Each year, the Aga Khan Foundation awards a limited number of postgraduate scholarships to outstanding students from select developing countries who have no other means of funding their studies, with the goal of developing effective scholars and leaders and preparing them for employment, primarily within the AKDN. Scholarships are provided on a 50/50 grant/loan basis once a year in June or July through a competitive application process. The Foundation emphasizes requests for Master's level courses, but will consider PhD applications only in the event of exceptional students who have been highly recommended for doctorate study by their teachers and who require a PhD to achieve their career goals (academic or research oriented)
Eligibility
- Applications are accepted from citizens of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Syria, Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Madagascar and Mozambique. Applications are also accepted from France, Portugal, the UK, USA, and Canada.
- The Foundation will only consider applications from eligible nationalities stated above who live in one of the countries where local Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), Aga Khan Education Services (AKES), or Aga Khan Education Board (AKEB) offices handle applications and conduct interviews.
- Students under the age of 30 are given priority.
NOTE: Applicants should expect to be asked questions regarding their financial condition, academic performance, extracurricular achievements, and career plans by local Scholarship Committees.
The Aga Khan Foundation tells all applicants of the outcome of their application shortly after the annual Scholarship Selection Meeting, which takes place in late June or early July.
The Foundation exclusively helps students with their tuition and living expenses. The AKF scholarships do not cover the expense of travel. PhD students are only given funding for the first two years of their studies, after which they are expected to find other sources of support. The ISP provides financial aid based on the needs of students, although it must be considered a lender of last option. Applicants are encouraged to seek money from other sources as well, in order to keep the amount asked from the Foundation to a bare minimum. Those who have been able to acquire some support from alternate sources are given priority.
Half of the scholarship money is considered a loan, and it must be repaid with a 5% yearly service charge. The loan agreement must be co-signed by a guarantor. The repayment period is five years, beginning six months following the Aga Khan Foundation-funded study period.
Benefits & Dates
- Deadline for application distribution:14th March, 2022 (7:00 pm IST)
- Deadline for submitting completed applications:21st March, 2022 (5:00 pm IST)
NOTE: For the 2022-23 application cycle, the Foundation will not accept applications from students planning to attend universities in UK, Germany, Sweden, Austria, Denmark, The Netherlands, Italy, Norway and Ireland.