MBZUAI Scholarships 2027 Open in UAE for International Students: Application Guide
If you want to move from learning about artificial intelligence to building, investigating or applying it, MBZUAI’s Fall 2027 intake offers several ways forward. Admissions are open in Abu Dhabi, UAE, for international undergraduate, M.Sc. and Ph.D. applicants, with scholarships and research funding across AI, robotics, computer science, data science and computational biology.
Perhaps a project has made you curious about how machines learn, or you want to use computing to solve problems in business, biology or everyday life. The next step is choosing a degree that develops that interest—and understanding how its funding works.
Could your academic background qualify you for the programme you want? And will you be considered for scholarship support through admission, or need faculty sponsorship? This guide connects those questions with the application process, helping you choose a route and present a convincing case for your place.
Turn your AI interests into an MBZUAI application
01 Which programme would help you take your next step?
Your programme choice should connect what you already know with the work you want to do next. Which interests hold your attention: language, autonomous systems, data or biological discovery? The programme links below connect those interests with degree requirements.
Computer Vision, Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing (NLP) are AI concentrations. When applying, select the appropriate option shown in the portal.
| Field | Master’s programme | Doctoral programme | Research focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artificial Intelligence | M.Sc. requirements | Ph.D. requirements | Broad AI research and optional concentrations. |
| AI – Computer Vision | M.Sc. requirements | Ph.D. requirements | Images, video and visual understanding. |
| AI – Machine Learning | M.Sc. requirements | Ph.D. requirements | Learning algorithms and predictive models. |
| AI – Natural Language Processing | M.Sc. requirements | Ph.D. requirements | Language models, speech and text. |
| Computer Science | M.Sc. requirements | Ph.D. requirements | Algorithms, computing systems and security. |
| Robotics | M.Sc. requirements | Ph.D. requirements | Autonomous systems, sensing and control. |
| Statistics and Data Science | M.Sc. requirements | Ph.D. requirements | Statistical methods and data analysis. |
| Computational Biology | M.Sc. requirements | Ph.D. requirements | Computational approaches to biological data. |
| Human-Computer Interaction | Not currently listed | Ph.D. requirements | Interfaces, human-agent interaction and accessibility. |
For undergraduate study, choose B.Sc. AI – Engineering for technical AI systems or B.Sc. AI – Business for business and entrepreneurship applications. Both run for four years.
The professional Master in Applied Artificial Intelligence is fee-based and excluded from university/faculty-sponsored funding. That distinction matters when choosing a funded route.
02 How could MBZUAI help fund your studies?
MBZUAI offers undergraduate scholarships and separate funding models for M.Sc. and Ph.D. students. Undergraduate awards vary, M.Sc. support is competitive, and continued Ph.D. funding depends on an advisor match and satisfactory progress.
- Tahnoon bin Zayed Scholarship in AI Excellence: a global undergraduate merit award providing four-year financial support. You must first receive full undergraduate acceptance to be eligible. The award page does not specify a fixed stipend or exact tuition percentage.
- Other undergraduate merit-based and need-based scholarships: awards can cover up to 100% of tuition and cost of attendance. Merit consideration requires no additional application, with scholarship details included in your offer. Named awards and need-based support may have further instructions.
- M.Sc. merit funding and research/teaching assistantships: merit funding is considered during admission review, while assistantships depend on faculty sponsorship. Unfunded students are fee-paying.
- Ph.D. university and faculty funding: the university funds Year 1, and you must secure an advisor match by its end. Support transitions to faculty funding by Year 2, subject to satisfactory progress.
Funded international graduate students receive AED 15,500 monthly for M.Sc. or AED 17,500 for Ph.D. Benefits also include tuition coverage, annual return airfare, health insurance and eligible residence sponsorship. These stipend amounts apply to funded graduate students, not undergraduates. Housing arrangements and funding duration belong among the terms you review in your offer.
For a partially funded offer, the remaining cost still matters: undergraduate tuition is USD 45,000 annually before other expenses. Unfunded M.Sc. costs for Fall 2027 were still being finalized. Use the support stated in your offer to understand what you would need to finance yourself.
03 Does your academic preparation fit the entry route?
M.Sc. applicants need a relevant STEM bachelor’s degree with at least 3.0/4.0 or equivalent. The listed Ph.D. routes generally require a relevant bachelor’s at 3.5/4.0 or a master’s at 3.0/4.0. For the Computer Science Ph.D. bachelor’s route, at least 35% of your degree content must also be computer science.
Undergraduate applicants need a recognized secondary qualification with at least 90% or equivalent, subject to curriculum and admissions competitiveness. Strong mathematics preparation is expected. If you are still in your final year, permitted interim records allow you to begin your application and supply final qualifications later.
For English, published options include IELTS Academic 6.5, PTE Academic 60 and approved TOEFL/Cambridge tests. Duolingo 120 is restricted to limited-access cases, and Home Edition exams are not accepted.
A graduate English-medium letter may support a conditional waiver, subject to verification; undergraduate exemptions follow separate school-education rules. The official English requirements explain these routes. Include either your accepted test evidence or eligible waiver evidence with your application.
04 How do you turn your interests into a strong application?
Apply directly through MBZUAI’s portal, then complete screening and selection. Use your academic records to establish readiness, and your statement and projects to explain what you want to explore next.
- Commit to one programme. Only one programme application is allowed per intake. Choose the degree that best connects your qualifications, interests and funding route, then build the rest of your application around it.
- Bring together your academic evidence. Graduate applicants need transcripts, degree certificates or expected graduation evidence, CV, passport and photograph. Undergraduate applicants prepare school records, personal statement, CV and achievements. Include original documents and official English translations where needed.
- Explain your direction and choose your referees. Graduate SOPs are generally 500–1,000 words; nominate at least two referees for M.Sc. or three for Ph.D. Doctoral applicants need an independent research statement, alongside any programme-specific additions such as videos. Use our SOP guide to organise your ideas and show how your experience leads to the proposed study.
- Submit your application and language evidence in the official MBZUAI portal. Give referees advance notice so they have time to support your application, and monitor their submissions.
- Complete screening and pay the fee. Programme pages describe an exam invitation within 10 days. Pay AED 200 afterward unless waived; a screening score of at least 75% qualifies for a waiver. Paid fees are reimbursed upon enrollment. Undergraduate exam waivers have separate criteria.
- Discuss your plans at interview and assess your offer. Attend an interview if invited, ready to explain your interests and preparation. Before accepting, read the funding, housing, duration and assistantship terms together. Follow subsequent instructions for UAE qualification recognition or attestation.
05 Three answers to help you apply with confidence
Do I need a supervisor acceptance letter?
A supervisor acceptance letter is not universally required in the general graduate checklist. Identifying relevant faculty is still useful: M.Sc. assistantships depend on sponsorship, and continued Ph.D. support requires an advisor match. Use research interests to guide that connection.
Can I apply without publications or an AI degree?
Yes—the general checklist sets no universal publication minimum, and specified relevant STEM degrees are accepted. Your degree must still meet the chosen programme’s subject rules. Use projects, experience and references to demonstrate the technical and research preparation you bring.
Should I convert my grades to a 4.0 GPA?
No. MBZUAI’s FAQ says to enter your final or overall mark exactly as shown on your transcript, without converting it yourself. If the portal cannot accommodate your grading system, admissions can guide you on entering the original result.
06 When should you have your application ready?
The last date to apply for most MBZUAI research M.Sc. and Ph.D. programmes is 15 December 2026. M.Sc. and Ph.D. Computational Biology close on 22 January 2027. Both deadlines are 5 p.m. UAE time (UTC+4), as listed under “Important dates” on the M.Sc. admissions page or Ph.D. admissions page.
The undergraduate Early Action deadline is 1 November 2026; Regular Decision closes on 1 February 2027. Both close at 5 p.m. UAE time (UTC+4), according to the official undergraduate deadlines.
Graduate decisions, excluding the professional master’s, are scheduled by 31 March 2027; offer responses are due by 15 April 2027 at 5 p.m. UAE time. The Tahnoon scholarship page does not publish a separate Fall 2027 deadline, so its route follows the admission window and subsequent scholarship instructions.
Give your statement and references time to come together. Your aim is a focused application that shows what you are ready to learn or investigate next—and why this programme fits.