StudyDesk Scholarships
About the scholarships
The Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, founded in Doha in 2014 by the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, is Qatar’s dedicated graduate research institute, focused on the social sciences, humanities, public administration and development economics rather than the broad multi-faculty model of most universities. Its scholarships fund Master’s and PhD study through two tracks that sit side by side: the Tamim Scholarship, awarded on academic merit, and the Sanad Scholarship, awarded on financial need.
The Tamim Scholarship is the full package: full tuition, free dormitory accommodation for international students, a monthly living stipend, health insurance and two round-trip travel tickets. The Sanad Scholarship is different — it covers 10% to 100% of programme fees depending on need, with the same additional benefits for international students on full awards. The important thing to understand is that the two tracks are not interchangeable: Tamim rewards academic distinction, Sanad supports financial need, and a Sanad award does not always mean full funding.
Eligibility
- Be of any nationality — Qatari and international students are both eligible, with no age limit reported.
- For a Master’s, hold a Bachelor’s degree from a recognised institution; final-year undergraduate students may also apply.
- For a PhD, hold a Master’s degree.
- Demonstrate a strong academic record (usually a GPA of 3.0 or above; higher for PhD).
- Meet the language requirements of the chosen programme (Arabic or English). English proficiency can be shown with IELTS/TOEFL or with a university English-proficiency certificate if your previous degree was taught in English.
- Note that PhD students may be asked to work 10–15 hours a week in teaching or research roles.
- Apply to a programme in the institute’s fields: social sciences, humanities, public administration or development economics.
Benefits
- Tamim Scholarship (merit-based): full tuition fee coverage, free accommodation in institute dormitories, a monthly living stipend, health insurance, and two round-trip travel tickets.
- Sanad Scholarship (need-based): tuition coverage from 10% to 100% depending on financial need; international students on full awards also receive dormitory housing, a stipend, health insurance and travel support.
- No application fee for admission.
- Note that the monthly stipend amount is not published in the official notification — do not budget around a figure quoted by a tracker.
Documents to prepare
- A valid passport (or Qatari ID for citizens/residents).
- Your Bachelor’s degree certificate (or Master’s certificate for PhD) and official academic transcripts.
- An updated CV.
- A personal statement and an academic essay.
- Two letters of recommendation (academic references preferred).
- English or Arabic proficiency evidence (IELTS/TOEFL, or a university English-proficiency certificate).
- A research proposal (for PhD programmes).
How to apply
- Visit the Doha Institute admissions portal and review the Master’s and PhD programmes and their requirements.
- Create an account on the online admission portal and choose your programme.
- Complete the admission application and upload all required documents.
- Submit only one application — duplicate applications are rejected.
- If admitted, complete the scholarship application form sent by the Admissions Office.
- Submit everything by 15 January 2027.
FAQs
15 January 2027. Applications opened on 1 September 2026, and the academic year starts in August 2027. One tracker gives an admission window ending 5 January 2027; that date was not confirmed, and the 15 January 2027 deadline is used here.
Tamim is merit-based and a full package: full tuition, dormitory, monthly stipend, health insurance and two travel tickets. Sanad is need-based and covers 10% to 100% of tuition depending on financial need, with the same additional benefits for international students on full awards.
The Tamim Scholarship is fully funded. The Sanad Scholarship is not always full — it ranges from 10% to 100% of tuition depending on need.
Not necessarily. English proficiency can be shown with IELTS/TOEFL or with a university English-proficiency certificate if your previous degree was taught in English. Check the language requirements of your chosen programme.
The stipend amount is not published in the official notification. Do not rely on a figure quoted by a tracker — the "QAR 4,000–5,000 a month" figure given by one tracker was not confirmed.
No separate scholarship application at the start. You apply for admission first; admitted students receive the scholarship application form from the Admissions Office and complete it.
Students of all nationalities, Qatari and international, with no age limit reported. A Bachelor’s degree is needed for a Master’s (final-year students may apply) and a Master’s degree for a PhD.
Verified 26 Oct 2026: scholarshipsedge.com, insurab.com, opportunitiesradar.com, scholarshipshive.com, scholarships.af, engineersjob.in — deadline 15 January 2027, applications opened 1 September 2026, Tamim merit-based full package (tuition, dormitory, stipend, health insurance, two travel tickets), Sanad need-based 10–100% of tuition, two-stage process (admission first, scholarship form after admission), documents list, no age limit, academic year starts August 2027. The monthly stipend amount is not published in the official notification; tracker figures (for example QAR 4,000–5,000 a month, and one tracker’s QAR 60,000–180,000 a month) were not confirmed and are not used. One tracker gives an admission window ending 5 January 2027; the 15 January 2027 deadline is used here.
