Begin your study journey in the UK. Great news! Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS) scholarships are now available. In this article, we'll explain the OCIS scholarship in detail, its benefits, and the step-by-step application process.
The Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS) offers fully funded scholarships for international students for the 2026-2027 academic year, exclusively for Master's students. This scholarship covers 100% of tuition fees, in addition to a living allowance of £20,780.
These scholarships were created by the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies to enable graduates to pursue studies that will benefit the Muslim world.
The Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies is an independent, recognized center affiliated with the University of Oxford. Founded in 1985 to promote academic studies of Islam and the Muslim world, it serves as a meeting place for scholars from both the West and the Muslim world.
At Oxford University, the Centre contributes to interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary studies of the Islamic world. Outside Oxford, its role is strengthened by an international network of academic relationships. For more information, please visit the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies website .
Scholarship Summary
- Level of study: Master's, PhD
- Institution(s): University of Oxford
- Study in: United Kingdom
- Available courses: All full-time Master's and PhD courses
- Program duration: According to the chosen program.
- Deadline: January 2026 (The relevant deadline for your course is in December/January)
Scholarship coverage
OCIS scholarships offer the recipient the following benefits:
Document preparation services
100% coverage of course fees and a grant to cover living expenses (at least £20,780).
Eligibility criteria for Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies grants
To be eligible for OCIS scholarships , applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Required language: English
- Eligible countries: must be either:
- Normally resident in the UK and belonging to a Muslim community (with preference given to those from financially disadvantaged families), or
- A citizen and ordinarily resident of one of the following countries in Asia and Africa: Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Albania, Indonesia, Palestine, Algeria, Iran, Qatar, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Senegal, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Sierra Leone, Benin, Kuwait, Somalia, Brunei Darussalam, Kyrgyzstan, Sudan, Burkina Faso, Lebanon, Suriname, Cameroon, Libya, Syria, Chad, Malaysia, Tajikistan, Comoros, Maldives, Togo, Ivory Coast, Mali, Tunisia, Djibouti, Mauritania, Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, Turkmenistan, Gabon, Mozambique, Uganda, Gambia, Niger, United Arab Emirates, Guinea, Nigeria, Uzbekistan, Guyana, Oman, Yemen
- You must be applying to start a new full-time Master's or PhD course at Oxford University.
- You should intend to return to your usual country of residence once the training course is completed.
- Scholarships will be awarded based on academic merit.
- You should have the intention of pursuing study in a field derived from or related to Islamic heritage, or a field of relevance and/or benefit to the Islamic world.
- This scholarship is not available to candidates applying for postgraduate certificates or postgraduate diplomas, part-time courses, or non-registered courses .
- Applications from candidates with deferred offers to start in 2026-2027 will not be considered for this scholarship.
Also check out the Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship.
How to apply for Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies grants?
Please follow these steps to benefit from OCIS scholarships:
Document preparation services
- You must submit your application for postgraduate studies at Oxford by the relevant deadline in January 2025 and select your specific course from here.
- Click on "Apply for full-time", create a new account, and submit the required documents.
- Download the OCIS support statement here
Notes:
- Each course has a specific template for stating its purpose.
- Each course requires specific scores (TOEFL iBT, IELTS Academic).
- Each course has a specific deadline.
- To be eligible for this scholarship, applicants must be accepted into the program of study after a review of applications received before the January deadline. Applications deferred after the January deadline for reassessment compared to those received before the March deadline, or those placed on a waiting list, will not be considered for the scholarship.
- Here you can see all the eligible Asian and African countries.
Website
To learn more about the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS) grants, please visit the official website: