The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) has been eager to concentrate on human capital development in addition to its mainstream development financing activities since its founding, understanding the value of skilled human resources for societal growth and sustainable development.

Under the name Scholarship Program for Muslim Communities (SPMC), IsDB introduced its undergraduate scholarship program (SP) in 1983 in response to the urgent need to enhance the human resources of the Muslim communities residing in non-member Countries (non-MCs).

In order to strengthen the scientific, technological, and research capabilities of institutions in Member Countries (MCs), IsDB decided to establish the Merit Scholarship Program (MSP) for Ph.D. studies and post-doctoral research in applied science and high technology. The program was launched in 1992 and capitalizes on the experience of ten years at SPMC. Afterwards, as it became apparent that 20 of the Least Developed Member Countries (LDMCs) could not profit from the latter, the Master of Science Scholarship Program (M.Sc.) was introduced in 1998 as a nourishment program for the MSP.

A full pillar of the IsDB’s Realigned Strategy 2023–2025 is devoted to promoting inclusive and comprehensive human capital development. Through capacity-development activities, such as scholarship programs, the IsDB hopes to assist Muslim communities in non-MCs and MCs in addressing these issues. It plays a significant role in the IsDB’s initiatives to support shared prosperity and economic development by fostering the worldwide development of human capital via educational investment.

Quick Details:

• Offered by: The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB)
• Deadline: TBC
• Duration: Four years Undergraduate, two years Master Degree, three years Ph.D. and Postdoctoral Research Programs
• Location: IsDB Member Countries
• Degree Type: Undergraduate, Master, Ph.D., and Postdoctoral Research Programs
• Gender: Any
• Type: Scholarships
• Eligible Countries: IsDB Member Countries (Afghanistan Included)

Scholarships:

To meet the needs of students from various locations and backgrounds, the IsDB offers four distinct scholarship programs:

• IsDB-ISFD Scholarship Program
• Merit Scholarship Program for High Technology (MSP)
• Master of Science Scholarship Program (M.Sc.)
• Scholarship Program for Muslim Communities in Non-member Countries (SPMC)

Timelines:

• Call for Applications: February 2025
• Deadline: 30th April 2025
• Results Announcements: July and August 2025

Fields of study for ISDB-ISFD scholarship program for ISDB least developed member countries (LDMCS)

Fields of Study for Master’s Degree:

Master’s degree programs consist of two years of coursework, research, or both. Nonetheless, the following Master’s degrees are offered:

• Science
• Technology
• Medicine or Medical Sciences
• Engineering

Fields of Study for Ph.D. and Postdoctoral Research:

The Merit Scholarship Program for High Technology (MSP) offers scholarships for postdoctoral research lasting six to twelve months and for doctoral education for three years or thirty-six months. Furthermore, the duration complies with global norms and practices.

Subjects and fields of study are chosen in accordance with the scientific and technology-related developmental demands of the nation. As a result, a list of 17 academic disciplines is compiled and shown below. Only this list—which requires merit—will allow students to select their topic of study:

• Agriculture/Food Technology
• Conductors/Semiconductors
• Computer Science (including CAD/CAM)
• Chemical Engineering/Material Sciences
• Hydrology/Water Resources
• Laser and Fibre Optics
• Metallurgy
• Medicine/Pharmaceutical
• Nuclear Science/Engineering
• Polymer Science
• Renewable Energy/Fuel Technology
• System Engineering
• Space Science/Technology
• Technology Management and Innovation (For postdoctoral research only).
• Electronics/Micro Electronics/Telecommunication
• Environmental Preservation Technology
• Genetic Engineering/Biotechnology

Benefits and Eligibilities:

Under this IsDB Scholarship, all of the following costs are covered for students to attend prestigious colleges in the member states of the Bank:

Benefits of Ithe sDB-ISFD Scholarship Program:

• The universities get payment for tuition directly.
• An allowance each month that matches the cost of living in the studied nation
• An annual stipend for books and clothing equal to three months’ worth of monthly stipends
• Costs associated with medical care (at the university or local state hospital)
• Return tickets in economy class

Eligibilities for IsDB-ISFD Scholarship Program:

• Must be under 24 years old on the day of application;
• They truly require financial support;
• A senior secondary school graduate, or the equivalent of twelve years of schooling, with honors in major science disciplines;
• Select from the program’s permitted study options and disciplines;
• Ensure that your language skills are appropriate for the university’s chosen teaching medium. Students who have taken the necessary level exam in any relevant language or who can produce documents or certificates like the TOEFL or IELTS are examples of this;
• Deliver all non-English or non-French papers in certified English or French translation;
• Maintain good health and pass the post-selection medical check;
• Obtained an admissions letter from an accredited university, ideally within their nation, in a field covered by the program;
• Ought to live in one’s native nation;
• Don’t accept financing from other sources while submitting an application or conducting research.
• Acknowledged by the regional NGO collaborator via the IsDB selection processes;
• Promise to return home after completing their study program to aid in the development of their own country;
• Not be an executive director, employee of IsDB, or a member of their families

Eligible Nations of IsDB-ISFD Scholarship Program:

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

Benefits of Merit Scholarship Program for High Technology (MSP):

• Students’ tuition costs are exclusively due to universities directly.
• Monthly stipend on a single-status basis, equivalent to the cost of living in the host nation
• Under the university health plan, health insurance
• Preparing a thesis or scientific report
• Allowance for conferences for doctoral students
• A return ticket and installation reimbursement for international scholars studying

Eligibilities for Merit Scholarship Program for High Technology (MSP):

• Be up to 40 years for postdoctoral research and up to 35 years for Ph.D. studies;
• Possess a Ph.D. for postdoctoral research in science and technology domains or an M.Sc. for Ph.D. studies;
• Possess exceptionally high academic achievement;
• Fulfill the institution’s language requirements and possess the necessary language skills to carry out scientific work in;
• Show that you have worked in the relevant subject for at least two years if you are pursuing a Ph.D., or five years if you are pursuing a postdoctoral degree;
• Substantiate research findings or publications in the same topic;
• Suggested a topic for research or study within one of the listed authorized fields;
• Candidates for postdoctoral research who have completed a postdoctoral experience abroad in the last two years are ineligible;
• Not be an executive director, employee of IsDB, or a member of their families;

Eligible Nations of MSP:

• Afghanistan
• Iran
• Turkey
• Iraq
• Turkmenistan
• Jordan
• Uganda
• Kazakhstan
• United A. Emirates
• Kuwait
• Uzbekistan
• Kyrghyz
• Yemen
• Lebanon
• Libya
• Malaysia
• Maldives
• Albania
• Mali
• Algeria
• Mauritania
• Azerbaijan
• Morocco
• Bahrain
• Mozambique
• Bangladesh
• Niger
• Benin
• Nigeria
• Brunei Darussalam
• Oman
• Burkina Faso
• Pakistan
• Cameroon
• Palestine
• Chad
• Qatar
• Comoros
• Saudi Arabia
• Cote d’Ivoire
• Senegal
• Djibouti
• Sierra Leone
• Egypt
• Somalia
• Gabon
• Sudan
• Gambia
• Suriname
• Guinea
• Syria
• Guinea Bissau
• Tajikistan
• Guyana
• Togo
• Indonesia
• Tunisia

Benefits of Master of Science Scholarship Program (M.Sc.):

• The universities get payment for tuition directly.
• An allowance each month that matches the cost of living in the studied nation
• The price of medical care (at the university or at the state hospital in the area)
• The price of preparing a thesis
• Return the airline ticket once at the start and finish of the research project.
• Allowance for installation for students enrolled in international programs

Eligibilities for Master of Science Scholarship Program (M.Sc.):

• Possess any one of the 20 LDMC nationalities;
• Do not exceed a thirty-year deadline for applications;
• Possess a scientific and technology bachelor’s degree, or a comparable one;
• Demonstrate above-average academic performance;
• The candidates should be nominated by scientific, academic, or research institutes in their respective nations;
• Fulfill the institution’s language requirements and possess the necessary language skills to carry out scientific work in;
• Obtained full or provisional admission from the following institutions;\
• Not be an executive director, employee of IsDB, or a member of their families

Eligible Nations for M.Sc.:

• Afghanistan
• Mali
• Maldives
• Mauritania
• Mozambique
• Niger
• Palestine
• Sierra Leone
• Somalia
• Togo
• Uganda
• Yemen
• Benin
• Burkina Faso
• Chad
• Comoros
• Djibouti
• Gambia
• Guinea
• Guinea-Bissau

Benefits of Scholarship Program for Muslim Communities in Non-member Countries (SPMC):

• Students’ tuition costs are exclusively due to universities directly.
• A monthly payment that covers living expenses in the host nation
• An annual stipend for books and clothing equal to three months’ worth of monthly stipends
• Costs associated with medical care (at the university or local state hospital)
• Return tickets in economy class

Eligibilities for Scholarship Program for Muslim Communities in Non-member Countries (SPMC):

• Require financial support;
• Be no older than 24 years old;
• Not be an executive director, employee of IsDB, or a member of their families;
• A senior secondary school graduate, or the equivalent of twelve years of schooling, with honors in major science disciplines;
• Ensure that your language skills are appropriate for the university’s chosen teaching medium. Students who have taken the necessary level exam in any relevant language or who can produce documents or certificates like the TOEFL or IELTS are examples of this;
• Deliver all non-English or non-French papers in certified English or French translation;
• Maintain good health and pass the post-selection medical check;
• Obtained an admissions letter from an accredited university, ideally within their nation, in a field covered by the program;
• Ought to live in one’s native nation;
• Don’t accept financing from other sources while submitting an application or conducting research. live in any of the following nations: South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, The Philippines, Trinidad-Tobago, Vietnam, Zambia, Liberia, Cambodia, Mauritius, Macedonia, Australia, Canada, Croatia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Germany, Ghana, India, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Russian Federation, Rwanda.

Note: You may find the list of eligible nations for this scholarship here.

How to Apply?

Applying for an IsDB Scholarship requires free registration through the IsDB application site, which can be accessed by clicking the link below.

Before applying, download the paperwork for each scholarship program from the Scholarship for Afghanistan Telegram channel HERE and review the requirements and specifics.

Note: Please visit the IsDB website frequently for up-to-date information regarding the IsDB Scholarships Calendar.

                     Apply Now

You May Like These Amazing Opportunities:

• University Of East London Postgraduate Scholarship 2025 in the UK
• University of Brescia STAR Bachelor scholarships for Non-EU applicants
• Harvard University – Boustany Foundation MBA Scholarship 2025