At a glance
- Saudi Arabia
- Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Program (Safeer portal)
- Qatar Amiri Scholarship
- QR 20,000 a month
- Kuwait external scholarships 2026/27
- 2,704 students accepted
- UAE
- Via MoHESR unified registration
- Common condition
- Unconditional offer from an approved university
Government scholarships at a glance
From ministry pages and official news reports, checked 6 October 2026. Rules change each year; read the current announcement before applying.
| Country | Programme | Who and what | Key condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship Program | Saudi nationals; bachelor's, master's and doctorate; tracks include an excellence track and a health specialities track (medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, applied medical sciences) | Direct, unconditional admission from an approved university; apply through Safeer |
| Qatar | Amiri Scholarship | QR 20,000 monthly stipend, QR 40,000 pre-departure allowance, two return business-class tickets a year | Admission to one of 24 top world universities or a designated Amiri university in Education City |
| Qatar | Overseas Scholarship | QR 14,000 monthly stipend, airfare and pre-departure allowance; medical students QR 18,000 a month in years 1 to 4 and QR 30,000 from year 5 | Approved universities and fields; overseas applications in 2026 closed on 15 August |
| Qatar | Domestic Scholarship | Study at accredited Qatari universities | Top ten Qatari graduates in each stream and top three from specialised schools; applications 15 to 30 November |
| Kuwait | Ministry of Higher Education external scholarships | 2,704 accepted for 2026/2027 from government, private and foreign schools | Ranked on equivalent rates for medicine and engineering and school percentages for other fields; up to 8 programme preferences |
| UAE | National scholarship programme (MoHESR) | Emiratis applying to study abroad | Applied for through the National Unified Registration System |
Saudi details from the Ministry of Education's scholarship page; Qatar from the Qatar News Agency (9 July 2026); Kuwait from Al Jarida (11 July 2026); UAE from the UAE government portal.
Scholarships from universities
Universities in the Gulf also fund students directly. Khalifa University, for example, says merit scholarships for international students can cover full or partial tuition, textbooks and accommodation, and are considered as part of the admission decision without a separate application. Its published tuition is AED 2,500 per credit hour, about AED 81,250 a year, which shows what such an award is worth.
Overseas universities offer scholarships too, but for undergraduates from the Gulf these are usually partial and competitive. Each university lists its own awards and deadlines, which often fall before or with the admission deadline, so check them while building the university list rather than after offers arrive.
What scholarship committees look for
- An unconditional offer: almost every government programme requires one, so meeting offer conditions (grades, IELTS) early matters.
- Strong school results: Qatar's domestic scholarship goes to the top ten graduates per stream; Kuwait ranks by equivalent rate or school percentage.
- A priority field: Kuwait's 2026/2027 plan prioritised artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and medical and allied health fields; Saudi Arabia runs a dedicated health track.
- English test scores: an IELTS or TOEFL score is usually needed for both the offer and the scholarship file.
- Deadlines kept: Qatar's overseas window closed on 15 August 2026, months before the domestic window in November.
Oman and Bahrain
Oman's Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation and Bahrain's Ministry of Education also run scholarship programmes for school leavers, with numbers, fields and conditions announced each year. We could not verify the 2026/2027 details from official pages, so check the ministries' current announcements directly.
How tutoring helps
Scholarships are won mostly on the same things as offers: final grades, an English score and, for many programmes, maths. A tutor can lift the subject that is pulling the average down, build IELTS or TOEFL skills to the level the offer needs, and prepare SAT maths where required. LiveTutor lessons are one to one, 60 minutes and online, and fit around school and exam timetables.
Common questions
Who can apply for the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship?
Saudi nationals with good conduct and direct, unconditional admission from an approved university, meeting the academic requirements of the track and degree level. Applications go through the Safeer portal.
How much does Qatar's Amiri Scholarship pay?
QR 20,000 a month, a QR 40,000 pre-departure allowance and two return business-class tickets a year, according to the Qatar News Agency in July 2026.
How many students did Kuwait send on external scholarships in 2026?
The Ministry of Higher Education accepted 2,704 students for 2026/2027 external scholarships.
Do Gulf universities give scholarships to international students?
Some do. Khalifa University considers international students for merit scholarships covering full or partial tuition, books and accommodation as part of admission.
How much do LiveTutor lessons cost?
Each one-to-one 60-minute lesson is $15, on a weekly plan of 1 to 5 lessons billed monthly. The first lesson is a free trial.
Sources
Dates and figures on this page come from these official and published sources. Always confirm deadlines on the official page before acting on them.
- Saudi Ministry of Education, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship Program
- Qatar News Agency, MOEHE scholarship workshop for top graduates (9 July 2026)
- Al Jarida, Kuwait Ministry of Higher Education accepts 2,704 for external scholarships (11 July 2026)
- UAE Government portal: student admission (MoHESR unified registration)
- Khalifa University, undergraduate admissions (scholarships)