Sultan Qaboos University scholarships for international students are postgraduate awards. A full SQU scholarship waives tuition and pays a monthly allowance of 250 Omani rials (OMR) for a master’s or OMR 350 for a PhD, plus a yearly return air ticket home. Smaller awards cover tuition only or the allowance only. There is no separate scholarship form: you apply for admission, and admitted students who meet the criteria are nominated automatically.
SQU published its postgraduate programmes for 2027-2028 on 15 October 2026, so the application cycle for September 2027 is open now. Places are few. SQU’s own table lists 2 full master’s scholarships a year for international students, and in the 2026-2027 first round the university gave out 11 full and 59 tuition-only master’s awards in total. Below are the award types, eligibility, English scores, documents, dates and the Afaaq route for undergraduates.
Sultan Qaboos University scholarships 2027: quick summary
- University: Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), Al Khoudh, Muscat
- Study level: master’s and PhD (postgraduate diploma admission also exists)
- Full scholarship: tuition waiver, OMR 250 a month (master’s) or OMR 350 (PhD), annual return economy ticket
- Partial awards: tuition exemption only, or monthly allowance only
- Nationality: open to international applicants living outside Oman, who must study full time
- Minimum for a master’s scholarship: undergraduate CGPA of 3.00/4.00 and an unconditional offer
- How to apply: online admission application; nomination is automatic
- Application fee: OMR 10 per programme choice, not refundable
- Studies begin: September 2027
What a Sultan Qaboos University scholarship covers
SQU’s Deanship of Postgraduate Studies runs three kinds of university scholarship. The amounts below are from SQU’s scholarships page for the main SQU scholarship.
| Benefit | Full scholarship | Tuition exemption | Monthly allowance only |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition | Waived | Waived | Not waived |
| Monthly allowance | OMR 250 (master’s), OMR 350 (PhD) | None | Paid |
| Air ticket | Annual return economy ticket to the airport nearest your home (international students from abroad) | No | No |
| Probation and repeated-course fees | Covered | Covered in most programmes | Covered in most programmes |
| Paid leave | 36 working days | No | 36 working days |
| University work allowed | Up to 10 hours a week | Up to 5 hours a week | As assigned |
SQU’s page does not list housing, meals or health insurance as part of the award, and it says application fees and bridging courses are not covered. Budget for those yourself until your scholarship contract says otherwise. Contracts are signed in the fourth week of study.
How many scholarships SQU gives
| Scholarship | Coverage | Places | Who nominates |
|---|---|---|---|
| International students | Full | 2 master’s | International Students Section (automatic) |
| Main SQU scholarship | Full or tuition only | Shared across colleges | College (automatic) |
| Palestinian students | Full | 2 master’s, 2 PhD | Palestinian Embassy (automatic) |
| Ministry of Endowments | Full | 2 master’s | The ministry (automatic) |
Other SQU schemes are for Omani government employees and SQU staff. In the 2026-2027 first round SQU awarded 70 master’s scholarships (11 full, 59 tuition only) and 41 PhD scholarships (4 full, 37 tuition only). Most of these go to students already in Oman, so a non-Omani applicant from abroad is really competing for a handful of places.
Sultan Qaboos University scholarship eligibility
- An unconditional admission offer. A conditional offer keeps you out of the scholarship pool.
- For a master’s scholarship, a CGPA of at least 3.00 out of 4.00 (or the equivalent) in your bachelor’s degree.
- For a PhD, meeting the admission rules in SQU’s postgraduate academic regulations.
- Full-time study for the whole programme. International applicants living outside Oman must apply for full-time study.
- Degrees from outside Oman need an equivalency certificate from Oman’s Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation.
Admission itself has a lower bar than the scholarship. SQU’s admission table sets a minimum CGPA of 2.75 for a master’s (2.50 with at least two years of work experience) and 3.00 for a PhD (2.75 with two years of experience). If your grades sit between 2.75 and 3.00, you may be admitted as a self-funded student but not considered for a master’s scholarship. If your degree uses another scale, such as a 5-point CGPA, a percentage or a class of degree, SQU’s Deanship converts it.
English requirements
SQU requires an English test for every postgraduate programme, including those taught in Arabic. Only IELTS Academic and TOEFL iBT are listed, and the test must be no more than two years old at the programme start date.
| Programme | IELTS Academic | TOEFL iBT | Extra course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master’s or postgraduate diploma (English-taught) | 5.5 | 69 | LANK6000 in the first semester |
| PhD (English-taught) | 6.0 | 79 | LANC6001 |
| PhD (alternative route) | 5.5 | 69 | LANC6001 and LANC6003 |
Some colleges and programmes ask for higher scores, so check your programme page. SQU’s scholarships page states no separate English score for the scholarship itself.
Sultan Qaboos University 2027 application dates
Oman is on Gulf Standard Time (GMT+4) all year.
| Stage | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2027-2028 programmes announced | 15 October 2026 | Confirmed on SQU’s postgraduate site |
| Application deadline | 14 January 2027, 23:59 | Reported for this cycle; confirm in the announcement |
| Evaluation, exams and interviews | 20 January to 21 March 2027 | Reported; confirm in the announcement |
| Admission results | 31 March to 30 April 2027 | Reported; confirm in the announcement |
| Scholarship contract signed | Fourth week of study | Confirmed on SQU’s scholarships page |
| Studies begin | September 2027 | Confirmed |
Check the date
Many older guides say SQU applications close on 1 February. That was the 2026-2027 window (1 December to 1 February). For 2027-2028 the cycle opened earlier, on 15 October 2026, so do not plan around 1 February.
Documents for SQU postgraduate admission
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Attested degree certificate | Bachelor’s for a master’s; bachelor’s and master’s for a PhD |
| Attested official transcripts | Include the grading key |
| Curriculum vitae | Education, work and research |
| Research proposal | Topic, problem, objectives, questions and data method; listed in the 2026-2027 terms for all applicants |
| Two academic recommendation letters | From lecturers who know your work |
| IELTS Academic or TOEFL iBT certificate | No older than two years at programme start |
| Release letter from your employer | Or, if unemployed, a statement from your labour ministry |
| Passport, ID or residence card, and photo | Photo on a blue or white background |
Files go up as PDF or JPG, and you cannot edit the application after you submit and pay. A final-semester student can apply with a graduation expectancy letter, but SQU withdraws the offer if the final CGPA misses the requirement. For the reference letters, our recommendation letter samples show what a lecturer should include.
How to apply for a Sultan Qaboos University scholarship
- Pick your programme: open the 2027-2028 announcement on SQU’s Deanship of Postgraduate Studies site and confirm your programme is taking applicants this year.
- Check both bars: the admission CGPA for your programme and the 3.00 scholarship CGPA for a master’s.
- Book IELTS or TOEFL: results must be valid and reach you before the deadline.
- Prepare documents: attested certificates and transcripts, CV, research proposal, two references and passport.
- Apply online: use the postgraduate section of SQU’s admission system (sis.squ.edu.om) and pay OMR 10 for each programme choice.
- Attend any test or interview: colleges run these during the evaluation period.
- Accept an unconditional offer: the International Students Section then nominates you if you meet the criteria. You do not file a scholarship form.
Questions about international scholarships go to the International Students Section at dps_iss@squ.edu.om, and admission questions to dps_admission@squ.edu.om.
Undergraduate study at SQU: the Afaaq programme
SQU has no general undergraduate scholarship for international students. Its undergraduate scholarships are for nationals of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries through their embassies or Oman’s Higher Education Admission Centre. Other international students can apply through Afaaq, a fee-paying admission route SQU announced in March 2025 with up to 300 extra places on top of Omani seats. Afaaq is not a scholarship and does not include housing, transport or meals.
The March 2025 announcement said the College of Medicine and Health Sciences was excluded, while some later listings include it. Check the current Afaaq page before you choose a course. Fee amounts were not in the announcement.
Is an SQU scholarship worth targeting?
If you have a strong first degree (3.00/4.00 or better) and a research idea that fits an SQU department, yes. OMR 250 a month is roughly 650 US dollars, and with no tuition and a yearly flight home the full award is generous by regional standards. The odds are the problem: with two dedicated international master’s places a year, I would apply to SQU as one of several options. Compare the conditions in our Lester B. Pearson Scholarship guide or the partial awards in our Esade scholarships guide.
FAQ on Sultan Qaboos University scholarships
Is the Sultan Qaboos University scholarship fully funded?
The full version is: tuition waiver, OMR 250 (master’s) or OMR 350 (PhD) a month and a yearly return ticket. Many awards are tuition only, and SQU does not list housing or insurance as included.
Is there a separate application form for the SQU scholarship?
No. SQU says nomination is automatic once you hold an unconditional offer and meet the criteria.
What GPA do I need for a Sultan Qaboos University scholarship?
At least 3.00 out of 4.00 in your bachelor’s for a master’s scholarship. PhD applicants must meet SQU’s PhD admission rules, which start at 3.00 (or 2.75 with two years of experience).
Can international undergraduates get an SQU scholarship?
Only GCC nationals through their embassy or Oman’s admission centre. Other international undergraduates can study through the fee-paying Afaaq programme, which is not a scholarship.
Sources and updates
Scholarship types, allowances, air ticket, work hours, places and the 2026-2027 award distribution come from the Scholarships page of SQU’s Deanship of Postgraduate Studies. The 15 October 2026 announcement of 2027-2028 programmes comes from the Deanship’s home page. English scores, documents, the OMR 10 fee and the 2026-2027 application window come from SQU’s published terms for postgraduate admission 2026-2027. The 2027-2028 deadline, evaluation and results dates are as reported by Scholarships365 on 19 October 2026 and were not visible in text on SQU’s site when I checked. The Afaaq details come from the Oman Observer’s March 2025 report on SQU’s announcement. Information checked on 24 October 2026; this post will be updated once SQU’s dates are confirmed in text.
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.
