Program guide

How to apply to Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Programme

Postgraduate scholarships for outstanding students from selected developing countries with no other means of financing, mainly for master's degrees, structured as half grant and half loan.

Official page Listing details

Step by step

Check that you are eligibleThe published rules: Open to students; Nationals of listed countries (e.g. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Kenya, Kyrgyz Republic and others) who lack other funding; PhD support limited to first two years.
Gather the materialsYou will need: Application form answers, Transcript, Recommendation letters (drafts for your referees), Document checklist.
Write the answersShortlist only scholarships you clearly qualify for; mismatched applications are often rejected unread.
Submit on the official pageApply through the official page (Own portal), and keep the confirmation.
Follow upNote when results are due. If the organiser invites questions, ask once, briefly, after the date has passed.

Timeline

42 days before the deadlineAsk referees and order documentsAsk your referees, and order transcripts or score reports; these depend on other people's timelines.
28 days before the deadlineDraft the statementDraft the statement around one clear plan, with evidence from your record.
10 days before the deadlineReview and remindReview against the selection criteria; gently remind referees of the date.
2 days before the deadlineSubmit and keep the confirmationSubmit early and check that every reference shows as received.

At a glance

Organizer: Aga Khan Foundation
Timing: Cycle: Annual; the 2026-2027 cycle is closed and the next cycle opens in early 2027.
Where: Open worldwide
What you get: 50% grant / 50% loan covering postgraduate study costs
Cost: Free to apply and take part
Applied through: Own portal
Account: You need an account on the application system

Who can apply

Open to students
Nationals of listed countries (e.g. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Kenya, Kyrgyz Republic and others) who lack other funding; PhD support limited to first two years.

Materials checklist

Application form answersOnward Scout drafts it from your sourced profile; you approve every line.
TranscriptOnly you can supply it: upload it once and it is attached wherever it is asked for.
Recommendation letters (drafts for your referees)Upload yours, or let Onward Scout draft one from your profile for you to edit.
Document checklistOnward Scout drafts it from your sourced profile; you approve every line.

Questions you will meet, answered honestly

Why should you receive this scholarship?

Show what you have done with what you had, and what the funding makes possible next. Facts and dates, not adjectives.

Describe your financial need.

Accurate and brief. Exaggerated need can be checked and can disqualify you.

What reviewers of scholarships look for

Shortlist only scholarships you clearly qualify for; mismatched applications are often rejected unread.
Reuse a strong core statement, but rewrite the opening and closing for each funder's stated purpose.
Order transcripts and request references early; they are the slowest documents to arrive.

The full playbook for scholarships

How Onward Scout helps

This one is submitted on the organiser's own site, behind your login. Onward Scout prepares every answer and file in the form's order with one-tap copy, so submitting takes minutes; you mark it submitted when you're done.

Let Onward Scout apply for me

Let Onward Scout prepare your Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Programme application

Get your personal statement and notes for your referees for this programme, drafted from your own documents in about two minutes. Free to start, no account needed. Every answer is drafted from your own documents with sources, and nothing is submitted without your tap.

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