MBZUAI Graduate Scholarship 2027 (UAE) — Fully Funded Master's and PhD in Artificial Intelligence

MBZUAI 2027: applying to the world's first graduate university devoted to AI

MBZUAI is unusual among Gulf universities because it teaches only artificial intelligence, and only at graduate level. That narrowness is an advantage when you write an application: every reviewer reads AI research for a living, so the depth of your interest is far easier to demonstrate than at a general university.

WHAT IT COVERS

Funded students receive tuition paid in full, a monthly stipend, on-campus accommodation, health insurance for the approved funding period, and university-sponsored UAE residence visa and Emirates ID where eligible. International students also receive one return airfare each year to their home country. It is worth understanding how the funding is secured, because it differs by level. Doctoral funding is centrally provided by the university in year one while you match with a faculty advisor, then moves to the advisor's funding from year two. Master's funding is not automatic: it depends on securing a faculty-sponsored research or teaching assistantship, and students without one are classified as fee-paying.

WHO CAN APPLY

Master's applicants need a bachelor's degree in a STEM field such as computer science, electrical engineering, computer engineering, mathematics or physics from a recognised university, with a minimum CGPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale. Doctoral applicants need a relevant master's degree at the same standard, plus a research statement. English proficiency must be evidenced through IELTS 6.5, TOEFL iBT 90 or an approved equivalent unless an exemption applies.

Ask yourself:

- Is my degree in a STEM discipline, and does my CGPA clear 3.2? - Can I name the machine learning, computer vision or natural language processing work I want to pursue? - Am I ready to sit a screening examination in mathematics, programming and, for doctoral applicants, machine learning? - Do I have two referees for a master's application, or three plus a research proposal for a doctorate?

HOW TO APPLY

Apply through the MBZUAI admission portal, choosing your programme and completing the online form. You will upload your CV, transcripts and degree certificates or expected-graduation letters, English proficiency evidence, a statement of purpose, and — for doctoral applicants — a research statement. Recommendation letters are submitted by your referees. A screening examination covering advanced mathematics and programming, and for doctoral applicants machine learning and core computer science topics, forms part of the assessment, and a subset of applicants is invited to a technical interview.

Documents checklist:

- Completed online application form - CV highlighting research, publications and programming skills - Bachelor's transcripts and certificate, plus master's documents for doctoral applicants - Referee recommendations - Statement of purpose - Research statement, doctoral applicants only - English proficiency certificate - Valid passport copy and a photograph on a white background

COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID

Submitting more than one application in a cycle is explicitly discouraged and multiple submissions are not processed. Treating the screening examination as a formality is the second mistake, because it assesses foundational knowledge and a weak score can end an otherwise strong file. Applying to the Master in Applied Artificial Intelligence while expecting university funding is the third: that programme is fee-based and not eligible for university or faculty sponsorship. Applying with an incomplete file and hoping to add documents later rarely works.

DEADLINE

15 December 2026 for all graduate programmes except Computational Biology, which closes on 22 January 2027. Decision notifications are expected no later than 31 March 2027.

TIPS TO WIN

Prepare for the screening examination early, using the topic guidance published for your programme. Name specific faculty whose work connects to yours, since funding at master's level is tied to an advisor match. Keep your statement of purpose around 800 words and make it about research direction rather than about ambition in general.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER YOU SUBMIT

MBZUAI reviews files after the December close and expects to notify every applicant by 31 March 2027. Between submission and decision there is a screening examination covering advanced mathematics and programming, and a subset of applicants is invited to a technical interview with admission committee members. Funding is confirmed alongside admission, so a master's place without an assistantship match means fee-paying status. If you are applying for a doctorate, year-one funding is provided centrally, which gives you a full academic year to secure an advisor; if you are applying for a master's, the advisor match is the funding, so treat supervisor contact as part of the application rather than a step afterwards.

More scholarships for international students

https://www.oeacnetwork.com/scholarships

Related awards on this site

https://www.oeacnetwork.com/index.php?page=post&id=15

https://www.oeacnetwork.com/index.php?page=post&id=16

Official page

https://mbzuai.ac.ae/admissions/graduate-phd-admissions

Official application portal:

https://apply.mbzuai.ac.ae/

Not sure whether your file is strong enough for this programme? Talk to an OEAC advisor — our team helps students from Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and across the region prepare competitive scholarship applications, and the first consultation is free.

Last updated: 10 October 2026 Photo: Gureni — CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), via Wikimedia Commons