Arab immigrants and asylum seekers dream of improving their situation in their new countries by completing their studies or earning a higher degree to qualify for a good job, and whether you are a migrant, a refugee, or even have not received a security approval for your asylum application, you still have a chance to win a scholarship.

U.S. Scholarships

The American Council on Higher Education (ACE), in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), offers four scholarships for students of Arab descent, and a scholarship for both Syrian and Palestinian students.

Scholarship conditions include a CV confirming an interest and commitment to serving the Arab community, passing a GPA score of 3.0 or higher, sending two letters of recommendation from former or current teachers or professional supervisors, a letter of desire, and an acknowledgment that you are a U.S. resident and of Arab descent.

The grants offered varied as follows:

  • Arab American Institute Scholarship: The applicant must have permanent legal residency in the United States, and be currently enrolled in a university or in the final year of high school. You can register your details on the Foundation's website to receive a notification of the opening of applications for the next year.
  • U.S.-Arab Anti-Discrimination Scholarship: The Committee offers a scholarship to students of Arab descent who plan to study journalism, media, politics, and economics at undergraduate and graduate levels. You can apply for the scholarship on the committee's website.
  • Arab American Charitable Work Center Scholarship: The center offers 11 scholarships for the years 2023 and 2024, in several disciplines: science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), medicine, social sciences, and media, and some scholarships have also targeted Muslim women to study.
  • Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects (AAAEA): The Association offers the scholarship to undergraduate or graduate students in the field of engineering, architecture, or computer science and information technology.
  • Ramallah Scholarship for Palestinian Immigrants: The scholarship provides support to Palestinian students to obtain bachelor's and master's degrees in disciplines such as: medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, education, engineering, science, business administration, law, and others.
  • Refugee Scholarship Fund: The Fund offers this scholarship to all Syrian students, all over the world, refugees or asylum seekers. The scholarship covers the full cost of the expenses of a two-year degree or a 4-year bachelor's degree.

    • U.S. Scholarships Vary and Open Doors to Arab Students Wishing to Pursue Degrees (Getty Images)

    Turkish Government Scholarships

    The Turkish government established the Turkish Scholarship Program for Higher Education Students, in order to cover bachelor's, master's, and doctoral scholarships. The program requires a minimum pass rate of 70% in the secondary certificate. The applicant should not be enrolled in a Turkish university at the educational level he is applying to complete.

    The program covers the student's monthly stipend, accommodation expenses, tuition fees, medical insurance, a Turkish language course, and one-time round-trip airfares, and the program includes two scholarships:

  • IsDB Scholarship: The Turkish government, in cooperation with the Islamic Development Bank, offers an opportunity for outstanding students from Muslim countries and communities to obtain a higher education certificate. The scholarship receives applications annually in February.
  • Scholarship for Yemeni Students: The Turkish Scholarship Program offers a special scholarship for Yemeni students, to complete their studies in Turkey.

    • European Scholarships

  • Campus France Scholarship: This grant was established by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs as part of French aid to Syrian refugees. The scholarship funds university studies in France for a maximum of 3 years, and does not require the Syrian student to be a legal refugee in France.
  • HOPES Scholarship: The European Union has established a regional fund called MADAD in response to the Syrian crisis, and the HOPES program is one of the fund's projects, targeting Syrian youth in 5 countries: Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, in order to help students complete their education, and the program also provides an opportunity for Syrian students currently residing in their country to study online.
  • InHERE Scholarship: The program aims to help refugees residing in EU countries and asylum seekers at risk complete their higher education at 7 European universities, and is part of the Higher Education Program to Support Refugees in Europe, under the auspices of the Association of European Universities.
    Financial support for refugee students and researchers includes tuition fees, fee waiver, cost of living subsidies, free accommodation in university facilities, and more.

    • United Nations

    UNHCR, in partnership with governments and international universities, provides a platform to research the country you live in, the major you intend to study, the degree and language you prefer to study in, to find the most suitable scholarship for you.