For a Muslim student, few opportunities in the world carry the spiritual and academic weight of studying at the Islamic University of Madinah. This is not simply a scholarship to study in Saudi Arabia. It is an opportunity to pursue your education in one of the holiest cities in Islam, a few kilometers from the Prophet’s Mosque, in an institution that was established specifically to spread authentic Islamic knowledge to the entire world. Every year, the Islamic University of Madinah opens its doors to international Muslim students through a fully funded scholarship that covers tuition fees, accommodation, monthly allowances, healthcare, airfare, and much more, all at no cost to the student.
In this guide, we are going to walk through everything you need to know about the Islamic University of Madinah Scholarship for 2026. We will cover the history and mission of the university, the complete list of scholarship benefits, all available faculties and degree programs, who is eligible to apply, the full list of required documents, both application tracks and their deadlines, the step-by-step application process, what life as an IUM scholarship student looks like, and practical tips to give your application the strongest possible foundation. Whether you are a secondary school graduate hoping to begin a bachelor’s degree or a bachelor’s graduate planning postgraduate research, this guide covers every aspect of the opportunity that matters.
About the Islamic University of Madinah
The Islamic University of Madinah, known in Arabic as Al-Jamiah Al-Islamiyyah Bil-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, is a public university located in the city of Madinah in western Saudi Arabia. It was established by a Royal Decree, specifically Royal Decree No. 11 dated 25/3/1381 AH (corresponding to 1961 CE), under the reign of King Saud bin Abdulaziz. It was the first institution of its kind to be established as an international Islamic university with the explicit mandate to serve Muslim communities from all over the world, not only Saudi citizens.
The university describes itself in its own founding documents as “international Islamic in its goal and Saudi Arabian in affiliation.” This dual identity is what explains the scholarship program. From its very foundation, the IUM was designed to attract the most dedicated and qualified Muslim students from every corner of the globe, educate them in Islamic and contemporary sciences, and send them back to their countries equipped to contribute to da’wah (the invitation to Islam), education, research, and community leadership. The scholarship is not a side program. It is the central mechanism through which the university fulfills its founding mission.
Today, the Islamic University of Madinah is one of the most internationally diverse universities in the entire Muslim world. At any given time, its campus hosts students from dozens of countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and beyond. Walking through the university’s courtyards, you encounter fellow students from Nigeria, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Senegal, the United Kingdom, and virtually every Muslim-majority or Muslim-minority country on earth. This extraordinary diversity within a shared Islamic framework creates a learning environment that is genuinely unlike anything available at most other universities worldwide.
The university’s academic focus has evolved since its founding. While it began with a primary emphasis on Sharia and Islamic sciences, it has expanded significantly over the decades to include engineering, computer science, information technology, and other applied science disciplines alongside its core Islamic studies offerings. This expansion reflects the university’s recognition that serving the Muslim world’s development needs requires producing graduates in fields beyond religious scholarship.
Key Program Details at a Glance
University Name: Islamic University of Madinah (IUM / Al-Jamiah Al-Islamiyyah)
Location: Madinah Al-Munawwarah, Saudi Arabia
Founded: 1961 by Royal Decree under King Saud bin Abdulaziz
Scholarship Type: Fully Funded
Funded By: Saudi Ministry of Education / Government of Saudi Arabia
Study Levels: Undergraduate (Bachelor’s), Postgraduate (Master’s and PhD)
Open To: International Muslim male students from all countries (non-Saudi)
Application Deadline (Undergraduate): June 14, 2026
Application Deadline (Master’s): Accepted year-round / October 31 in previous cycles
Application Fee: None. Completely free.
Application Platform: Study in Saudi Arabia official portal
Islamic University of Madinah Scholarship Benefits: Full Financial Coverage
The IUM Scholarship is described as fully funded, and it genuinely covers the complete academic and living costs for the duration of your study period. Here is a detailed breakdown of every benefit included in the scholarship package.
Full Tuition Fee Coverage
The scholarship covers all tuition and academic fees for the entire duration of your approved degree program. There is no tuition payment required from the student at any point. This applies whether you are enrolled in a four-year bachelor’s program, a two-year master’s degree, or a doctoral research program. The government of Saudi Arabia, through the Saudi Ministry of Education, funds the academic costs in full.
Monthly Living Allowance
Every scholarship holder receives a regular monthly financial allowance to cover living expenses throughout their studies. This stipend is designed to cover day-to-day costs including personal items, study materials, and other regular expenses. The university also provides an additional excellence allowance for students who achieve distinction-level grades, which incentivizes and rewards high academic performance during the course of study.
Free Furnished Accommodation
Unmarried scholarship students receive free furnished accommodation on the university campus or in university-managed housing for the full duration of their degree program. This is one of the most practically significant benefits of the scholarship because it removes one of the largest and most unpredictable costs of studying abroad: rental accommodation. Students do not need to search for housing, sign a lease, or budget for monthly rent at any point during their studies.
Meals at the University Restaurant
The scholarship includes access to meals at the university restaurant for a small monthly fee. The food is subsidized by the university, making this far more affordable than independent meal preparation in a private apartment. The restaurant serves a range of food appropriate for a diverse international student population, reflecting the multicultural makeup of the campus community.
Free Healthcare at the University Hospital
All scholarship students have access to quality healthcare at the university’s own hospital at no additional cost. This eliminates the need to arrange and pay for private health insurance, which is a significant ongoing expense for most international students studying abroad. Medical consultations, treatment, and hospitalizations at the university hospital are covered for enrolled scholarship holders.
Round-Trip Airfare
The scholarship provides a free airline ticket to Saudi Arabia at the beginning of your studies. It also provides a free return ticket at the end of each academic year, subject to the specific guidelines and procedures communicated by the university at the time of admission. This annual travel benefit allows students to return home during summer breaks without bearing the cost of international flights themselves, which is a particularly meaningful benefit for students from distant regions such as West Africa or Southeast Asia where airfares can be significant.
One-Time Settling-In Allowance
New scholarship holders receive a one-time settling-in allowance when they first arrive at the university to help cover the initial costs of establishing themselves in a new country and city. This includes early expenses such as essential household items, communication setup, and other start-up costs that invariably arise during the first weeks in a new environment.
Clothing Allowance
A clothing allowance is provided to scholarship students to help with the cost of appropriate attire for the Saudi academic and social environment. This benefit reflects the university’s holistic approach to student welfare, recognizing that new students arriving from very different climates and fashion environments need financial support to dress appropriately for their new setting.
Transportation to the Prophet’s Mosque
This is one of the most distinctive and spiritually significant benefits of the IUM scholarship. The university provides free daily transportation for scholarship students to and from the Prophet’s Mosque, which is one of the most sacred sites in Islam and is located in central Madinah a short distance from the university campus. For Muslim students, the ability to pray regularly at the Prophet’s Mosque is a deeply meaningful and profoundly transformative experience that goes far beyond the academic dimension of the scholarship.
Organized Umrah Trips
The university also organizes regular Umrah (minor pilgrimage) trips for scholarship students, providing access to the holy city of Makkah and the performance of Umrah at organized intervals throughout the academic year. For most international Muslim students, the ability to perform Umrah regularly during their years in Saudi Arabia is an extraordinary spiritual privilege that amplifies the value of the scholarship far beyond its financial dimensions.
Access to University Facilities
Scholarship holders have full access to the university’s social, training, sports, and recreational facilities. This includes the university library, which holds one of the most comprehensive collections of Islamic texts and contemporary academic resources in the Muslim world, laboratories, sports courts, and communal social spaces that are shared by the university’s diverse international student community.
Scientific and Cultural Programs
Students also have the opportunity to participate in organized scientific conferences, cultural programs, and academic events hosted by the university throughout the academic year. These programs provide platforms for students to present research, engage with visiting scholars, and build networks within the global Islamic academic community that is uniquely accessible through the IUM campus.
Printing and Academic Materials Support
Support is provided to cover the cost of academic printing, which is a practical but often overlooked benefit that reduces the out-of-pocket costs associated with printing study materials, research papers, and course resources throughout the academic program.
Faculties and Degree Programs Available at IUM
The Islamic University of Madinah offers a wide range of academic programs across multiple faculties at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Here is a comprehensive overview of the faculties and fields of study available to scholarship students.
Faculty of Sharia
The Faculty of Sharia is the oldest and most prominent of the university’s faculties. It focuses on Islamic jurisprudence (Fiqh), principles of Islamic law (Usul al-Fiqh), comparative law, and the Sharia sciences. Graduates from this faculty go on to serve as Sharia scholars, judges in Islamic courts, legal advisors, and educators in Islamic law across many countries. The faculty offers programs at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels.
Faculty of Da’wah and Islamic Foundations
The Faculty of Da’wah and Islamic Foundations is focused on training students in the science and methodology of Islamic propagation and comparative religion. It prepares graduates to engage with non-Muslim audiences, to articulate Islamic principles in contemporary contexts, and to serve as da’wah practitioners in diverse national and cultural environments. This faculty produces some of the most globally influential graduates from the IUM system, as its alumni go on to work in Islamic centers, mosques, and educational institutions in non-Muslim-majority countries around the world.
Faculty of the Quran and Islamic Studies
This faculty is dedicated to the memorization, recitation, and scholarly study of the Holy Quran, as well as to the sciences of Tafsir (Quranic exegesis) and related disciplines. It attracts students who have a strong background in Quranic memorization (Hifz) and who want to deepen their scholarly engagement with the Quran at an academic level. Graduates from this faculty serve as Quran teachers, reciters, and Islamic scholars in communities worldwide.
Faculty of Hadith and Islamic Studies
The Faculty of Hadith and Islamic Studies focuses on the science of Hadith, which is the body of recorded sayings, actions, and approvals of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. It covers the principles of Hadith authentication (Mustalah al-Hadith), the study of major Hadith collections, the science of narrators (Rijal), and related Islamic sciences. This is a specialized and rigorous academic field that produces scholars capable of contributing to Islamic research and education at the highest levels.
Faculty of Arabic Language
The Faculty of Arabic Language offers programs in Arabic linguistics, rhetoric, literature, and language teaching. Given that Arabic is the language of the Quran and of Islamic scholarship, and given that many IUM students come from non-Arab-speaking countries, this faculty plays an important role in building the language foundation that enables students to engage fully with the university’s Islamic sciences curriculum. Graduates go on to teach Arabic language at Islamic schools and universities in their home countries.
Faculty of Science
The Faculty of Science represents the contemporary science dimension of the IUM curriculum. It offers programs in pure and applied sciences including physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, and environmental science. This faculty was developed as part of the university’s broader mission to serve the Muslim world’s development needs by producing graduates who are grounded in Islamic values and simultaneously equipped with modern scientific knowledge.
Faculty of Engineering
The Faculty of Engineering offers bachelor’s degree programs in various engineering disciplines, contributing to the university’s contemporary academic profile. Engineering programs at IUM are available to international scholarship students and prepare graduates for technical roles in Saudi Arabia’s rapidly developing infrastructure sectors and in their home countries.
Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology
The Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology offers programs that address the growing demand for technology professionals across Muslim-majority countries. Programs cover areas including software development, information systems, network administration, and data management. Given the centrality of digital technology to contemporary development, this faculty is one of the most practically impactful offerings for students from developing countries.
Eligibility Criteria for the IUM Scholarship 2026
The Islamic University of Madinah Scholarship has specific eligibility conditions that every applicant must meet. Here is a clear and complete breakdown.
Religion and Gender
Applicants must be Muslim. This is a firm and non-negotiable condition of the scholarship given the university’s Islamic mission. Additionally, applicants must be male. The Islamic University of Madinah does not currently offer scholarship programs for female international students under this general scholarship framework. Female students interested in studying in Saudi Arabia should explore other scholarship programs available through other Saudi institutions.
Nationality
Applicants must not be Saudi Arabian citizens. The scholarship is specifically designed for non-Saudi international students from any country in the world. Saudi nationals have access to separate government funding mechanisms and are not eligible for this international scholarship program.
Age Requirements
For undergraduate scholarship applicants, the age range is 17 to 25 years old at the time of application. For postgraduate applicants applying for master’s or doctoral programs, the upper age limit is 30 years old. Applicants who are under 18 years old at the time of application must provide written consent from a parent or legal guardian. These age limits are applied strictly and applicants outside the stated ranges are not considered regardless of their academic qualifications.
Academic Qualifications
For undergraduate programs, applicants must hold a Secondary School Certificate or its recognized equivalent, issued by a government school or a recognized private institution outside Saudi Arabia. The certificate must not be older than five years at the time of application. This means for the 2026 application cycle, your secondary school certificate must have been issued in 2021 or later. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or its equivalent in your country’s grading system, is required. For postgraduate programs, applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university at the appropriate level for their target degree.
Medical Fitness
Applicants must be medically fit. A medical report confirming that the applicant is free from infectious diseases and is in good general health is required as part of the application documents. Applicants whose medical conditions could pose a risk to other students or faculty in an educational environment are not eligible.
Character and Conduct
Applicants must be of good moral conduct and character. A testimony of good conduct from a recognized authority, such as a school principal, community leader, or religious authority, is required as part of the application. The university expects all scholarship holders to abide by its rules and regulations, which are grounded in Islamic principles of behavior and academic integrity.
No Concurrent Scholarship
Applicants must not be currently benefiting from another scholarship or government funding arrangement. If you are already receiving funding from another program, you must disclose this and resolve it before your IUM scholarship can be confirmed. Double funding is not permitted.
Commitment to University Rules
Successful scholarship applicants are required to formally commit to abiding by all rules and regulations of the Islamic University of Madinah for the duration of their studies. This includes academic regulations, residential rules, dress code requirements, behavioral standards consistent with Islamic values, and any other conditions specified in the scholarship offer letter.
Required Documents for the IUM Scholarship Application
Preparing your documents correctly and completely before submitting your application is essential. Documents must be in either Arabic or English. Documents in any other language must be accompanied by a certified Arabic or English translation. After admission, accepted students are required to present original documents attested by the Saudi Arabian Embassy in their country, or by an authority recognized by the university in countries where no Saudi Embassy is present. Here is the complete list of required documents.