strong research idea at the proposal stage does not qualify.
Full eligibility checklist:
- Enrolled in a thesis-based master’s or doctoral program
- GPA of at least 3.00/4.00, 75/100, or BB/AA
- Thesis topic approved and related to zero waste
- Currently in the thesis stage of the program
- Not in full-time employment
- Not receiving another scholarship
Prepare these documents before starting the application:
- Student enrollment certificate
- Academic transcript
- National identity document copy
- Passport-style photograph
- Criminal record certificate
- Social security registration and service record
- Academic CV
- Recommendation letter from thesis supervisor or academic staff
- Thesis proposal approval document or advisor confirmation
- Thesis Detail Form
- Scholarship Application Form
Incomplete applications will not proceed to evaluation. The document list is firm.
The criminal record certificate and social security registration may require advance processing time depending on your country and institution. Do not leave these for the final week.
The Selection Process.
Three stages determine who receives the scholarship.
Preliminary Review
- Eligibility is verified, and documents are checked for completeness.
Academic and Thematic Evaluation
- Eligible applications are assessed on academic performance, financial need, research quality, innovation, relevance to the chosen category, and potential contribution to the zero-waste field.
Interview
- Shortlisted candidates are invited to an interview evaluating academic competence, motivation, and alignment with the Foundation’s vision.
- The interview stage is where thematic fit is tested most directly.
- Reviewers assess whether the applicant genuinely understands their research’s contribution to zero waste, not just whether the thesis title sounds relevant.
What Recipients Are Expected to Do.
This is the section most scholarship guides skip. It is also the most important one for understanding whether this program suits you.
Selected scholars become volunteer researchers within the Foundation for the duration of the scholarship. That means active contribution, not passive funding.
Responsibilities include:
- Supporting research, educational initiatives and literature reviews
- Contributing to data analysis and knowledge-generation activities
- Producing at least one popular science article, research summary or policy report for Foundation publications
- Submitting monthly progress reports approved by the thesis supervisor
- Participating in Foundation meetings, seminars, workshops and events
- Acknowledging the Foundation’s support in any academic publications produced during the scholarship period
For researchers who want to publish, connect with practitioners, and build a profile in the sustainability sector, these responsibilities are opportunities rather than obligations.
For researchers who want quiet, uninterrupted thesis time, the workload commitment is worth factoring into the decision before applying.
Grounds for Termination.
Scholarships can be ended early if recipients:
- Fail to maintain academic performance standards
- Shift their research away from zero waste topics
- Miss monthly reporting requirements
- Receive another scholarship during the period
- Take on full-time employment
- Provide misleading information in the application
- Lose student status for any reason
The reporting and research continuity requirements are active obligations throughout the scholarship year, not formalities.
