The Maldives Zakat Fund has opened applications for higher education scholarships under its Higher Education Assistance Policy, offering opportunities for studies in the Maldives and abroad.

The programme includes 10 scholarships for local studies and 20 scholarships for overseas education. In addition, five scholarship opportunities are available for female doctors to pursue Obstetrics and Gynecology training in SAARC countries, while five stipend assistance opportunities are offered for students studying in Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

Local scholarships are available for Master’s and PhD programmes at institutions such as the Islamic University of Maldives, Maldives National University, Villa College, Avid College and Zikura College.

Eligible fields include Islamic Shari’ah, Quranic Sciences, Islamic Education, Aqidah, Fiqh, Islamic Leadership and Management, Islamic Journalism and related Islamic Studies disciplines.

International scholarships cover areas such as Islamic Banking and Finance, Political Science, Economics, Psychology, Urban and Regional Planning, Arabic Studies and Islamic Governance. Overseas opportunities are available at institutions including International Islamic University Malaysia, International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Universiti Brunei Darussalam and International Islamic University Islamabad.

According to the Zakat Fund, students may also apply for programmes outside the listed fields by submitting a proposal explaining how the studies would benefit the Maldivian Islamic community.

Applications are open to Maldivian citizens aged 18 and above who meet the academic and financial eligibility requirements. The deadline for applications is 2:00 p.m. on July 16, 2026.