The main Kuwait scholarships without IELTS for international students are the Kuwait University grant scholarships. They are offered to students nominated by their own government under cultural agreements, and they cover free tuition, university housing and food, a monthly allowance of KD 100 and yearly tickets. The best-known route with no English test at all is the year-long Arabic language scholarship at the Kuwait University Language Centre. The scholarships run by Kuwait’s Ministry of Higher Education are a different thing: they pay Kuwaiti citizens to study, and foreign students cannot apply for them.
So the honest answer is that you cannot apply straight to “the Kuwait government” for a full scholarship. You apply through your own country’s education ministry, scholarship agency or the Kuwaiti embassy, which receives a small number of seats each year. As of 24 October 2026 I found no open call for the 2027 intake, and the 2026-27 Arabic programme call for Pakistan closed on 12 June 2026, which puts Pakistan’s deadline at 12 June 2027. Below I explain each route, what it pays, and where an English test is or is not needed.
Kuwait scholarships without IELTS: who can actually apply
Most lists online mix up three groups of awards. Only one of them is meant for students coming from abroad.
| Scholarship | Who it is for | Open to international students? | English test |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) scholarships | Kuwaiti students sent to study abroad or at local private universities | No | Not relevant |
| Private Universities Council (PUC) scholarships at AUK, GUST and others | Kuwaiti nationals | No | Not relevant |
| Kuwait University grant scholarships | Students nominated by friendly countries, recognised Islamic and Arabic institutions, or approved by the Minister | Yes, through nomination | Depends on the programme |
| Kuwait University Language Centre Arabic scholarship | Non-Arabic speakers aged 18 to 30 (age limits vary by call) | Yes, through nomination | None mentioned in current calls |
| Private university merit awards (for example AUK) | Students admitted to that university | No nationality rule stated | Set by the university |
EducationUSA’s profile of the MOHE programme describes it as open to Kuwaiti students with a high school diploma. The American University of Kuwait (AUK) says the same of the PUC seats: Kuwaiti nationals only. If a website tells you to apply for a “Kuwait Government Scholarship” on the MOHE portal as a foreigner, it is describing these citizen schemes.
Kuwait University grant scholarships for international students
Kuwait University’s scholarship bylaw sets out awards for students from other countries. The university says the aim is to strengthen relations with friendly countries and spread Arabic and Islamic culture. The sponsoring party is usually your government, a recognised Islamic or Arabic institution, or the International Islamic Charitable Organization for graduate places. Full-time students can take a bachelor’s, master’s or PhD. Part-time students can take Arabic courses or training under a cultural agreement.
What the grant pays
- Tuition: fully waived, except late registration fees.
- Monthly allowance: KD 100, plus another KD 100 at the start of each semester for clothes and books.
- Housing, food and transport: free university housing, meals and transport if your parents live outside Kuwait.
- Married students: KD 150 a month for housing if your wife lives with you in Kuwait.
- Travel: a ticket to Kuwait at the start, a return ticket every academic year, and a ticket home with baggage allowance when you graduate.
- Medicine: prescribed medicine not stocked by the Ministry of Health can be paid for, with committee approval.
- Graduation bonus: three months’ allowance if you finish within the normal period.
The grant can be cancelled for serious rule breaches, too many academic warnings or delays, or if your sponsor asks. If you did not live in Kuwait before you enrolled, you are expected to go home when it ends.
How the seats are shared out
Seats are given country by country, and each one gets only a handful. Some recent examples from official announcements:
| Country | Announced by | Seats and programme | Application window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan | Higher Education Commission (HEC) | 2 seats (1 male, 1 female), Arabic at the Language Teaching Center, 2026-27 | Closed 12 June 2026; deadline 12 June 2027 (based on this year’s date; confirm on the official page when the call opens); classes from 13 September 2026 |
| United Kingdom | Kuwait Cultural Office, London | 2 seats in Life Sciences, Science or Arts, 2025/2026 | 20 September to 20 November 2025 |
| Türkiye | Council of Higher Education (YÖK) | 10 seats for Turkish students, 2025-2026 | Closed 31 July 2025 |
In practice, the place to watch is your own country’s scholarship board or ministry and the website of the Kuwaiti embassy or cultural office that covers your country. For a student in Nigeria, for example, that would be the Federal Scholarship Board and the Kuwaiti embassy in Abuja, although I could not find a recent Kuwait University call for Nigeria.
Warning
Kuwait University does not run a public online portal where any foreign student can apply for a free place. Ignore agents or pages that ask you to pay to “secure” a Kuwait government scholarship. Real calls come through government channels and are free.
The Arabic language scholarship: no IELTS needed
This is the clearest case of a Kuwait scholarship without IELTS, because the course is taught in Arabic. The Language Centre in Kuwait University’s College of Arts runs an Arabic as a Second Language unit for non-Arabic speakers. It welcomed 120 students from 30 countries in 2024/2025.
- Length: three terms, which is one academic year. The 2026-27 call for Pakistani students named first, second and summer semesters.
- Language taught: Modern Standard Arabic, with some classical literature, according to the centre’s application form.
- Age: 18 to 25 in the 2026-27 Pakistan call. Older calls allowed up to 30.
- Education: a secondary school certificate or higher.
- English test: not mentioned in the 2026-27 call.
- What it leads to: a certificate of attendance, not a degree.
Check exactly what your call covers. The UK call for 2016 listed flights, visa fees, housing and a KD 100 monthly food allowance. The centre’s own form describes some partial awards as tuition, housing and meals only, with you paying airfare and about US$80 in residency fees. Paid work in Kuwait is not allowed while you are on it.
Kuwait University degrees: when you need IELTS and when you do not
For degree places, Kuwait University uses its own aptitude tests in English, Arabic and maths, weighted together with your school grades. TOEFL or IELTS is optional: you can send a score instead of sitting the university’s English aptitude test, and a good score can exempt you from preparatory English classes. So IELTS is not a formal entry requirement, but the English test still counts in many colleges.
| College | How the admission score is weighted |
|---|---|
| Engineering and Petroleum | 65% school grades, 15% English, 20% maths |
| Allied Health Sciences | 70% school grades, 20% English, 10% maths |
| Business Administration, Life Sciences | 70% school grades, 15% English, 15% maths |
| Arts (most departments), Sharia and Islamic Studies | 85% school grades, 15% Arabic |
| Social Sciences | 90% school grades, 10% Arabic |
| Science, Law | School grades alone |
These weightings come from Kuwait University’s 2022 notice for self-funded foreign students. Arabic-weighted colleges, such as Sharia and most of Arts, need no English score at all, but you will need strong Arabic. Many science and law programmes are taught in a mix of English and Arabic, so ask the college before you accept a place.
Not every Kuwait University grant skips English tests. A 2023 call for non-Arab postgraduate students in Islamic and Arabic studies, reported by Al-Arab in UK, asked for a low TOEFL or IELTS score (IELTS 4.5 for Sharia and 5.0 for Arabic literature). It also required eight parts of the Qur’an memorised and proof of Arabic.
Paying your own way: self-funded places and private universities
Since 2022 Kuwait University has also admitted foreign students who pay their own fees. The windows are very short. For the second semester of 2025/2026 it ran from 23 to 26 January 2026. Students whose school certificate was issued outside Kuwait must apply in person at the admissions office in Sabah Al-Salem University City.
Private universities in Kuwait offer merit awards to students they admit. AUK’s Academic Scholarship is for new students with a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and its page sets no nationality rule. The PUC government seats at AUK are for Kuwaitis only. Most private universities teach in English and set their own placement rules, so check their English requirement before assuming you can enter without IELTS.
How to apply for a Kuwait University grant
- Find the call: watch your country’s scholarship agency or ministry and the Kuwaiti embassy or cultural office for a “Kuwait University scholarship” or “cultural grant” notice.
- Apply in your home country: follow that agency’s portal. In Pakistan’s 2026-27 call, for example, it was the HEC scholarship portal, and candidates were ranked by their HSSC marks.
- Prepare documents early: attested school or degree certificates, a valid passport, a medical fitness certificate, a police or good conduct certificate, passport photos and a CV. Several calls want these attested by your foreign ministry or the Kuwaiti embassy.
- Wait for nomination: your government sends its shortlisted names to Kuwait. Being nominated does not guarantee acceptance.
- Get your acceptance and visa: Kuwait University issues an acceptance letter, and residency is processed after you arrive. Expect a medical check in Kuwait.
If you are comparing Gulf options, the King Abdulaziz University scholarship in Saudi Arabia has an open online application, which Kuwait University does not.
Frequently asked questions
Can international students get the Kuwait government scholarship?
Not the Ministry of Higher Education scholarship, which is for Kuwaiti citizens. International students get Kuwait University grant scholarships, which their own government nominates them for.
Can I study in Kuwait without IELTS?
Yes. The Arabic language scholarship does not ask for one, and Kuwait University degree admission uses its own aptitude tests, with IELTS or TOEFL only as an optional substitute. Arabic-weighted colleges need no English score.
How much is the Kuwait University scholarship stipend?
Under the university’s bylaw it is KD 100 a month, plus KD 100 at the start of each semester. Tuition, housing, food and yearly tickets are covered on top of that.
When is the Kuwait University scholarship deadline for 2027?
There is no single deadline, because each country runs its own call. For Pakistan’s HEC call, the deadline is 12 June 2027. Recent calls closed in June and July for a September start, and the UK office’s window ran from late September to late November.
Sources and updates
The benefits come from Kuwait University’s scholarship bylaw. Admission and English-test rules come from Kuwait University’s admission announcements for self-funded foreign students (2022 and 2025/2026) and for the 2026/2027 intake. The seat examples come from Pakistan’s HEC announcement, the Kuwait Cultural Office in London and Türkiye’s YÖK. Language Centre details come from the centre’s application form, Kuwait University news on its 2024/2025 graduates, and a British Council notice from 2016. The MOHE eligibility comes from EducationUSA, the AUK rules from AUK’s scholarship page, and the postgraduate call from Al-Arab in UK (2023). I checked everything on 24 October 2026 and will update this post when 2027 calls appear.
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.
