MBZUAI Postgraduate Scholarships 2027 in the UAE

About the scholarship

The Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) in Abu Dhabi is the world's first graduate-level, research-based university dedicated to AI, and for the Fall 2027 intake it continues its generous but often-misunderstood funding model. Many blogs headline this as "fully funded" without qualification — the honest version is: PhD students are centrally funded by the university in Year 1 (moving to faculty-advisor funding from Year 2, subject to a confirmed match and satisfactory progress), while MSc students are admitted fee-paying by default and only funded via a faculty-sponsored research or teaching assistantship, an approved UAE government scholarship, or a merit-based award considered during admission review. The Master in Applied AI (MAAI) is a fee-based programme and is not eligible for funding.

Eligibility

• A STEM degree — computer science, electrical/computer engineering, mathematics, physics or a related science/engineering field — from an accredited university recognised by the UAE Ministry of Education.
• CGPA of 3.0 or 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, depending on the programme.
• Final-year students may apply with current transcripts; degrees need UAE attestation or a Certificate of Recognition (for non-UAE degrees) within the first semester.
• English proficiency is required (the official page's exact score table was not verifiable in two sources — check the admissions page for current minimums).
• All nationalities welcome: the official pages publish no nationality restriction, and international students apply alongside UAE nationals.

Benefits

• Full tuition waiver for funded students.
• Monthly stipend — official rates: AED 15,500 (MSc) / 17,500 (PhD) for international students; AED 37,500 (MSc) / 43,500 (PhD) for UAE nationals.
• One return airfare to the home country per year.
• Health insurance for the funding period, plus a university-sponsored UAE residence visa and Emirates ID.
• No free accommodation promise: accommodation is not on the official benefits list — third-party blogs claiming "free housing" are not supported by the university's own pages.

Documents required

The official page's document checklist did not render for verification; the list below is the standard set cited consistently across third-party guides — confirm against the official admissions page before uploading.

1. CV and official transcripts + degree certificates
2. Statement of purpose (roughly 500–1,000 words) and research statement (PhD)
3. Two referee nominations (MSc) / three (PhD)
4. English proficiency test evidence
5. Passport copy and a recent photograph
6. UAE nationals/residents: Emirates ID, family book, and national-service letter where applicable

How to apply

1. Submit one online application per admission cyclevia the university's graduate application portal (linked from the official admissions pages). There is no separate scholarship form — funding is assessed through the admission process itself.
2. Pay the AED 200 application feeafter submission (waived at ≥75% screening-exam score; refunded on enrolment) — per third-party guides; confirm on the official portal.
3. Complete the technical screening exam
4. Attend a faculty interviewif shortlisted; decisions arrive by 31 March 2027 and offers must be answered by 15 April 2027.

FAQs

Verified 16 Oct 2026 via mbzuai.ac.ae (official admissions pages) and multiple independent trackers (deadlines 15 Dec 2026 / 22 Jan 2027; official funding model — PhD centrally funded, MSc fee-paying unless assistantship/merit; stipend figures; accommodation not on the official benefits list; documents/fee/exam steps from third-party consensus).