IsDB Partner Universities: Where You'll Actually Study
Malaysia, Morocco, Turkey — and sometimes your home country. Here's what each destination is actually like for an IsDB scholar.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
5 min read
Updated Oct 6, 2026
How Study Destination Is Determined
For SPMC scholars, there is no question — you study at a recognized government university in your own home country. The booklet only mentions airfare for students “selected to study abroad”, which is rare. For IsDB-ISFD, M.Sc. and MSP scholars, the study destination depends on the program, the approved fields offered at partner universities, and sometimes IsDB's allocation decision. You may be able to express a preference, but the final placement is not entirely your choice.
IsDB-ISFD is designed for study at home first; IsDB may facilitate a placement in Malaysia, Morocco or Türkiye if you cannot secure admission in your own country. For the MSP PhD, priority goes to admissions in Malaysia, Turkey, Queen Mary University of London and Makerere University in Uganda, which have cooperation agreements with IsDB.
The university must be in an IsDB member country and ranked in the Times Higher Education top 1,000. Many LDMC home universities don't make this list. As a result, many M.Sc. scholars end up at one of the partner hubs — Malaysia, Morocco or Turkey, which the booklet gives priority, or Makerere University in Uganda. The choice often depends on your field and the language of instruction you prefer.
🇲🇾 Malaysia
Popular destination · English medium
Malaysia is a popular study destination for IsDB scholars from Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia. The combination of English-medium instruction, relatively affordable living costs, a Muslim-majority culture and a strong technical university system makes it the most accessible option for most scholars. Kuala Lumpur in particular has a large international student community and is straightforward to navigate.
Key universities for IsDB scholars
Kuala Lumpur · Malaysia's oldest and highest-ranked university. Strong engineering, medical and computer science faculties, in central KL. IsDB scholars have studied here for decades — there is an established community of past scholars who can offer informal support.
Serdang, Selangor · agriculture, food science, engineering. UPM is particularly strong in agriculture and food technology — fields relevant to many IsDB scholars from LDMC backgrounds. The campus is outside KL in Serdang, which is more affordable than the city center.
Johor Bahru · engineering and technology. One of Malaysia's top engineering universities. Johor Bahru is close to Singapore but significantly more affordable. Strong STEM programs across engineering disciplines.
Gombak, Kuala Lumpur · Islamic environment, broad programs. A common placement for IsDB scholars, partly because of its Islamic institutional ethos and established international student infrastructure. Programs in engineering, medicine and IT. IIUM's global ranking is lower than UM or UTM — verify it meets the top-1,000 threshold for M.Sc. requirements in the current cycle.
Practical notes on studying in Malaysia
- Halal food is widely available and affordable. University cafeterias are well suited to Muslim dietary requirements.
- The student visa process is generally straightforward for IsDB scholars — universities often handle the bulk of the paperwork.
- University accommodation is usually available but fills up quickly — register for housing as soon as your admission is confirmed.
- Malaysia's heat and humidity are significant if you're coming from a temperate country. Factor this into how you set up your room (fan vs air-conditioning costs).
🇲🇦 Morocco
French/Arabic medium · Affordable living
Morocco is a significant IsDB scholarship destination, particularly for French-speaking scholars from West Africa. Rabat and Casablanca have established universities with good engineering and science faculties, and living costs are among the lowest of the three main destinations. The study environment tends to be more academically traditional and research-focused than Malaysia.
Rabat · Morocco's flagship public university. The most prominent Moroccan university and a regular IsDB placement. Faculties of science, engineering and medicine. Instruction in French and Arabic. Strong research infrastructure by African standards.
Casablanca · engineering and applied sciences. Located in Morocco's commercial capital. Good for engineering and applied technical fields. Casablanca is more expensive than Rabat but offers a larger expatriate community for international students.
Most degree programs in Moroccan universities operate in French or Arabic — not English. If you don't speak French at B2 level or higher, you will struggle significantly. English-taught programs exist but are limited. If your only language is English and you're placed in Morocco, clarify the medium of instruction before accepting.
🇹🇷 Turkey
English and Turkish medium · Inflation context
Turkey offers some of the most academically strong universities on the IsDB list, with Istanbul and Ankara hosting some of its highest-ranked institutions. Turkey is also culturally accessible for scholars from the Middle East and Central Asia. The main practical challenge in recent years has been the rapid devaluation of the Turkish lira — stipends are paid in local currency, which means real purchasing power has declined considerably since 2021.
Turkey’s annual inflation peaked above 85% in October 2022, according to TurkStat, and has stayed high since. Stipends paid in Turkish lira have not kept pace with the currency's depreciation against the dollar and euro. A stipend that felt adequate in 2020 may cover significantly less in 2026. If you are placed in Turkey, build a contingency buffer and research current exchange rates before finalizing your budget.
Ankara · engineering & sciences · English medium. One of Turkey's most internationally recognized universities. Instruction is in English across science and engineering programs. Research quality is high. Living in Ankara is cheaper than Istanbul.
Istanbul · engineering & technology. Turkey's oldest technical university, founded in 1773. Strong in civil, mechanical and electrical engineering. Istanbul is more expensive than Ankara but offers a major international city experience. Some programs are taught in English, others in Turkish — check carefully.
Ankara · medicine & health sciences. Turkey's leading medical and health sciences university. For scholars in pharmaceutical sciences, nursing or medical research, Hacettepe is a strong placement. It sits in Ankara alongside METU, which creates a collegial scholar environment.
Home Country Study (SPMC)
SPMC scholars study at recognized government universities in their own country. You normally do not leave home. The local partner organization checks your admission documents during preselection, and IsDB makes the final award.
In India, for example, past scholars have studied at institutions such as Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and other high-ranking state universities with strong STEM programs. The specific institutions vary by country and available places in the approved fields.