The Maldives Zakat Fund has extended the deadline for applications to its 2025 higher education scholarship program, providing aspiring students additional time until May 29, 2025, to apply for one of the 50 fully funded opportunities in Islamic studies.
Offered through the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, the scholarships support both local and international studies in specialized Islamic fields, including Quranic Sciences, Shariah, Islamic Finance, and Islamic Leadership. The initiative is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Islamic education in the Maldives and cultivate future leaders grounded in Islamic principles.
Of the total scholarships, 30 slots are allocated for overseas study in countries such as Malaysia, Brunei, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and several SAARC nations. The remaining 20 scholarships will fund postgraduate studies at local institutions — namely the Maldives National University (MNU) and the Islamic University of Maldives (IUM).
In addition to these, one special scholarship each will be awarded for advanced medical training in super-specialised areas such as urology, paediatric neurology, and neurosurgery, reflecting the Fund’s broader commitment to serving national development needs through education.
The Ministry also confirmed that 10 students pursuing disciplines like Shariah, Tafseer, Hadith, Uloom al-Quran, and Arabic will receive monthly stipends under a separate provision, in cases where tuition is not fully covered by the host institution.
Importantly, applicants are no longer required to obtain a stamp from the Maldives Qualification Authority (MQA) on their application forms. Instead, they must complete MQA’s ‘Application for Recognition of the Intended Programme’ form and include the official response from MQA with their submission.
The scholarship program continues to be a key instrument in the Maldives’ efforts to promote quality Islamic education, offering students the means to pursue academic excellence while contributing meaningfully to the nation’s spiritual and intellectual growth.
