The Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) Scholarship 2027 offers international students opportunities to pursue eligible Master’s and PhD programmes in Qatar with financial support through competitive tuition waivers and stipend awards.

Located in Education City, Doha, HBKU offers graduate programmes across science and engineering, health and life sciences, Islamic studies, humanities and social sciences, law, public policy, and economics and management.

For the Fall 2027 intake, HBKU’s graduate admission application opened on October 1, 2026. The deadline for international graduate applicants is February 1, 2027.

HBKU does not guarantee a scholarship to every admitted student. Tuition waivers and stipends depend on academic merit or financial need, available funding, programme eligibility, and the university’s scholarship conditions. Eligible applicants are considered for financial support during the admissions process, so a separate scholarship application is generally not required.

Degree Level

HBKU graduate scholarships are available for eligible programmes at the following levels:

Master’s degrees
Doctoral degrees and PhD programmes
Selected professional and specialised graduate degrees

The university offers graduate programmes through several colleges, including the College of Science and Engineering, College of Health and Life Sciences, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Islamic Studies, College of Law, College of Public Policy and the School of Economics and Management.

Scholarship eligibility depends on the individual programme. Applicants should check the relevant college’s admission requirements and funding conditions before applying.

The graduate scholarship guidelines should not be confused with a universal undergraduate scholarship scheme. Undergraduate applicants need to check HBKU’s separate undergraduate admission and financial-aid arrangements.

Available Subjects

HBKU offers graduate programmes in a wide range of academic disciplines.

Depending on the programme, applicants may find opportunities in:

Artificial Intelligence
Computer Science
Information Technology
Data Science
Cybersecurity
Engineering
Sustainable Development
Environmental Sciences
Health Sciences
Biomedical Sciences
Biological Sciences
Genomics and Precision Medicine
Public Health
Islamic Studies
Humanities
Social Sciences
International Affairs
Public Policy
Law
Economics
Finance
Management
Energy and Environment

The availability of scholarships varies by college and programme. Applicants should consult HBKU’s current graduate programme catalogue to confirm that their intended degree is available for Fall 2027 and is eligible for scholarship consideration.

Benefits

HBKU graduate scholarships may provide a combination of tuition-fee waivers, monthly stipends and other support for eligible international students.

Tuition-Fee Waivers

The current published HBKU graduate scholarship guidelines list the following tuition support for HBKU-sponsored students:

PhD programmes in Science and Engineering and Health and Life Sciences: 100% tuition waiver.
PhD programmes in Islamic Studies, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Law: 100% tuition waiver.
STEM Master’s programmes: 75% tuition waiver.
Master’s and MA programmes in Islamic Studies, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Public Policy: 60% tuition waiver.
Juris Doctor (JD): 60% tuition waiver.
LLM programmes: no standard tuition waiver under the published schedule.
MS Economics: no standard tuition waiver under the published schedule.
Certificate programmes: no standard tuition waiver under the published schedule.

These are the current published rates, and applicants should verify the terms applicable to their particular programme and intake.

Monthly Stipends

The current scholarship guidelines list the following monthly stipend rates for selected graduate students:

International PhD students: QAR 9,000 per month, for up to 45 months.
International Master’s students: QAR 7,000 per month, for up to 21 months.
Qatari PhD students: QAR 11,000 per month, for up to 45 months.
Qatari Master’s students: QAR 9,000 per month, for up to 21 months.
Local PhD students: QAR 5,000 per month, for up to 45 months.
Local Master’s students: QAR 4,000 per month, for up to 21 months.

The stipend is not automatically awarded to every admitted student. HBKU states that stipends are available to selected full-time graduate students serving as research assistants (RA) and/or teaching assistants (TA), depending on funding availability.

International students receiving a stipend are also eligible for a single round-trip airfare during their candidature, consisting of an inbound ticket when they start their programme and an outbound ticket upon graduation, subject to the applicable conditions.

Some HBKU graduate scholarship packages can provide substantial support, including a full tuition waiver, monthly stipend and round-trip airfare for eligible international recipients.

However, the scholarship is not guaranteed to be fully funded for every applicant. Funding depends on the programme, scholarship category, academic merit or financial need, available funds, and the conditions of the award.

For example, an eligible international PhD student who receives a 100% tuition waiver and the QAR 9,000 monthly stipend would receive a different funding package from a Master’s student receiving a 60% or 75% tuition waiver.

Applicants should check their individual offer letter carefully to confirm:

The percentage of tuition covered.
Whether a monthly stipend has been awarded.
The duration of stipend support.
Whether airfare or other benefits apply.
Any research or teaching assistantship responsibilities.

HBKU’s official guidelines explicitly state that tuition waivers and stipends are not guaranteed and depend on available funds.

Eligible Nationalities

HBKU welcomes applications from international students from different countries.

International students may be considered for graduate scholarships if they meet the admission requirements of their chosen programme and the conditions of the applicable funding scheme.

The published scholarship guidelines include specific funding categories for international, Qatari and local students. International applicants should therefore check the conditions and stipend category that apply to their own status.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants for the HBKU Scholarship 2027 must satisfy the admission requirements of their selected graduate programme.

General requirements may include:

Applying to an eligible full-time Master’s or PhD programme at HBKU.
Holding the required previous academic qualification.
Meeting the programme’s academic standards.
Providing academic transcripts and degree certificates.
Meeting English-language proficiency requirements where applicable.
Submitting recommendation details and other required documents.
Completing the application within the official admission period.
Meeting any additional requirements established by the relevant college.

Scholarship recipients must also meet the conditions of their funding agreement. For stipend awards, full-time enrolment and research or teaching assistantship duties may be required.

Meeting the admission requirements does not guarantee a scholarship because funding is competitive and subject to availability.

Required Documents

The exact documents depend on the selected degree and college. Applicants should prepare the materials requested by their programme, which may include:

Completed online application form.
Valid passport or other accepted identification.
Academic transcripts from previous studies.
Degree certificates or graduation statements.
English-language test results where required.
Curriculum vitae or résumé where requested.
Personal statement or statement of purpose where required.
Recommendation letters or referee contact details.
Research proposal or research-related documents for applicable programmes.
Other programme-specific supporting materials.

Applicants should follow the official instructions displayed in the HBKU application system. The requirements for a research degree may differ from those for a taught Master’s programme.

HBKU’s published student financial information also lists a non-refundable graduate application fee of QAR 250 and a one-time enrollment fee of QAR 350 for the colleges listed on its financial information page. Applicants should verify the applicable fees for their programme.

Application Procedure

Applicants should follow these steps to apply for HBKU graduate admission and scholarship consideration.

Step 1: Choose a Graduate Programme

Explore HBKU’s graduate programme catalogue and select a Master’s or PhD programme that matches your academic background and career goals.

Step 2: Check Admission Requirements

Review the selected programme’s academic, English-language, and document requirements.

Step 3: Create an Online Account

Visit HBKU’s official graduate admissions page and create an applicant account.

Step 4: Complete the Application

Choose your intended college and programme, complete the online form, and provide the required academic and personal information.
HBKU allows applicants to submit up to two graduate programme applications per academic year, subject to its current rules.

Step 5: Upload Supporting Documents

After submitting the main application, follow the confirmation email instructions to upload supplementary documents and provide referee contact details.

Step 6: Scholarship Consideration

Eligible applicants are considered for scholarship funding during the admissions process. No separate scholarship application is generally required.

Step 7: Review the Offer

If admitted, review the offer letter and scholarship details carefully. Admission alone does not guarantee a tuition waiver or stipend.

Step 8: Complete Enrolment Requirements

If you accept the offer, follow HBKU’s instructions for scholarship agreements, tuition arrangements, enrolment, and any required research or teaching responsibilities.

Application Deadline

HBKU’s current graduate admissions schedule lists the following dates for the Fall 2027 intake:

Graduate applications open: October 1, 2026.
International graduate applicants’ deadline: February 1, 2027.
Deadline for Qatari and resident applicants who wish to apply for funding: March 15, 2027.

International applicants should use the February 1, 2027 deadline as the main date for their graduate application and confirm the deadline on the page for their specific programme.