IsDB Selection Criteria: What Selection Actually Looks Like
IsDB doesn't publish a scoring rubric. This page explains what reviewers are evaluating, why silent rejections are standard, and what distinguishes a competitive application.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
5 min read
Updated Oct 6, 2026
How Applications Are Reviewed
IsDB does not publish a scoring rubric or acceptance rate. What we know from the official booklets and from the experience of past applicants is that the process has two distinct stages — and many rejections likely happen in the first one.
- 1Stage 1 — Administrative screening
Before any substantive review, applications are checked for completeness and basic eligibility. Country on the list? Field approved? Age within limit? All documents uploaded and in an acceptable format? Language certificate valid? If any of these fail, the application is eliminated — quickly, without individual feedback. This is probably where many applications drop out. It's not competitive at this stage; it's administrative.
- 2Stage 2 — Merit and mission review
Applications that pass screening are reviewed on merit. IsDB is not like a conventional academic scholarship where grades dominate. The evaluation is multi-dimensional: academic record, the development relevance of the proposed study, clarity of the return and contribution plan, financial need (for SPMC and IsDB-ISFD), and the quality of the motivation and recommendation letters.
Other actors feed into this. For SPMC and IsDB-ISFD, the local NGO partner (the Counterpart Organization) supports preselection — including interviewing applicants to assess their commitment and financial need and validating certificates and admission documents. For the M.Sc. and MSP, the offices of IsDB Governors in each country endorse shortlisted applications in the fields most needed for national development.
IsDB’s scholarships page says successful awardees are notified by email; it says nothing about rejection letters, and applicants report hearing nothing if they are not selected. IsDB does not give individual feedback. For the 2024-2025 call, it said awardees would hear by 15 July 2024. If the summer passes with no email, your application most likely did not advance. You can apply again in the next cycle.
What Reviewers Are Looking For
The minimum grade threshold is a filter, not a differentiator. Meeting it gets you considered — it doesn't make you competitive. Applicants with consistently strong records across their entire transcript, not just the final grade, stand out. Transcripts showing improvement over time are viewed more favorably than static mediocrity.
IsDB is a development bank, not an academic institution. Its scholarships exist to build human capital for the development of member countries and Muslim communities in non-member countries. Applicants who articulate a clear, specific connection between their proposed study and the development needs of their home context are significantly more competitive than those who frame their application in purely personal-advancement terms.
The scholarship comes with a legal return obligation. Reviewers look for a genuine intention to return and contribute — not just because the contract requires it, but because the motivation letter reflects a real understanding of what that contribution will look like. “I will return and serve my country” is weak. Specific plans — a sector, an institution, a problem you intend to work on — are strong.
For the two loan-based programs, financial need is an explicit selection criterion — not just a preference. Applicants from lower-income families who show, through documentation, that they could not access higher education without this support are prioritized. Family income statements, bank statements and income certificates must be credible and complete. Missing or vague financial documents can stop an application at Stage 1.
Generic letters from professors who clearly don't know the applicant add little. Strong recommendations are specific — they name actual interactions, describe specific capabilities and speak to the applicant's potential for development-oriented work. A letter from a senior academic who knows you well outperforms one from a famous professor who barely knows your name.
For PhD and Postdoctoral applicants, the research proposal is evaluated on originality, feasibility and relevance to the 17 approved fields. A well-scoped proposal with a realistic methodology, a clear research question and a believable connection to development outcomes at home is far more competitive than an ambitious proposal that reads like a wish list.
Strong vs Weak Application Signals
Strong signals
- Consistent academic performance with a clear upward trajectory
- A motivation letter that names a specific development problem and explains how the proposed study addresses it
- A concrete return plan with a named sector, institution type or role
- Recommendation letters that cite specific examples and professional interactions
- Financial documentation that is complete, consistent and credible (SPMC/IsDB-ISFD)
- Institutional nomination from a recognized employer with genuine endorsement (MSP)
- A study field with a direct, explainable connection to home-country development needs
Weak signals
- A motivation letter written entirely in passive voice, describing personal aspirations with no development context
- A return plan that says only “I will return and serve my country” with no specifics
- Recommendation letters that use generic phrases and don't mention the applicant's specific capabilities
- Incomplete financial documentation (SPMC/IsDB-ISFD)
- A study field chosen for personal interest rather than development relevance
- Grades that barely meet the minimum threshold with no compensating strengths elsewhere
- Documents with translation errors or inconsistencies between transcripts and the application form
What Selection Is NOT
| Misconception | Reality |
|---|---|
| Higher GPA = automatic advantage | GPA matters up to the threshold. Beyond that, development relevance and the return plan matter more than an additional 0.3 GPA points. |
| Applying to a prestigious university helps your case | For M.Sc. and MSP, the institution must be top-1,000 — but within that, choosing the most famous university over the most appropriate program is not an advantage. |
| No news after submission means technical issues | Silence means non-selection. IsDB does not send rejection emails. Check spam folders once, then accept that silence is the answer. |
| You need to be exceptionally devout to win | For SPMC, faith identity is a criterion. For other programs, it is not. The scholarship is development-focused, not a religious award for the most pious applicant. |
| Knowing someone at IsDB gives you an edge | The process is merit-based and administered through a formal portal. There is no documented evidence that personal connections influence outcomes — and IsDB Group staff and their close relatives are barred from applying at all. |