Please note that the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) does not charge any fees at any stage of the scholarship process. Never disclose or send money to any entity or person in relation to your applications.
I. Introduction
Mindful of the importance of qualified human resources for social advancement and sustainable development, the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) has been very keen from the outset of its establishment to focus on human capital development alongside its mainstream development financing activities.
In recognition of the vital need to develop the human resources of the Muslim communities in non-Member Countries (non-MCs), IsDB launched its undergraduate scholarship program (SP) in 1983 under the title Scholarship Program for Muslim Communities (SPMC).
Capitalizing on the experience of a decade of the SPMC, IsDB decided to establish the Merit Scholarship Program (MSP) for Ph.D. studies and post-doctoral research in applied science and high technology to strengthen the scientific, technological and research capabilities of institutions in Member Countries (MCs), which was launched in 1992. Later, the Master of Science Scholarship Program (M.Sc.) was launched in 1998 as a feeding program for the MSP, realizing that 20 of the Least Developed Member Countries (LDMCs) could not benefit from the latter.
In IsDB’s Realigned Strategy 2023 – 2025, the Bank dedicated an entire pillar to the support of comprehensive and inclusive human capital development. Through this pillar, IsDB aims to help MCs and Muslim communities in non-MCs to address these challenges with capacity-development initiatives, including scholarship programs. It is also an important component of IsDB’s efforts to promote economic development and shared prosperity through the global development of human capital by investing in education.
Scholarship Programs
As part of its overall effort to develop the human resources of its member countries and those of the Muslim communities in non-member countries, the Bank funds and implements the following scholarship programs:
1. IsDB Scholarship Program for Muslim Communities in Non-Member Countries (SPMC)
The SPMC was launched in 1983 to enable academically meritorious and financially impoverished young Muslim students from Muslim communities in non-MCs to undertake undergraduate studies in medicine, engineering, computer sciences, information technology, agriculture, and other related fields in their own countries or the IsDB MCs.
2. IsDB Master of Science Scholarship Program (M.Sc.)
The M.Sc. Scholarship Program was launched in 1998 to assist 20 IsDB LDMCs in the development of their human capital, especially in science and technology, which are both relevant and necessary for their development.
3. IsDB Merit Scholarship Program for High Technology (MSP)
The implementation of the Merit Scholarship Program commenced in 1992. The program is dedicated to advanced studies and/or research (3-year Ph.D. and 6-12-month post-Doctorate) in 16 applied science and high technology areas deemed necessary for the development of the MCs.
4. IsDB-ISFD Scholarship Program
The IsDB-ISFD Scholarship Program was launched in 2019 by IsDB with the support of Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISFD), with the specific aim of reducing poverty in 21 Least Developed IsDB Member Countries (LDMCs). The Program provides educational opportunities to academically meritorious and financially impoverished young men and women from 21 LDMCs to pursue bachelor studies in medicine, engineering, agriculture and other related fields or a technical diploma at a public institute in their home countries or in one of the IsDB member countries.
List of eligible countries:
- Afghanistan
- Bangladesh
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Chad
- Comoros
- Djibouti
- The Gambia
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mozambique
- Niger
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Somali
- Sudan
- Togo
- Uganda
- Yemen
Interested candidates for the programs must submit their applications no later than April 20th, 2024.”
