Malaysia, Scholarships

IIUM PhD Scholarships 2026 — Fully Funded for International Students

Faseeh Sultan

July 17, 2026
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IIUM PhD Scholarships 2026 — Fully Funded for International Students

Malaysia is quietly becoming one of the strongest destinations for postgraduate study in Asia — and the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) is right at the centre of that rise. Right now, IIUM is offering two separate PhD scholarships for outstanding international students: the IIUM Ummatic Scholarship and the IIUM Academy Scholarship for Islamic Banking and Finance. Between them, they cover students across nearly every academic discipline — from engineering and medicine to economics and Islamic law. One comes with a monthly stipend. Both cover full tuition. And both are currently accepting applications for the 2025/2026 academic cycle. Here is everything you need to know about both opportunities, side by side, so you can figure out which one is right for you.

Detail	IIUM Ummatic Scholarship	IIUM Academy Scholarship
University	International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM)	International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM)
Country	Malaysia	Malaysia
Level	PhD (Full-Time)	PhD by Research
Field	Multiple disciplines (see list below)	Islamic Banking and Finance only
Funding Type	Full tuition + monthly stipend	Full tuition (RM40,000 over 3 years)
Deadline	Verify on official website	Verify on official website
Open To	International students	International students
Age Limit	Under 30	Under 40
Official Link	Apply Here	Apply Here

🎓 About IIUM and These Scholarships

The International Islamic University Malaysia has been one of Southeast Asia’s most respected research universities for decades. It operates across multiple faculties — or kulliyyahs — spanning everything from Islamic revealed knowledge and law to engineering, medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, and information technology. IIUM’s postgraduate programmes draw students from all over the world, and its unique identity lies in blending rigorous academic training with Islamic values and ethics.

What makes this particular scholarship page significant is that it brings together two very different opportunities under one roof — the Ummatic Scholarship, which is broad and backed by IIUM’s Endowment Fund, and the Academy Scholarship, which is focused and backed by the IIUM Academy in partnership with the International Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance (IIIBF). Together, they represent IIUM’s commitment to attracting the best international PhD talent regardless of whether you are a scientist, a social scientist, or a specialist in Islamic finance.

This is one of the few universities in the world where you can pursue a PhD in dentistry, nursing, or pharmacology alongside scholars researching Islamic jurisprudence and Sharia-compliant financial systems — all under the same institution. That breadth, combined with real financial support, makes these scholarships genuinely worth your attention.

🎓 Scholarship 1 — IIUM Ummatic Scholarship: Benefits and Funding

This is the more comprehensive of the two awards in terms of what it covers:

Full tuition fee waiver worth up to RM81,400 for up to six semesters, including Takaful coverage, recurrent fees, evaluation fees, and bench fees where applicable
Monthly stipend of RM1,000 for 36 months (6 semesters), providing consistent living support throughout the PhD duration
Exception: Three Centres of Studies offer this scholarship but under different stipend arrangements — the International Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance (IIIBF), the Kulliyyah of Dentistry (KOD), and the Kulliyyah of Pharmacy (KOP) (verify on official website for their specific stipend terms)
Note: Accommodation, visa fees, flight costs, medical exams, and documentation are not included in the package

The total financial value of this scholarship across 36 months comes to approximately RM81,400 in tuition coverage plus RM36,000 in stipend — making it a genuinely substantial support package for the right candidate.

🎓 Scholarship 2 — IIUM Academy Scholarship: Benefits and Funding

The Academy Scholarship is narrower in scope but still significant, particularly for students focused on Islamic finance:

RM40,000 in tuition coverage over a maximum of three years, released in six installments across six regular semesters
Scholarship is strictly for tuition fees — living expenses, research materials, and incidental costs are not covered
Three PhD students will be selected in each cycle
Note: Recipients must pay a commitment fee of up to RM5,000 (verify on official website); this fee is non-refundable if the recipient withdraws from the programme

🎓 Eligibility Criteria — Ummatic Scholarship

Must be enrolled in a full-time PhD programme at IIUM
Strong commitment to Islamic values and demonstrated leadership potential
Excellent academic record: Bachelor’s CGPA above 3.70/4.00 AND Master’s CGPA above 3.70/4.00 (by research or mixed mode), or equivalent
Must be under 30 years old at the time of application
IELTS minimum 6.5 OR TOEFL iBT 73–93 is required — this is a hard requirement; no waiver is mentioned on the source
Must not be receiving any other scholarship or financial award at the time of application

🎓 Eligibility Criteria — IIUM Academy Scholarship

Must have secured admission or be in the process of enrolling in a Doctoral Degree by Research in Islamic Banking and Finance at IIUM
Must hold a Master’s degree in Islamic Banking, Finance, Economics, or a related field with a minimum CGPA of 3.50 or equivalent
Must not be receiving any other scholarship or financial aid under IIUM
Must be an international student
Must be under 40 years old at the time of application
English language requirement: not explicitly stated on the source page — (verify on official website)

Selection also includes an interview with the selection committee. Applicants must present a convincing research problem in Islamic Banking and Finance.

🎓 Who Should Apply / Who Shouldn’t

✅ The Ummatic Scholarship is right for you if:

You hold both a Bachelor’s and Master’s with CGPA above 3.70
You are under 30 and hold a valid IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL score
You want to pursue a funded PhD in any of IIUM’s broad range of disciplines
You value monthly income support alongside tuition coverage
You are committed to Islamic values and active university engagement

✅ The Academy Scholarship is right for you if:

Your research focus is specifically Islamic Banking, Finance, or Economics
You are under 40 with a Master’s CGPA of 3.50 or above
You are willing to go through an interview process and can articulate a clear research problem
You can cover your own living expenses and are primarily seeking tuition support

❌ Neither scholarship is the right fit if:

You are a domestic (Malaysian) student — both are for international students only
You are receiving another scholarship or financial award simultaneously
For the Ummatic Scholarship: your CGPA falls below 3.70 at either Bachelor’s or Master’s level
You are looking for funding that covers accommodation, flights, or visa fees

🎓 Available Fields and Centres of Studies

IIUM Ummatic Scholarship — 2025/2026 Eligible Centres of Studies:

Group 1 (Funded by IIUM Endowment Fund): AbdulHamid AbuSulayman Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences (AHAS KIRKHS), Kulliyyah of Education (KOED), Kulliyyah of Information and Communication Technology (KICT), Kulliyyah of Architecture and Environmental Design (KAED), Kulliyyah of Sustainability Tourism and Contemporary Languages (KSTCL), Kulliyyah of Nursing (KON), Kulliyyah of Engineering (KOE), Kulliyyah of Sciences (KOS), Kulliyyah of Medicine (KOM), Kulliyyah of Allied Health Sciences (KAHS), Kulliyyah of Pharmacy (KOP), International Institute of Halal Research and Training (INHART)

Group 2 (Funded by IIUM Endowment Fund and specific Centres of Studies): International Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance (IIIBF), Kulliyyah of Dentistry (KOD) — except Paediatric and Orthopaedic & Prosthodontic programmes

Group 3 (Funded by specific Centres of Studies): International Institute of Islamic Thoughts and Civilization (ISTAC), Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyyah of Laws (AIKOL), Kulliyyah of Economics and Management Sciences (KENMS)

IIUM Academy Scholarship: PhD by Research in Islamic Banking and Finance only — through the International Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance (IIIBF) at IIUM

🎓 Required Documents

Both scholarships accept applications via online form or downloadable document. Based on the eligibility criteria and the postgraduate nature of these awards, you should prepare:

Completed application form — Ummatic Scholarship Form / Academy Scholarship Form
Proof of IIUM admission or enrolment (or active application)
Bachelor’s degree transcript and certificate (showing CGPA)
Master’s degree transcript and certificate (showing CGPA)
Valid IELTS or TOEFL score report (Ummatic Scholarship — mandatory)
Research proposal or research problem statement (especially critical for Academy Scholarship)
Proof of no other active scholarship or financial award
Valid passport (confirming international student status)
Any additional documents specified in the application form (verify on official website)

🎓 Step-by-Step Application Process

For the IIUM Ummatic Scholarship:

Confirm your eligibility — check CGPA, age (under 30), and IELTS/TOEFL score first
Verify that your intended Centre of Studies is on the eligible list above
Visit the official application page at scholarship.iium-academy.com
Click Apply Now and complete the Google Form with all required information and documents
Submit your application and await contact from IIUM’s postgraduate office

For the IIUM Academy Scholarship:

Confirm your Master’s degree is in Islamic Banking, Finance, Economics, or a related field with CGPA 3.50+
Prepare a well-defined research problem statement focused on Islamic Banking and Finance
Download and complete the application form via the official link
Submit completed materials and prepare for an interview with the selection committee
Await the selection committee’s decision

💡 Practical tip: For the Academy Scholarship, the interview is a key selection factor. Your research proposal must go beyond a topic title — the committee wants to see a clearly defined problem, why it matters for Islamic finance today, and how your background equips you to address it. Prepare for this before you even submit.

Bookmark this page and check back for updates.

🎓 Important Dates

Milestone	Detail
Application Deadline	Not stated — verify at scholarship.iium-academy.com
Academic Cycle	2025/2026
Continuation Evaluation	Each semester, based on research progress
Publication Requirement (Ummatic)	Minimum 4 indexed journal publications
Publication Requirement (Academy)	Minimum 2 indexed journal publications

⚠️ No closing deadline is listed on the official page. Contact IIUM directly to confirm the current intake window before applying.

🎓 Why Apply — Why IIUM and Malaysia

Here is what makes Malaysia genuinely compelling as a PhD destination, especially compared to other Asian options.

IIUM is not a generic university. It is one of the few institutions in the world that actively integrates Islamic values into research culture across all disciplines — from engineering labs to medical schools to law faculties. If that kind of environment matters to you, there are very few places on earth that do it at this scale.

Beyond the institution itself, Malaysia offers a cost of living that is significantly lower than the UK, USA, Australia, or even parts of Europe — meaning the monthly stipend from the Ummatic Scholarship goes meaningfully further here than it would in most Western countries. Kuala Lumpur is well-connected internationally, English is widely spoken, and the country has a long history of welcoming international postgraduate students.

What makes the IIUM Ummatic Scholarship particularly notable is the depth of its coverage. Most scholarships either cover tuition or provide a stipend. This one does both — and it does so across an unusually wide range of fields, from nursing and pharmacy to architecture and halal research. It is one of the few Islamic university scholarships globally that extends to the natural sciences and health disciplines.

The IIUM Academy Scholarship, meanwhile, is carved out specifically for those who want to contribute to the growing global field of Islamic finance — a sector that has expanded substantially and continues to attract research attention from both Muslim-majority and non-Muslim institutions worldwide.

🎓 Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I apply for both scholarships at the same time? A: The eligibility for both states that recipients must not be receiving any other scholarship or financial award. Applying to both simultaneously before receiving any award is not restricted on the page — but you cannot hold both if selected. Verify with IIUM directly.

Q: Is IELTS required for the Academy Scholarship? A: The Academy Scholarship page does not mention an English test requirement. The Ummatic Scholarship explicitly requires IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 73–93. Verify English requirements for the Academy Scholarship at scholarship.iium-academy.com or contact IIUM directly.

Q: Does the Ummatic Scholarship cover accommodation? A: No. The official source clearly states that accommodation, visa fees, flight costs, medical exams, and documentation are not covered. The package is limited to tuition waiver and monthly stipend.

Q: What happens if my research takes longer than 6 semesters? A: For the Ummatic Scholarship, any delay beyond 9 semesters may result in a financial penalty for the recipient. Both scholarships evaluate continuation each semester based on academic progress — consistent performance is required to maintain the award.

Q: Are non-Muslim international students eligible? A: The page does not explicitly restrict eligibility to Muslim students. The Ummatic Scholarship requires a demonstrated commitment to Islamic values. Verify directly with IIUM whether non-Muslim applicants are welcome to apply.

Q: What is the commitment fee for the Academy Scholarship? A: Recipients must pay a commitment fee of up to RM5,000. This fee is non-refundable if the recipient withdraws from the programme or has the scholarship revoked.

🎓 Official Sources

Main Scholarship Page: scholarship.iium-academy.com
Ummatic Scholarship Application: Apply Here — Google Form
Academy Scholarship Application: Download Application Form
IIUM Main Website: www.iium.edu.my

🎓 Summary Table

Detail	Ummatic Scholarship	Academy Scholarship
University	IIUM, Malaysia	IIUM, Malaysia
Level	Full-Time PhD	PhD by Research
Field	Multiple disciplines	Islamic Banking & Finance
Tuition Coverage	Up to RM81,400 (6 semesters)	RM40,000 (3 years)
Monthly Stipend	RM1,000/month for 36 months	None
Awards Per Cycle	1 per Centre of Studies per year	3 students
Age Limit	Under 30	Under 40
CGPA Required	3.70+ (Bachelor’s AND Master’s)	3.50+ (Master’s)
English Test	IELTS 6.5 OR TOEFL 73–93 required	Not specified — verify
Interview	Not mentioned	Required
Commitment Fee	None mentioned	Up to RM5,000
Deadline	Verify on official website	Verify on official website
Apply	Ummatic Form	Academy Form