35 AKF Scholarship Questions, Answered (2027)

No. Religion is not an eligibility criterion. The scholarship is open to students of all faiths from the eligible countries. The confusion arises because the Aga Khan, the foundation's namesake, is the Imam of the Ismaili Muslim community. But the Foundation's scholarship programme has no religious eligibility requirement whatsoever.

AKF does not publish an annual figure; AKDN says only that it offers a limited number of new awards in each cycle. Based on the total of 1,500+ scholars since the programme began in 1969, the average works out to roughly 26 a year. The actual number varies by year and is not disclosed.

AKF does not publish one. Unofficial estimates put it below 5%, which would make it one of the most selective postgraduate scholarships for developing-country students. Treat the figure as an estimate.

No. 50% of the award is a grant (non-repayable). The other 50% is a loan with a service charge, repaid starting six months after graduation. AKDN’s 2023–24 terms set the charge at 5% a year and the repayment period at five years; the current page gives no figures. The “scholarship” framing causes many applicants to miss this. Read the terms before you apply.

AKDN says the 2026–27 cycle is closed and the next cycle will open in early 2027. Official dates are not yet published, so do not treat 31 March 2027 as an official deadline. Local offices may set earlier internal deadlines. Verify on the official AKDN scholarship page.

The international selection panel meets in late June or July (AKDN says final decisions are made in July). Applicants in the final round hear shortly after the panel concludes, typically by late July or early August.

You must be entering the first year of a postgraduate programme. Students who have already started are not eligible. You need an admission offer but must not yet have begun the programme.

The 13 developing home countries are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Kenya, the Kyrgyz Republic, Madagascar, Mozambique, Pakistan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania and Uganda. People originally from these countries who live in Canada, the USA or Portugal may also apply, with additional requirements. The current AKDN page also lists Australia and New Zealand — see Eligible Countries for what that means.

No. None of these countries is on the eligible list. AKDN has a presence in some of them, but the ISP does not cover them. AKDN now introduces its list with “for example” and has added Australia and New Zealand, so if your country is not named, check the AKDN eligibility tool before ruling yourself out.

Possibly not. AKDN’s earlier rules required applicants to be nationals residing in an eligible country, with a separate route only for Canada, Portugal and the USA (and France until 2025–26). The UK is not on the current list. Use the AKDN eligibility tool and contact AKF India before you plan around it. Note too that AKF does not fund study at UK universities.

The preference is for applicants under 30. It is not a hard cutoff, but applicants aged 30 to 35 need to be genuinely exceptional to compete, and those over 35 face a very significant disadvantage. If you're 31 with an outstanding profile, apply — don't self-eliminate — but go in with clear eyes.

No threshold is published. AKDN asks for “excellent academic records” (its earlier wording was “consistently excellent academic records”). In practice, very strong academic performance is the norm among selected candidates; this is not a scholarship for average performers.

Yes, with important caveats. AKF gives priority to master's programmes but will also consider PhD applications. Earlier AKDN wording reserved PhD funding for outstanding students who need a doctorate for an academic or research career. It covers only the first two years of a PhD, so you must secure independent funding for the remaining years. The loan repayment obligation still applies to those two funded years.

No. Part-time programmes and short-term courses are not considered. Only full-time programmes are eligible.

Distance learning is acceptable only if “the quality of the course is maintained”. That is a vague standard. If you are considering a distance programme, confirm with your local office that it would be eligible before building your application around it.

No published threshold. Financial need is assessed holistically, based on documented income, assets, family situation and evidence that other funding sources have been explored. There is no number you can check yourself against.

No central portal exists. Applications go through local AKF, AKES or AKEB offices in each country, and AKDN's eligibility tool points you to your local contact. Forms come from the local office, and the format (email, post or in person) varies by country, so ask your office how it works.

AKDN publishes no online portal for India. Request the form from the India office in New Delhi once the cycle opens (cycles have opened in January) and return it to the same office before the India deadline. That deadline has been earlier than the global close: in 2022 it was 21 March, with forms distributed only until 14 March.

Yes. You must already have an official admission offer from a postgraduate institution before submitting your AKF application. The admission letter is a required document.

No. The admission letter is part of your application documents, so the AKF process starts after you have secured admission — not before or during.

The full list varies by country office, but the standard baseline is:

• Completed application form
• Academic transcripts and degree certificate
• Official admission letter from your postgraduate institution
• CV
• Two recommendation letters
• Personal statement
• Two years of tax returns and bank statements
• Proof of financial need
• Passport copy
• Evidence of other funding explored or secured

See How to Apply for the full 13-item checklist.

No. You apply through the office in the country where you are a national or, for diaspora applicants, where you live in one of the qualifying countries. Submitting through several offices is not the process and would likely be caught.

Letters from professors or supervisors who know the quality of your academic or professional work directly — not character references. The committee wants to understand your capability and track record. A letter from someone who can speak to what you produced, and how, is worth far more than a warm letter from someone senior who knows you socially.

Strongly not recommended. Two professional or academic references are standard. A family recommendation raises questions about objectivity and would not serve you well.

It is an annual charge on the loan portion of your award (the 50% that is a loan, not the 50% grant). It works much like an interest rate. AKDN's published terms described it as a cumulative service charge of five percent per annum; the current page says only that the loan “includes a service charge”, so confirm the exact calculation in your award agreement.

Six months after the first of: graduation, termination of studies, or withdrawal of support for failing to meet academic standards. A moratorium may apply if you continue to further studies, and graduates who return to work in a developing country and stay there may get up to two years. This needs arranging with AKF directly; it is not automatic.

Five years under AKDN’s 2023–24 terms. The current AKDN page does not state the period, so confirm it in your award agreement.

The guarantor co-signs the award agreement and takes legal responsibility for the loan if you default. AKF does not publish specific criteria for who qualifies. In practice it is typically a family member — often the head of the family — with demonstrable assets or income. Confirm the requirements with your local office before arranging a guarantor.

AKF does not publish its default or hardship processes. If you face genuine hardship, contact AKF directly and proactively — do not wait until you are in default. Your guarantor takes on legal responsibility if you default, so early communication is in everyone's interest.

Nothing in public documentation prevents early repayment, and no prepayment penalty is stated, but confirm with your local office. Repaying early would reduce the total service charge you pay.

No. AKDN states the ISP is not available to students who wish to study in the United Kingdom, and this has been the case for several recent cycles. It is one of the most common traps: students spend months applying for UK master's programmes and then discover AKF cannot fund them. Confirm destination eligibility with your local office before applying to any university.

No. Russia is not an eligible study destination.

AKF does not publish a list of approved destinations. Options include, for example, the USA, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Japan and other countries with internationally recognised universities. Local or regional universities are also acceptable if course quality is maintained. The key test is that the institution is reputable and the programme genuinely relevant to your development goals. Check with your local office if you are unsure about a country.

Yes — it is encouraged. AKF describes itself as a resource of last resort and now asks for a multi-source funding plan covering all years of study. If your university offers a fellowship covering 30% of your costs, AKF would ideally cover the remaining gap rather than duplicate it. Combining sources strengthens your application. Declare all funding fully and honestly.

Probably not. AKDN publishes no deferral rule, and awards are made for a specific cycle, so deferring your programme is likely to mean reapplying in the next AKF cycle. If you face a deferral, contact your local office as early as possible — waiting until the deferral is decided is too late.