Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Scholarship Programme | Fully Funded

By Admin Last updated Dec 28, 2025

Background

Mindful of the importance of qualified human resources for social advancement and sustainable development, the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) has been very keen from the outset of its establishment to focus on human capital development alongside its mainstream development financing activities.

In recognition of the vital need to develop the human resources of the Muslim communities in non-Member Countries (non-MCs), IsDB launched its undergraduate scholarship program (SP) in 1983 under the title Scholarship Program for Muslim Communities (SPMC).

Capitalizing on the experience of a decade of the SPMC, IsDB decided to establish the Merit Scholarship Program (MSP) for Ph.D. studies and post-doctoral research in applied science and high technology to strengthen the scientific, technological and research capabilities of institutions in Member Countries (MCs), which was launched in 1992.   Later, the Master of Science Scholarship Program (M.Sc.)  was launched in 1998 as a feeding program for the MSP, realizing that 20 of the Least Developed Member Countries (LDMCs) could not benefit from the latter.  

In IsDB’s Realigned Strategy 2023 – 2025, the Bank dedicated an entire pillar to the support of comprehensive and inclusive human capital development.  Through this pillar, IsDB aims to help MCs and Muslim communities in non-MCs to address these challenges with capacity-development initiatives, including scholarship programs. It is also an important component of IsDB’s efforts to promote economic development and shared prosperity through the global development of human capital by investing in education.

IsDB Scholarship Program Booklets

The Scholarship booklets are essential resources for students interested in applying for the IsDB Scholarship Program. These booklets offer detailed and comprehensive information about the various scholarships available, including eligibility criteria, partner institutions, fields of study, benefits, facilities, and recipient obligations.

By consolidating all relevant information in one place, IsDB Scholarship Booklets provide students with a centralized and convenient source, simplifying the process of discovering and accessing scholarship opportunities without the need for extensive research.

For the Scholarship Program for Muslim Communities in Non-Member Countries, the list of eligible countries for the year 2025-2026 includes:: Australia, Cambodia, Croatia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Ghana, India, Kenya, Liberia, Macedonia, Madagascar, Mauritius, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Republic of Congo, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, The Philippines, Trinidad-Tobago, Vietnam, and Zambia.

Fields of study

The Program for bachelor’s degrees focuses on medicine, engineering, agriculture and other related fields such as dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary science, nursing, nutrition study, computer science, forestry and fishery. Candidates interested in studying technical diploma courses may apply only for the following fields of study:

Mechanical Manufacturing Methods.
Mechatronics.
Air Conditioning.
Arts and Crafts.
Automation and Industrial Instrumentation.
Automotive Maintenance and Repair.
Biomedical Equipment Maintenance.
Buildings and Public Works.
Business and IT.
Business Management.
Civil Engineering Technician.
Clothing Industries Production.
Design and Innovation in the Apparel Industry.
Design and Manufacture of Moulds and Tools.
Design Techniques for the Electronic Industry.
Development of Smart and Informative Industrial Systems.
Diagnostics and Embedded Electronics.
Digital Infrastructure Development.
Early Childhood Educator.
Electricity and Electronics.
Electromechanics of Automated Systems.
Food Industry.
Furniture Study and Design;
General Mechanics;
Hygiene and Quality;
Industrial Maintenance;
Infrastructure and Networks;
International Trade;
Leather and Footwear;
Logistics Operations;
Maintenance of Equipment for the Plastics Industry;
Marketing and Multimedia;
Mechanism and Industrial Media;
Mechatronics Maintenance;
Media and Communication;
Metal Construction;
Miscellaneous Services and Industries;
Office Design;
Plastic Industry;
Production Technologies for the Electronic Industry;
Quality Control in the Food Industry;
Quality in the Garment Industry;
Topographical Survey;
Technician in Commerce;
Textiles and Clothing;
Tourism and Hospitality;
Transport Operations;
Vehicle transport and Maintenance.

Place of Study

Consistent with the concept of the Program, scholarships are provided for studies at recognized government universities/technical institutes in the students’ own countries. However, for students who are unable to secure admission in their own countries, IsDB may facilitate their placement at universities in member countries that have concluded agreements with IsDB (Malaysia, Morocco, and Türkiye).

Other institutions of study in IsDB member countries may also be considered if their academic credibility and reputation can be substantiated as being high in the fields of study proposed by the candidates.

Eligibility requirements

The Program is intended to be for academically meritorious but financially needy students from LDMCs with a strong desire to engage in social services and community development of the country.

The prospective candidates must also meet the following eligibility criteria:

Maximum age of 24 years at the closing date of applications;
In need of financial assistance without which study may have to stop;
Not an IsDB staff member or Executive Director, his/her alternate, and/or staff of any type of appointment (including temporary and consultant) of the IsDB Group nor a close relative of the aforementioned by blood or adoption, with the term “close relative” being defined as mother, father, sister, half-sister, brother, half-brother, son, daughter, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew.
Completed senior secondary education (or the equivalent of approximately 12 years of education) with good grades in major science subjects.
Must choose a field of study listed among the approved disciplines of the Program.
Provided evidence of language proficiency in the university medium of instruction as relevant. The language proficiency must be supported by a document or certificate, e.g., for English, by a recognized language certificate such as TOEFL, IELTS or by having passed the required level test conducted such as by British Council or equivalent system in French or other languages.
Provided certified English or French translation of all documents in case they are initially in other languages.
Be medically fit and willing to undergo medical examination after selection.
Having prior admission in one of the disciplines covered under the Program at a recognized college or university in their own country is desirable.
Not living in a country other than his/her home country.
Endorsed by the local NGO partner through the IsDB selection procedures.
Committed to returning to his/her home country on completion of the study under the Program to contribute to its development (if studied abroad).
Not a beneficiary of any other scholarship at the time of application and during studies.

Note:

The IsDB-ISFD scholarship may only supplement, and shall not duplicate, any other source of financial support the applicant might have. If the applicant is awarded a scholarship, he/she must inform IsDB at that time if he/she has other sources of scholarship funding.
Submitting the application or getting admission by the academic institution does not mean that the applicant has been accepted for a scholarship. Accordingly, the applicant should not take any action concerning his/her current engagement or otherwise until notified by IsDB of having been awarded a scholarship.

Benefits and Facilities

The Program covers the following benefits:

Tuition fees, payable to the universities directly;
Monthly stipend commensurate with the cost of living in the country of study;
Books/clothing allowance, the equivalent of three months monthly stipends, once a year.
Cost of medical treatment (either at the university or local state hospital).
For students who are selected to study abroad, IsDB also provides return economy class tickets to and from the countries of study (once at the beginning and at the end of study) as well as an installation allowance.

The scholarship does not cover the following:

Visa application(s) costs.
Expenses to bring and/or support a student’s family members.
Extracurricular courses or training.
Courses that do not meet the minimum credits required to earn the graduate degree;
Language training not provided by the study program.
Additional travel during the study program.
Expenses related to research, supplementary educational materials, field trips, participation in workshops/seminars, exchange programs, conferences, or internships.
Educational equipment, such as computers
Residence permit fee.

Obligations of the Beneficiaries

Beneficiaries awarded the scholarship shall:

Sign a surety Bond stating their commitment to their studies, to return to their countries upon completion of their studies and to participate in the development of their countries, through their respective professions.
Devote themselves to their studies on a full-time basis and without interruption and provide IsDB with reports on their academic studies and activities on a regular basis.
Repay the loan after graduation and gainful employment, in easy instalments, to a local IET to be established by IsDB in their countries.
Not to seek or accept any other scholarship or remunerated work during their studies under the Program may interfere with their studies or make the fulfillment of their other obligations difficult unless otherwise approved in writing by IsDB.
Respect the laws of the country of study and maintain good personal and professional conduct consistent with the rules, regulations and objectives of the Program and the overall mission of IsDB as an Islamic institution.

Counterpart Organizations (CPOs)

The Program is a joint effort between IsDB and the LDMCs. As such, they must select a national NGO to serve as the Counterpart Organization (CPO) for the Program implementation. The CPO in each country is requested to support the implementation of the Program in terms of announcing the call for applications, verifying applicants’ information and documents and supporting the preselection process (which includes interviewing applicants to assess their commitment and financial need and validate their school certificates/transcripts, university admission and other relevant documents).

The CPO is also required to set up a local IET with guidance from IsDB and the Office of the IsDB Governor to facilitate the loan refund and to launch and manage the post-study Program to support community services and development.

IsDB Education Trusts

To ensure the continuity of the Program in the long run, the IsDB (in cooperation with Offices of IsDB Governors and the CPOs) will establish an IsDB Education Trust (IET) in each LDMC to deal with scholarship loan refunds and develop local Program using collected/repaid loans.

The trustees of the IET are drawn from reputable organizations and personalities and its core members consist of some of the active members of the CPOs. As such, it is expected that the IET will function in the country as the final CPO for the implementation of the Program in the long run. This is consistent with the concept of the Program as a development program for the country.

List of eligible LDMCs

Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Benin
Burkina Faso
Chad
Comoros
Djibouti
Gambia
Guinea
Guinea Bissau
Mali
Mauritania
Mozambique
Niger
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Somalia
Sudan
Togo
Uganda
Yemen

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