The Aga Khan Foundation provides a limited number of
scholarships each year for postgraduate studies to outstanding students from
developing countries who have no other means of financing their studies.
Scholarships are awarded on a 50% grant : 50% loan basis
through a competitive application process once a year.
The Foundation gives priority to requests for Master’s level
courses but is also willing to consider applications for PhD programmes, when
doctoral degrees are necessary for the career objectives of the student.
Requests will also be considered for travel and study awards for PhD students
doing their research in Third World countries on topics judged to be of
interest to the Aga Khan Development Network. Applications for short-term
courses are not considered; neither are applications from students who have
already started their course of study.
The Foundation accepts applications from countries where it
has branches, affiliates or other AKDN agencies which can help with processing
applications and interviewing applicants. At present, these are Bangladesh,
India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Syria, Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania,
Uganda, Mozambique, Madagascar, France, Portugal, UK, USA and Canada.
Selection Criteria
The main criteria for selecting award winners are: l)
excellent academic records, 2) genuine financial need, 3) admission to a
reputable institution of higher learning and 4) thoughtful and coherent
educational and career plans. Candidates are also evaluated on their
extra-curricular interests and achievements, potential to achieve their goals
and likelihood to succeed in a foreign academic environment. Applicants are
expected to have some years of work experience in their field of interest.
Half of the scholarship amount is considered as a loan,
which must be reimbursed with an annual service charge of 5%. A guarantor is
required to co-sign the loan agreement. The payback period is five years,
starting six months after the study period funded by the Aga Khan Foundation.
Scholarship value
The Foundation assists students with tuition fees and living
expenses only. The cost of travel is not included in AKF scholarships.
Applicants are requested to make every effort to obtain funding from other
sources as well, so that the amount requested from the Foundation can be
reduced to a minimum. Preference is given to those who have been able to secure
some funding from alternative sources.
Scholarship application
The application procedures of AKF’s
International Scholarship Programme are decentralised. Students may obtain
application forms as of January 1st each year from AKF offices or Aga Khan Education Services / Boards in their
countries of current residence. Completed applications should be returned to
the agency from which the form was obtained, or to the address indicated on the
front of the form. They should not be sent to Geneva. The deadline for
submission of applications is 31 March, although in certain countries
internal deadlines may be earlier.
For further scholarship details please visit http://www.akdn.org/akf_scholarships.asp
