Scholarships in Malta without IELTS are possible, but the list is much shorter than most websites claim. The University of Malta (UM) accepts several English tests besides IELTS, including TOEFL, Cambridge, PTE Academic, Trinity ISE and its own on-campus test. It also excuses some applicants from testing altogether. Its scholarships for non-EU students, such as the PhD and Master by Research fee waiver, then follow the same English rules as admission.
The Maltese government’s big schemes, Endeavour II and the Arts Scholarship Scheme, are not open to students applying from abroad. Both require Maltese citizenship or five years of residence in Malta. Below I go through what international students can really apply for, which English proofs UM accepts, the deadlines I could confirm, and the visa money you need to show.
Scholarships in Malta without IELTS: what is really open to you
I checked each award that usually appears on these lists against the official page. Here is where each one stands for an applicant living outside Malta.
| Scholarship | Who can apply | What it pays | English proof | Status on 24 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UM Ph.D. and Master by Research Scholarship | Non-EU/EEA nationals with an unconditional UM offer | 40% to 100% tuition waiver, based on interview score | UM’s admission rules (several tests or an exemption) | Rolling: apply within one month of your offer |
| ISSI scholarship (MA Islands and Small States) | Nationals of Small Island Developing States eligible for development aid | UM tuition plus a €1,000 research grant | Recognised English certificate | 2026/27 round closed 1 July 2026; deadline 1 July 2027 (based on this year’s date; confirm on the official page when the call opens) |
| Commonwealth and Valletta Action Plan scholarships | Named countries only (recent calls: Ghana, Tunisia) | Tuition; the Ghana call added €1,200 a month, a flight and insurance | Recognised English certificate | 2026 Tunisia call closed 10 June 2026; deadline 10 June 2027 |
| Maltalingua IELTS course scholarship | Not yet published | Free 4-week English and IELTS course with shared housing | None (it is an English course) | 2027 entries expected to open mid-November 2026 |
| Endeavour II Scholarships Scheme | Maltese citizens and long-term residents with 5 years in Malta | €67 per ECTS in Malta, €116 per ECTS abroad | Not applicable | Not open to international applicants |
| Arts Scholarship Scheme | Same five-year residence rule | Varies by year’s regulations | Not applicable | Not open to international applicants |
University of Malta Ph.D. and Master by Research Scholarship
This is the main award a student from outside Europe can actually win. It is only for non-EU/EEA nationals, and only for a Ph.D. or a Master by Research where the dissertation is worth 60 ECTS or more. Professional doctorates and MBA-type programmes do not count, and you cannot apply after you have already started at UM.
The waiver depends on how you score at the online interview with the selection board:
| Interview score | Tuition waiver |
|---|---|
| 80% to 100% | 100% |
| 70% to 79% | 80% |
| 60% to 69% | 60% |
| 50% to 59% | 40% |
| Below 50% | No waiver |
It covers tuition only for the normal length of the programme. Bench fees may still apply on some courses, and it pays nothing towards travel or living costs. If another sponsor already pays your full tuition and living costs, you are not eligible. UM listed 30 April 2026 as its last fixed deadline for October starts, and it asks you to send your request within one month of receiving your unconditional acceptance letter.
Country-specific UM scholarships
UM also runs small calls for named countries, often funded with Malta’s foreign ministry. The 2026 call for Tunisian nationals offered one scholarship on four master’s courses and closed on 10 June 2026. The fifth Ghana call (2024/2025) offered two places with tuition, a €1,200 monthly allowance, a return flight capped at €1,500 and health insurance. The ISSI award offered three places for 2026/27 to nationals of Small Island Developing States. Going by this year’s dates, the deadlines are 10 June 2027 for the Tunisia call and 1 July 2027 for ISSI. Each call is short and names its countries.
Maltalingua IELTS course scholarship
Maltalingua is a private English school in Malta, so this is a language course, not a degree scholarship. The 2027 prize is one free 4-week course with IELTS preparation, shared student accommodation, a return airport transfer and the school’s leisure programme. The school values it at over €2,000. There is one winner, and the entry form opens in mid-November 2026. Eligibility rules were not published when I checked.
Endeavour II and the Arts Scholarship are for residents of Malta
Many lists present Endeavour II as a Malta Government scholarship for international students. The scheme’s regulations say otherwise. You must be one of these by the closing date:
- A Maltese citizen who has lived in Malta for the past five years
- An EU/EEA national (or family member) with permanent residence and five years living in Malta
- A third-country national who has lived in Malta for five years and holds long-term residence status
The 5th call ran from 27 April to 5 June 2026 at 12:00 Malta time. It funds MQF Level 7 (master’s) courses only, at €67 per ECTS at a Maltese institution and €116 per ECTS abroad, plus a €4,000 yearly study abroad allowance for some students. The Arts Scholarship Scheme uses the same five-year residence test. If you already live in Malta on long-term residence, these are worth a look. If you are applying from abroad, skip them.
Two other names on competitor lists do not fit at all. Commonwealth Scholarships run by the UK’s Commonwealth Scholarship Commission fund study in the UK, not Malta. Middlesex University’s scholarship pages list campuses in London, Dubai and Mauritius, and I could not find a Malta campus scholarship on its site.
English tests the University of Malta accepts instead of IELTS
If you finished secondary school outside Malta, UM asks for a Secure English Language Test (SELT) result. IELTS is only one option. TOEFL iBT and ISET results must be issued within two years of your course start date.
| Test | Foundation | Undergraduate | Postgraduate and Ph.D. |
|---|---|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT (scale from January 2026) | 3.5 overall, writing 4 | 4 overall, writing 4.5 | 5 overall, writing 5 |
| TOEFL iBT (older scale, still accepted) | 61, writing 17 | 80, writing 20 | 95, writing 24 |
| Pearson PTE Academic | 59 (53 per skill) | 65 (59 per skill) | 71 (65 per skill) |
| Cambridge | First Certificate, grade C | Advanced Certificate, grade C | Advanced Certificate, grade C |
| Trinity ISE | ISE II Merit | ISE II Distinction or ISE III Pass | ISE III Merit |
| ISET (taken at UM) | Band 4 | Band 5 | Band 6 |
| Academic IELTS (for comparison) | 5.5 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
The Duolingo English Test is not on UM’s list, and UM’s English pages say nothing about medium of instruction letters. A letter from your last school saying you were taught in English will not replace a test at UM.
Who UM excuses from an English test
UM may exempt you if either of these applies:
- Nationality and schooling: you are a national of a listed English-speaking country and finished secondary school or a full degree there. The list is Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, the UK and the USA.
- English qualification: you hold, for example, GCSE English Language at grade 4 or C, GCE A Level English Language at grade D, AS Level English Language at grade E, or IB English A (HL or SL) at 4 points.
Students from countries not on that list, including India, Pakistan, Nigeria and Ghana, normally need one of the tests above unless they hold a qualifying UK GCSE or IB English grade. Some schools in those countries teach the Cambridge IGCSE; check whether UM treats your exact certificate as equal to a GCSE grade before you rely on it.
Deadlines international students must meet
UM gives non-EU applicants who need a Maltese visa earlier deadlines for submitting English results:
| Intake | Non-EU applicants needing a visa | Other applicants |
|---|---|---|
| February 2027 | 10 November 2026 | 31 January 2027 |
| October 2027 | 1 July 2027 | 30 September 2027 |
Deadline
If you are aiming for the February 2027 intake and need a visa, your English result must reach UM by 10 November 2026. UM says it will not grant admission without it, even if you meet every other requirement.
How to apply for a UM scholarship as an international student
- Pick an eligible programme: a full-time or part-time Ph.D., or a Master by Research with a dissertation of 60 ECTS or more.
- Sort out English: book TOEFL, PTE, Cambridge or Trinity, or confirm you qualify for an exemption. Leave time for the result to arrive before the visa deadline.
- Apply for admission: submit the online UM application with your transcripts, degree certificate, passport and any research proposal the department asks for.
- Wait for an unconditional offer: the scholarship only considers students with full acceptance.
- Email the International Office within one month: use the subject line “University of Malta Postgraduate Scholarship Application” and quote your UM applicant ID from the offer letter.
- Get your academic recommendation: the International Office asks your head of department or supervisor to fill in a recommendation form. Brief them early. Our recommendation letter samples show what a strong one covers.
- Prepare for the interview: shortlisted candidates meet the selection board online, and your score sets your waiver level.
Visa money and documents for Malta
A tuition waiver does not cover living costs, and the visa check is strict. UM’s 2026 visa checklist says your funds must equal at least 75% of Malta’s national minimum wage for every month of study. The minimum wage for workers aged 18 and over is €229.44 a week from 1 January 2026, which by my calculation puts the requirement at roughly €745 a month. Confirm the figure with your visa centre before you apply.
- Visa application form and a passport valid for at least 10 months
- VFS appointment letter, with the application lodged at least 9 weeks before your course starts
- Enrolment letter showing the course, MQF level, ECTS and duration, plus proof of fee payment
- Three months of bank statements, a recent bank certificate and a copy of your international bank card
- Schengen-valid health insurance with at least €30,000 medical cover
- Flight itinerary and proof of accommodation for your first 14 nights
If Malta’s options look thin for your profile, compare them with other European countries where I checked the English rules the same way, such as scholarships in Austria without IELTS, or the EU-funded Erasmus Mundus scholarship, which pays €1,400 a month.
FAQ on scholarships in Malta without IELTS
Can I study in Malta with a medium of instruction letter instead of IELTS?
Not at the University of Malta. Its English pages list accepted tests and exemptions only, and a medium of instruction letter is not among them. Private colleges set their own rules, so ask them in writing.
Does the University of Malta accept Duolingo?
No. Duolingo is not on UM’s list. You can use TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge, Trinity ISE or UM’s own ISET instead of IELTS.
Can international students apply for the Malta Government Endeavour scholarship?
Only if they have lived in Malta for five years and hold long-term residence status. Students applying from abroad are not eligible.
Is there a fully funded scholarship in Malta for international students?
Very few. The UM Ph.D. and Master by Research award covers tuition only. Fuller packages appear only in occasional country-specific calls, such as the Ghana call that added a monthly allowance and a flight.
Sources and updates
The PhD and Master by Research scholarship terms come from the University of Malta scholarship page. English tests, scores, exemptions and submission deadlines come from UM’s English language requirements and exemptions pages. The ISSI, Tunisia and Ghana awards come from UM’s scholarship call pages. Endeavour II eligibility comes from the scheme’s regulations published by Malta’s Ministry for Education, and the 5th call dates and per-ECTS amounts from the Scholarships Unit portal and its May 2026 information meeting. Arts Scholarship eligibility comes from the government’s service page. The Maltalingua prize details come from the school’s own scholarship page. Visa documents and the funds rule come from UM’s 2026 visa checklist, and the minimum wage figure from PwC Malta’s 2026 payroll update. Information checked on 24 October 2026. I will update this post when UM publishes its 2027 scholarship calls.
I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.
