As part of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research's commitment to supporting students and providing them with clear and approved scholarship options based on global rankings, and to ensure the quality of higher education while aligning scholarship pathways with the country’s future directions and labour market needs, the ministry offers students accessible tools to explore the list of approved universities and programmes. This is based on rigorous criteria that ensure the selection of the world’s top academic institutions.
Important Notes for Scholarship Applicants:
- Students applying for scholarships must obtain academic admission in a major listed in the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research’s approved list of universities and programmes for scholarships. This list is updated annually (in October), so it is strongly recommended to review the most recent version before applying.
- This list is approved for Scholarship applications for the Spring and Fall 2026 scholarship cycles.
- The higher education institution from which the student obtains an admission letter must meet one of the following criteria:
- The university is ranked among the top 50 globally in the intended field of study,
- OR the university and programme are ranked among the top 100 in the United States or Australia,
- OR the university and programme are ranked among the top 200 in other countries (outside the U.S. and Australia),
- OR the university and programme are ranked among the top 300 in non-English speaking countries.
The Ministry provides students with two main methods to view the universities and majors approved for scholarships, as follows:
- Search Engine: Allows direct search by major, university, or country of study, based on the standards and classifications approved by the Ministry.
- PDF Lists: Provide detailed tables of the intended fields of study at the universities approved for scholarships, with the option to download and keep them as a reference when needed.
Applicants for scholarships should be aware that admission opportunities are higher in priority sector major, including the sub-major under each of the following sectors. The ministry reserves the right to reject offer letters that do not align with its strategic directions.
Priority Sectors Majors
Priority sector majors: Energy, Finance, Transportation and Logistics, Technology and Engineering
| Energy |
Finance |
Transportation & Logistics |
Technology & Engineering |
- Renewable Energy
- Oil & Gas
- Nuclear Energy
- Green Hydrogen
- Energy Storage Technologies
- Carbon Management & Sustainability
|
- Financial Technology (Fintech)
- Green Finance
- Taxation
- Insurance
- Corporate Finance
- Financial Data Analytics
- Digital Economy
|
- Aviation
- Space
- Shipping & Maritime Services
- Freight Logistics
- Smart Supply Chains
- Autonomous Transportation
- Port & Airport Management
|
- Computer Science
- Artificial Intelligence & Data Science
- Cybersecurity
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- Robotics
- Drone Technologies (UAS)
- Engineering (Electrical, Mechanical, Computer, etc.)
- Agricultural Technology
|
Priority sector majors: Healthcare, Water and Environment, Creative Industries, and Sciences
| Healthcare |
Water & Environment |
Creative Industries |
Sciences |
- Biotechnology
- Health Technology
- Healthcare Services
- Precision Medicine
- Health Informatics
- AI in Medicine
- Public Health & Epidemiology
- Healthcare Quality Management
- General Medicine
- Genetics & Genomics
|
- Water Resources Management
- Desalination
- Water Recycling
- Environmental Engineering
- Climate Change
|
- Cultural Heritage
- Performing Arts & Theatre
- Music
- Film, Television & Directing
- Publishing & Authorship
- Visual Arts & Design
- Animation & Game Development
|
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
|