Full Program Details
Qatar has quietly become one of the most popular study destinations for African graduates who want a funded postgraduate degree closer to home. Hamad Bin Khalifa University, part of Qatar Foundation's Education City in Doha, has opened graduate applications for fall 2027. Selected international students can get a tuition waiver and a monthly stipend, and PhD students in particular can have their tuition covered in full.
Selected international PhD students receive a 100% tuition waiver and a stipend of QAR 9,000 a month for up to 45 months, plus one return flight.
Details at a glance:
- Host: Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation
- Level: PhD and master's programmes
- Location: Education City, Doha, Qatar
- Applications opened: 1 October 2026
- Deadline for international graduate applicants: 1 February 2027
- No separate scholarship form: you are considered for funding when you apply for admission
What the Funding Covers
Funding is merit or need based and depends on available funds, so it is not guaranteed for every admitted student.
- PhD programmes: 100% tuition waiver for HBKU-sponsored students
- STEM master's programmes in the College of Science and Engineering and the College of Health and Life Sciences: 75% tuition waiver
- Most humanities, social science, public policy and law (J.D.) master's programmes: 60% tuition waiver
- Stipend for international PhD students: QAR 9,000 a month (QAR 108,000 a year) for up to 45 months
- Stipend for international master's students: QAR 7,000 a month (QAR 84,000 a year) for up to 21 months
- One inbound ticket at the start of your programme and one outbound ticket at graduation for international students
Stipend holders work as research assistants for 10 hours a week with their supervisor. You pay for your own housing, whether in Qatar Foundation dormitories or outside, from your stipend or personal funds. Some programmes, including the LL.M. and certificate programmes, carry no tuition waiver.
Who Can Apply
- International graduates who meet the admission requirements of their chosen HBKU college and programme
- You must study full-time to receive a stipend. Full-time professionals and people working over 40% of full-time hours are not eligible for stipends.
- Each applicant can submit up to two applications per academic year
Check the admission requirements page of your college, as degree, test and language rules differ by programme.
How to Apply
- Choose a programme and read its admission requirements on the HBKU admissions page.
- Click Apply Now and create an account on the online graduate application.
- Complete the application and upload your documents, such as transcripts, CV, personal statement, recommendation letters and test scores where required.
- Submit before 1 February 2027. You will be considered for funding automatically as part of the admission review.
- If you are awarded a scholarship, HBKU will email you the details of your award.
Key dates
- 1 October 2026: online graduate applications open
- 1 February 2027: deadline for international applicants
- 15 March 2027: deadline for Qatari and resident applicants seeking funding
What HBKU funding can include
Under its scholarship policy, HBKU can offer graduate students tuition waivers of 35% to 100%, full or subsidised housing, and a monthly stipend for students who work as research assistants for about 10 hours a week with their supervisor. Awards are competitive and are based on merit, need and enrolment status, so the strongest applicants receive the fullest packages.
Frequently asked questions
Can Nigerians apply to HBKU?
Yes. International applicants apply by the 1 February 2027 deadline.
Is funding guaranteed with admission?
No. Waivers and stipends are awarded competitively, so ask the Office of Graduate Admissions which funding your offer includes.
Is housing included?
It can be. HBKU's scholarship policy allows full or subsidised housing, from 35% to 100% of the cost, for funded graduate students.
Do I have to work while on a stipend?
Yes. Stipend holders work as research assistants for about 10 hours a week with their supervisor.
When do applications open?
1 October 2026, through HBKU's online graduate application.
Does HBKU offer PhD funding too?
Yes. Tuition waivers and stipends are available for Master's, JD and PhD students, with PhD stipends running longer.
GizPulse Verdict
Who this is for: African graduates who want a funded PhD in a well-equipped research university, especially in science, engineering, health or computing, and who would value living in a large, welcoming expatriate community.
Who should pause: Master's applicants should note that the tuition waiver is partial, and housing comes out of your stipend. Do the sums before you accept an offer. Anyone planning to keep a full-time job will not get a stipend.
One tip to stand out: Funding goes to the strongest admitted students, so contact potential supervisors before you apply. A faculty member who already wants you on their research team can make the difference for PhD funding.
Read the deadlines and start your application on the official HBKU admissions page, and check the funding rules on the HBKU scholarships page.
