The United Arab Emirates has a small number of funded options for international graduate students. The two clearest are the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), which funds its PhD students, and Khalifa University, which offers research and teaching scholarships for master’s and PhD study. Both are in Abu Dhabi. This guide sets out what each one offers and how to apply. It was last updated on 4 October 2026.
Scholarships in the UAE 2027 at a glance
| Country | United Arab Emirates |
|---|---|
| Scholarship covered here | MBZUAI PhD Scholarship |
| University | Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, Abu Dhabi |
| Study level | PhD |
| Field | Artificial intelligence and related areas |
| Funding | Fully Funded |
| Deadline | 15 December 2026 |
About the MBZUAI PhD Scholarship
The Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) in Abu Dhabi is a graduate research university dedicated to artificial intelligence. Admitted PhD students are funded through a partnership between the University and faculty advisors: the first year is centrally funded while you match with an advisor, and funding moves to your advisor no later than the start of year two, subject to a confirmed match and satisfactory progress. Funded students receive free tuition, a monthly stipend of AED 17,500 for international PhD students, a yearly return airfare, health insurance and a UAE residence visa. The application portal opened on 7 September 2026 and the final deadline is 15 December 2026 (5 p.m. GST). Note: for 2027, MSc students are fee-paying by default unless they secure an assistantship or merit funding.
What does it cover?
- Free tuition
- Monthly stipend of AED 17,500 for international PhD students
- One return airfare each year to your home country
- Health insurance for the funded period
- University sponsored UAE residence visa and Emirates ID
- Year 1 funded by the University; from year 2 funding moves to your faculty advisor
Who can apply?
- Degree in a STEM field such as computer science, electrical or computer engineering, mathematics or physics
- A master's degree, or direct entry from a strong bachelor's degree
- Minimum CGPA of 3.0 or 3.5 out of 4.0 depending on the programme
- Valid proof of English proficiency submitted with the application
- Complete the online screening exam
Documents you need
- Completed online application form
- CV with academic background, research and programming skills
- Bachelor's and master's transcripts and degree certificates
- Three referee recommendations
- Research statement (PDF)
- Statement of purpose (PDF)
- Proof of English proficiency
- Passport copy and a photo with white background
How to apply, step by step
- Create an account on the MBZUAI applicant portal
- Upload your documents and request three recommendations
- Take the online screening exam (covering mathematics, programming and machine learning)
- Pay the AED 200 application fee (waived for exam scores of 75% or above)
- Submit by 15 December 2026 at 5 p.m. GST
- Selected applicants may have a technical interview; decisions by 31 March 2027
Khalifa University scholarships for international students
Khalifa University of Science and Technology in Abu Dhabi offers competitive, merit-based scholarships to graduate students in engineering and science. You are considered when you apply for admission to a full-time programme.
Master Research Teaching Scholarship (MRTS)
For international students on a full-time master’s degree. The university lists these benefits:
- A monthly stipend
- Full coverage of tuition fees
- Medical insurance for students on a university-sponsored student visa
- Flight assistance when you arrive and when you leave, for students coming from abroad
The MRTS does not cover accommodation costs.
Combined Master and Doctoral Research Teaching Scholarship (CMDRTS)
For international students who take both the master’s and the PhD at Khalifa University, full-time. It includes the same benefits as the MRTS, plus free university accommodation for the student, or accommodation assistance if university housing is not available.
PhD scholarships
Students who meet the PhD admission requirements and are accepted are considered for a standard PhD scholarship, which includes a full tuition fee waiver and a stipend.
Stipend amounts change from year to year, and older figures circulate online. Take the amounts only from Khalifa University’s own scholarship page or your offer letter.
MBZUAI or Khalifa University: which fits you?
| MBZUAI | Khalifa University | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Abu Dhabi | Abu Dhabi |
| Fields | Artificial intelligence and related areas | Engineering and science |
| Levels with funding | See our MBZUAI scholarship page | Master’s, combined master’s and PhD, and PhD |
| Tuition | Covered | Covered |
| Stipend | Yes | Yes |
| Accommodation | See our MBZUAI scholarship page | Not covered on the master’s scholarship; covered on the combined scholarship |
| How you are considered | With your admission application | With your admission application |
Other universities in the UAE
United Arab Emirates University in Al Ain also runs graduate scholarships and assistantships for international students. We have not verified its current terms, so check its official website directly before you apply.
Living and studying in the UAE: what to plan for
- Language: the programmes covered here are taught in English.
- Housing: check whether accommodation is included. Where it is not, rent in Abu Dhabi is a major cost.
- Visa: funded students are normally sponsored by the university for a student visa, and medical insurance is tied to that sponsorship.
Tips before you apply
- Check that your background matches the research areas of the programme.
- Prepare a statement that explains your research interests clearly.
- Ask for recommendation letters from people who supervised your academic or research work.
- Confirm the current deadline and benefits on the university’s website.
Count back from the MBZUAI deadline
The MBZUAI application deadline is 15 December 2026 at 5:00 pm Gulf time, which is 6:00 pm in Pakistan. A plan that counts back from that date:
- By mid-October: choose your programme and research area, and read the entry requirements line by line.
- By the end of October: book any test you still need, and request your transcripts.
- By mid-November: finish your statement and CV, and give your referees their deadline.
- By early December: complete the online form and check every upload.
- By 13 December: submit, two days early.
Master’s or PhD: check the funding before you choose
The funding is not the same at each level. At MBZUAI, the PhD comes with a monthly stipend of 17,500 dirhams. The master’s programme is fee-paying by default, so do not assume it is funded. Read the current fees and scholarship page for the level you want, and put the real numbers in your budget before you apply.
How to choose a research area
- List the two or three topics from your degree that you enjoyed most and did best in.
- Open the university’s research pages and find the groups that work on those topics.
- Read the titles of their recent papers. You do not need to understand everything, but you should be able to say what problem they work on.
- In your statement, connect one of your own projects to that problem in two or three sentences.
A statement that names a real research direction and your own related work is much stronger than one that praises the university in general.
What can go wrong
- The wrong time zone: the deadline is in Gulf time. Convert it and submit early.
- Referees who are late: remind them two weeks and three days before the deadline.
- A general statement: technical programmes look for evidence of projects, code, mathematics or research, not general interest in the field.
- Old information: stipends, fees and dates change. Confirm them on the official page before you rely on them.
Questions to ask before you accept an offer
An offer letter does not always answer everything. Before you accept a place at any university in the UAE, find out:
- Funding: exactly what is paid, for how many years, and what grade you must keep to continue receiving it.
- Housing: whether accommodation is provided, or what rent costs near the campus.
- Health insurance and visa: whether the university arranges and pays for them.
- Travel: whether a flight is covered at the start and the end.
- Family: whether dependants can join you, and at whose cost.
- Work: whether you may take paid work or internships during your studies.
Ask the admissions office for answers in writing, and keep the e-mails.
Keep your options open
Apply to more than one university and scholarship in the same season. Results in the UAE arrive at different times, and a second application protects you if the first one does not succeed.
Frequently asked questions
Is the MBZUAI master’s programme fully funded?
Not by default. The master’s programme is fee-paying, while PhD students receive a monthly stipend. Check the official page for any scholarships at master’s level.
What time is the MBZUAI deadline in Pakistan?
The deadline of 5:00 pm Gulf time on 15 December 2026 is 6:00 pm in Pakistan.
Are there fully funded scholarships in the UAE?
Yes. The MBZUAI PhD Scholarship on our list is marked fully funded.
Can master’s students get funding in the UAE?
Some universities fund master’s students. We list only what we have verified, so check each university’s own page.
Is IELTS required?
It depends on the university and programme. Our scholarship page explains what MBZUAI asks for.
Does Khalifa University fund international master’s students?
Yes, through the Master Research Teaching Scholarship, which covers tuition and pays a monthly stipend. It does not cover accommodation.
Do I apply separately for a Khalifa University scholarship?
You apply for admission to a full-time graduate programme and are considered for the scholarship.
Where to apply
See our MBZUAI PhD Scholarship page for the official application link, and the Khalifa University postgraduate scholarships page for its current terms. For funded study elsewhere in the Gulf, see our KAUST Fellowship guide and our guide to scholarships in Qatar.
See also our Khalifa University Scholarships page.
Live list: every scholarship we currently cover here
| Scholarship | Funding | Stipend | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| MBZUAI PhD Scholarship 2027 in the UAE | Fully funded | Monthly stipend of AED 17,500 for international PhD students | 15 Dec 2026 |
| Khalifa University Scholarships in the UAE | Fully funded | See the scholarship page | Varies |
This table updates itself whenever a scholarship is added or changed, so it can include newer entries than the sections above. See all scholarships.
