IsDB Scholarship Programme

Overview

The IsDB Scholarship Programme is the education arm of the Islamic Development Bank, headquartered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It is not a single award. Four separate programmes sit under the name, and each one funds a different level of study for a different group of students: a bachelor's and technical diploma programme for the Bank's 20 least developed member countries, an undergraduate programme for Muslim communities in 31 non-member countries, a Master of Science programme, and the Merit Scholarship Programme for High Technology, which funds PhD study and post-doctoral research across all 57 member countries. The oldest track started in 1983 with 53 students from India, Sri Lanka and Kenya.

Two features set this programme apart from other fully funded awards. Most undergraduate scholarships are structured as Qard Hasan, an interest-free loan that graduates repay in instalments after they find work. Repayment goes to an IsDB Education Trust in the scholar's own country rather than back to the Bank, and that money funds the next student from the same community. The second feature is location: undergraduate scholars usually study at a recognised university at home rather than abroad, which keeps skills and graduates inside the communities the programme is built to serve.

Postgraduate study works differently. Master's and doctoral candidates are nominated by a university, research centre or scientific institution in their home country, and they study at institutions ranked in the world's top 1,000, with priority given to universities in member countries that hold cooperation agreements with IsDB. All applications, at every level, go through one online portal at isdbscholarships.smartsimple.com.

Key Facts at a Glance

Detail	Information
Funding Body	Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Jeddah. The bachelor and technical diploma track is co-funded by the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISFD)
Host Countries	Your own country for the undergraduate tracks; universities in IsDB member countries for the M.Sc.; high-technology universities worldwide for the PhD and post-doctoral track
Degree Levels	Technical diploma, Bachelor's, Master's, PhD, post-doctoral research
Value	Tuition paid directly to the university, monthly stipend matched to local living costs, books and clothing allowance, annual medical cover, thesis and conference allowances for researchers, return economy airfare and installation allowance for scholars studying abroad
Repayment	Undergraduate awards are Qard Hasan, an interest-free loan repaid after graduation to a local IsDB Education Trust
Duration	Bachelor's: length of the degree; M.Sc.: 2 years maximum; PhD: 36 months; post-doctoral research: 6 to 12 months
Eligible Nationalities	Citizens of the 57 IsDB member countries, plus Muslim communities in 31 listed non-member countries including India, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the Philippines and South Africa
Application Portal	https://isdbscholarships.smartsimple.com
Official Website	https://www.isdb.org/scholarships

The Four Programmes

Read this table first. Almost every eligibility question about the IsDB scholarship comes down to identifying which of the four programmes applies to you, because the age limits, study locations and nomination rules are different in each one.

Programme	Level	Who can apply	Age limit	Where you study
IsDB-ISFD Scholarship Programme for Bachelor and Technical Diploma (launched 2019)	Bachelor's degree and technical diploma (TVET)	Financially disadvantaged students from the 20 least developed member countries	24	Universities and technical institutes in your own country
SPMC, the Scholarship Programme for Muslim Communities in Non-Member Countries (launched 1983)	Bachelor's or first degree	Muslim community members in the 31 listed non-member countries	24	Recognised government universities in your own country
M.Sc. Scholarship Programme in Science and Technology (launched 1998)	Master of Science	Graduates from the 20 least developed member countries, nominated by an institution	30	Universities in member countries ranked in the top 1,000
MSP, the Merit Scholarship Programme for High Technology (launched 1992)	PhD and post-doctoral research	Researchers from all 57 member countries, nominated by their employing institution	35 for PhD, 40 for post-doctoral research	High-technology universities and centres of excellence, priority to IsDB partner institutions

Eligibility Criteria

Nationality and Community

The member-country tracks are open to citizens of the 57 IsDB member countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe and South America. The M.Sc. and IsDB-ISFD tracks narrow that to the 20 least developed member countries: Afghanistan, Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Maldives, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Palestine, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Togo, Uganda and Yemen. SPMC works the other way round and serves Muslim communities in countries that are not IsDB members, including India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Thailand, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, South Africa, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Russia.

Academic Requirements

Undergraduate applicants need completed senior secondary education, roughly 12 years of schooling, with strong grades in the main science subjects. M.Sc. applicants need a B.Sc. or equivalent in science or technology and above-average academic standing. PhD applicants need an M.Sc. in one of the programme's listed technology fields, at least two years of relevant work or research experience, and a publication record. Post-doctoral applicants need a completed PhD and five years of experience.

Age Limits

Age is measured at the application closing date: 24 for both undergraduate tracks, 30 for the M.Sc., 35 for PhD study and 40 for post-doctoral research. These limits are firm.

Nomination and Endorsement

Postgraduate applications are institutional. IsDB does not award MSP or M.Sc. scholarships to individuals applying alone; a university, research centre or scientific institution nominates the candidate, and the office of the IsDB Governor in that country endorses the shortlist. Undergraduate applications run through a national NGO acting as Counterpart Organization, which verifies documents, interviews candidates and confirms financial need.

Language Requirements

You must show you can study in the language your university teaches in. A TOEFL or IELTS certificate covers English, a British Council level test or equivalent covers other languages, and documents in any other language need certified English or French translations.

Financial Need

SPMC and IsDB-ISFD are needs-based. Applicants must show that study would otherwise stop for lack of money, and the Counterpart Organization verifies that claim during preselection.

Who Cannot Apply

IsDB Group staff, Executive Directors and their alternates are excluded, as are their close relatives by blood or adoption. Existing IsDB scholarship holders cannot reapply. Undergraduate applicants must be living in their home country. Post-doctoral applicants who have completed post-doctoral work outside their country within the past two years are not eligible.

Scholarship Benefits

The package covers:

• Tuition fees, paid directly to the university
• A monthly stipend set against living costs in the country of study, on a single-status basis
• A books and clothing allowance worth three months of stipend on the SPMC track
• Medical treatment once a year at the university clinic or a local state hospital, or cover under the university health scheme
• A thesis preparation allowance for M.Sc. and PhD scholars, and a conference allowance for PhD scholars
• A return economy air ticket at the start and end of study, plus an installation allowance, for scholars studying outside their own country

The scholarship does not pay for visa application costs, family members' travel or living expenses, extracurricular courses, language training that sits outside your study programme, additional travel during your studies, research expenses such as field trips or conference attendance, computers and other equipment, or residence permit fees. Budget for these separately.

How to Apply

1. Identify your programme: match your nationality, age and intended degree level against the four-programme table above. Applying to the wrong track is the most common reason applications are rejected before assessment.
2. Secure admission: for the M.Sc. and MSP tracks you need at least provisional admission from an eligible university. For SPMC and IsDB-ISFD, admission to an approved course at a recognised university at home is strongly preferred.
3. Get your nomination or endorsement: postgraduate candidates ask their institution to nominate them and to endorse a research proposal that explains the national development need the work addresses. Undergraduate candidates apply through the Counterpart Organization announced for their country.
4. Prepare and translate documents: transcripts, certificates, language proof and identity documents, with certified English or French translations for anything issued in another language.
5. Apply online: submit through isdbscholarships.smartsimple.com during the annual call. The portal is the only application route.
6. Preselection and interview: the Counterpart Organization or nominating institution verifies documents, interviews shortlisted candidates and assesses commitment and financial need, then forwards a shortlist.
7. Selection and enrolment: IsDB makes the final decision, arranges a medical examination, and asks successful candidates to sign a surety bond before funds are released.

Required Documents

• Completed online application form
• Senior secondary certificate, or B.Sc. or M.Sc. degree certificates and transcripts for postgraduate tracks
• Admission letter, provisional or full, from the university
• Institutional nomination letter for M.Sc. and MSP candidates
• Research proposal endorsed by the nominating institution, for PhD and post-doctoral applicants
• List of publications for PhD and post-doctoral applicants
• Language proficiency certificate, such as TOEFL or IELTS
• Certified English or French translations of documents issued in other languages
• Proof of financial need for SPMC and IsDB-ISFD applicants
• Passport or national identity document
• Medical fitness certificate, requested after selection

Important Dates and Deadlines

IsDB runs one call per year for each programme, and the dates move between cycles. The Bank publishes them on its scholarship page and through the offices of IsDB Governors and national Counterpart Organizations, so those three channels are where to watch rather than third-party listings.

Stage	What happens
Call announced	Published on isdb.org, circulated by IsDB Governor offices and national NGO partners
Applications open	Portal opens at isdbscholarships.smartsimple.com
Preselection	Document checks and interviews by the Counterpart Organization or nominating institution
Final selection	IsDB reviews shortlists and notifies successful candidates directly
Before funds are released	Medical examination and signed surety bond

Tips for a Strong Application

Write the development case, not a personal statement

MSP and M.Sc. applications are judged against four categories of national need: lack of expertise, emerging science, problem-solving and science management. A proposal that names the gap in your country and explains how your research fills it scores better than one that describes your career ambitions. The Bank funds people it expects to return and apply what they learned.

Start the nomination early

Institutional nomination and Governor endorsement both take time, and neither can be rushed in the final week of a call. Approach your institution as soon as the call is announced, and give whoever signs your nomination a draft proposal to work from.

Document financial need properly

On the SPMC and IsDB-ISFD tracks, the Counterpart Organization interviews you specifically to verify need. Bring the paperwork that supports what you claim, such as family income statements or evidence of dependants.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying to the member-country tracks from a non-member country, or the reverse
• Missing the age limit by measuring from the wrong date
• Submitting untranslated documents
• Holding another scholarship without declaring it, which breaches the terms
• Resigning from a job or making travel plans before IsDB confirms an award in writing

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the IsDB scholarship a grant or a loan?

It depends on the track. Undergraduate awards under SPMC and IsDB-ISFD are Qard Hasan, an interest-free loan that you repay in easy instalments once you graduate and find work. The repayment goes to an IsDB Education Trust in your own country, not to the Bank, and funds scholarships for other students from your community. Postgraduate awards under the M.Sc. and MSP tracks carry a service obligation instead: scholars commit to returning home and working in their field for at least twice the length of their scholarship.

Is the IsDB scholarship fake?

The programme is genuine and has run since 1983 from the Bank's headquarters in Jeddah. Scam messages that borrow its name are common, so check three things: applications are only accepted at isdbscholarships.smartsimple.com, official correspondence comes from scholar@isdb.org, and IsDB never asks applicants for a processing fee. Treat any request for payment as fraud.

Can I study abroad with an IsDB scholarship?

Undergraduate scholars normally study in their own country, which is central to how the programme is designed. Master's and doctoral scholars study abroad at ranked universities, and those studying outside their home country receive return airfare and an installation allowance.

Do I need university admission before I apply?

For the M.Sc. and MSP tracks, at least provisional admission is expected. For the undergraduate tracks, admission is strongly preferred but the application can proceed while it is pending. Admission on its own is never a scholarship offer, so wait for written confirmation from IsDB before making any commitments.

Which fields of study are covered?

SPMC covers medicine, engineering, agriculture and related fields including dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary science, nursing, nutrition, computer science, forestry and fishery. The M.Sc. covers science, engineering, technology and medical sciences. MSP lists 17 high-technology fields, among them laser and fibre optics, semiconductors, polymer science, genetic engineering and biotechnology, nuclear science, microelectronics and telecommunications, computer science, renewable energy, hydrology, metallurgy, chemical engineering, pharmaceuticals, food technology, systems engineering, space science and environmental technology.

Can I hold another scholarship at the same time?

No. IsDB funding may supplement other support but cannot duplicate it, and scholars agree not to take other awards or paid work during their studies without written permission. If you are offered another scholarship, tell IsDB immediately.

What happens after I graduate?

Undergraduate scholars repay their Qard Hasan to the local IsDB Education Trust and are expected to contribute to community development through their profession. Many join IsDB Graduate Associations, which run local scholarship schemes and community services funded by those repayments. Postgraduate scholars return to their nominating institution and serve for at least twice the period of their scholarship.