Deadline: 31-Oct-2025
Applicants are now invited to submit applications for its Saïd Foundation Scholarship Programme to empower people through educational opportunities and to encourage the development of the Middle East.
Saïd Foundation scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit and applications are carefully considered by officers and trustees of the Foundation and external assessors. Their decisions are based on the candidate’s academic excellence, the usefulness of the subject to their home country, their leadership potential, their commitment to serving their community, their future career goals and their practical ability to make use of the knowledge to be gained in the UK on their return to the Middle East.
They offer scholarships for one-year master’s degree courses in the UK. There are no restrictions on academic subjects but candidates must demonstrate that their subject will enable them to contribute to the development of their home country. Candidates must apply to one or more of the Foundation’s partner universities. They may consider an application for study at a non-partner university but only if the candidate’s proposed course is not offered by a partner university. However, applicants must explain their reasons in their application form or they will not be considered. Applications for universities outside the UK or for undergraduate or PhD programmes will not be accepted.
To be eligible, candidates must hold Syrian, Jordanian, Lebanese or Palestinian nationality and reside permanently in one of these countries, with exceptions for Syrians due to current circumstances. They must hold an undergraduate degree equivalent to a UK 2:1 or higher, or be in their final year of study. Relevant work or voluntary experience, leadership potential, and a clear career path upon return are also required. Applicants must meet the Foundation’s and their chosen university’s English language requirements, apply for an eligible course at a partner university or justify choosing a non-partner, and submit all required documentation.
The selection process begins with an eligibility check. Candidates who fail to meet all the eligibility criteria will be notified by email in December 2025, and those who qualify will move to the assessment phase. During this stage, applications are reviewed by Foundation staff and external experts to shortlist candidates for interview. Applicants not shortlisted will be informed by email in March 2026. Individual feedback is not provided though eligible candidates may reapply in future years.
Documents required include a high school certificate, university transcripts and graduation certificate, a passport or national ID, an English language test certificate, university offer letters or evidence of applications, three reference letters, and a CV of no more than two pages without a photo. Applications missing references will not be considered. Flexibility is provided for applicants from Gaza.
For more information, visit Saïd Foundation.
