Heydar Aliyev International Education Grant Program, Azerbaijan 2025–2026 (Fully Funded)

The Heydar Aliyev – International Education Grant Program, offered by the Government of Azerbaijan, is a prestigious, fully funded international scholarship for the academic year 2025–2026. Initiated under a presidential decree on July 8, 2023, the scholarship aims to foster global academic exchange and strengthen educational cooperation with countries sharing historical, cultural, and strategic ties with Azerbaijan.

Administered by the Ministry of Science and Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, this scholarship supports 100 international students annually over five years. It is open to candidates pursuing preparatory courses, bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and medical residency programs at top Azerbaijani universities.

The scholarship is merit-based with certain academic, linguistic, and health eligibility requirements, and it specifically targets individuals from OIC member states, Non-Aligned Movement countries, Small Island Developing States, and other friendly nations.

The program is in honor of Heydar Aliyev, the National Leader of Azerbaijan, and commemorates his legacy and contributions.

Brief Details

Scholarship Name: Heydar Aliyev International Education Grant
Organizer/Funding Body: Government of Azerbaijan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Science and Education
Host Institution: Multiple top universities in Azerbaijan
Study Level: Preparatory, Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD, Medical Residency
Funding Type: Fully Funded
Eligible Countries:
- Member states of the OIC-Organization of Islamic Cooperation
- Non-Aligned Movement countries
- Small Island Developing States
- Countries with shared cultural, ethnic, or historical ties to Azerbaijan
Eligible Gender: Male and Female
Target Group: International students from eligible countries
Fields of Study: Various Fields
Number of Opportunities: 100 annually
Duration:
- Bachelor: 4–5 years
- General Medicine: 5–6 years
- Master: 1.5–2 years
- Medical Residency: 2–5 years
- PhD: 3 years
Medium of Instruction: English, Turkish, Russian, or Azerbaijani
Host Country: Azerbaijan

Key Dates

Submission of applications (first stage): March 15 – May 15, 2025
Review and evaluation by government authorities: May 16 – May 31, 2025
Registration in SIACAS (second stage): June 1 – June 15, 2025
Review and assessment of candidates: June 16 – July 15, 2025
Notification of selected candidates: July 16 – July 31, 2025
Start of academic year: September 15, 2025
Last date for arrival in Azerbaijan: September 30, 2025

Scholarship Benefits

Selected scholars will receive comprehensive financial and academic support, including:

Full tuition fees and language preparatory course coverage.
Annual round-trip economy class flight to and from Baku, Azerbaijan.
Monthly allowance of 800 AZN (approx. 470 USD) for living expenses and study materials (for 10 months/year).
Yearly medical insurance allowance of 200 AZN (approx. 117 USD).
Single-entry visa and temporary residence permit for the duration of each academic year.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible, applicants must:

Not hold or have renounced Azerbaijani citizenship
Belong to an eligible country (listed below)
Meet the following age requirements as of September 15, 2025:
- Undergraduate/General Medicine: under 35
- Master’s/Medical Residency: under 40
- PhD: under 45
Possess a minimum GPA of 70/100 or equivalent in previous degrees
Provide language proficiency:
- Undergraduate: IELTS 5.0 / TOEFL 40
- Postgraduate: IELTS 5.5 / TOEFL 50
- Have studied in English or provide proof of English proficiency
Be in good health and submit recent medical tests (HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B/C)
Be proficient in English, Russian, Turkish, or Azerbaijani

Eligible Countries

Here is the full list of 152 countries eligible for the Heydar Aliyev International Education Grant Program (2025–2026 Academic Year):

Antigua and Barbuda
Egypt
Barbados
Belize
Venezuela
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brunei
Burkina Faso
Central African Republic
Dominica
Bahamas
Guyana
North Korea
São Tomé and Príncipe
Congo (Kinshasa)
Timor-Leste
Sri Lanka
Dominican Republic
Ethiopia
Nepal
Nigeria
Somalia
Micronesia
Brazil
Gabon
Georgia
Greece
Grenada
Jordan
Hungary
Afghanistan
Samoa
Iran
Mauritania
Pakistan
Jamaica
Bahrain
Bhutan
Cambodia
Eswatini
Lesotho
Morocco
Saudi Arabia
Thailand
Tonga
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Malaysia
Mongolia
Montenegro
Palau
Papua New Guinea
Algeria
Bangladesh
Bolivia
Monaco
Albania
Angola
Belarus
Benin
Botswana
Bulgaria
Burundi
Cabo Verde
Cameroon
Chad
Chile
Colombia
Côte d’Ivoire
Cuba
Djibouti
Ecuador
Equatorial Guinea
Fiji
Ghana
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Haiti
Honduras
India
Indonesia
Iraq
Ireland
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Latvia
Lebanon
Liberia
Lithuania
Madagascar
Malawi
Maldives
Mali
Mauritius
Moldova
Mozambique
Namibia
Nauru
Nicaragua
North Macedonia
Panama
Peru
Poland
Rwanda
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
South Africa
South Sudan
Suriname
Tajikistan
Congo (Brazzaville)
Gambia
Marshall Islands
Niger
Philippines
Sudan
Myanmar
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Türkiye
Uganda
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Romania
Russia
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Vietnam
Solomon Islands
Eritrea
Kuwait
Libya
Palestine
Qatar
Oman
Syria
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Togo
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
Ukraine
Comoros
United Arab Emirates
Tanzania

Eligible Host Universities

Here is the list of host universities for the Heydar Aliyev International Education Grant Program, along with their official websites:

Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University
🌐 http://asoiu.edu.az/
Khazar University
🌐 https://www.khazar.org/
Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC)
🌐 http://unec.edu.az/en/
Baku Engineering University
🌐 http://beu.edu.az/en/
Baku Higher Oil School
🌐 https://www.bhos.edu.az/en
Karabakh University
🌐 https://karabakh.edu.az/
ADA University
🌐 https://www.ada.edu.az/
Baku State University
🌐 http://bsu.edu.az/en/
National Aviation Academy
🌐 https://naa.edu.az/en/
Nakhchivan State University
🌐 http://ndu.edu.az//en/

Required Documents

Applicants must submit:

Completed Nomination Form (from relevant state entity)

Diplomas and transcripts from prior studies; GPA must be at least 70/100 (or equivalent).
Medical certificate (including HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B/C), dated within 3 months.
Valid passport copy.
CV or resume.
Language proficiency (based on language of study):
- English: IELTS 5 / TOEFL 40 (UG), IELTS 5.5 / TOEFL 50 (PG), or previous education in English.
- Russian/Turkish/Azerbaijani: Proof of proficiency or prior education in the respective language.
- Institutions may assess language and academic suitability.
Motivation letter.
Certificates or awards (if available)

Document Guidelines:

All documents must be clear, legible, and in PDF format.
Accepted languages: Azerbaijani, Turkish, English, Russian (others require certified English translation)
A medical certificate must confirm fitness for travel/study.
Upload all documents to SIACAS by June 15, 6 PM GMT (Baku time).

How to Apply for Heydar Aliyev International Education Grant?

Step 1: Submit to Government Authorities (March 15 – May 15, 2025)

Submit all required documents to your country’s relevant authorities (Ministries, Embassies, etc.) for official nomination.
Deadline: May 15, 2025, 6 PM (Baku time).

Step 2: Apply Online via SIACAS (June 1 – June 15, 2025)

If nominated, register on the SIACAS portal between June 1–15, 2025.
Select the “Heydar Aliyev International Education Grant” program.
Select up to three specialties at different Azerbaijani universities.
Track your application status and updates through your SIACAS account.

Important Notes:

Only one application is allowed per person (for one eligible nationality).
Only nominated applicants will be evaluated.
For technical issues, email siacas.support@tsii.edu.az with a brief description and screenshots.

List of Informative Documents

Nomination form (for the first stage of the application process)
Diplomatic missions of the Republic of Azerbaijan
List of participating higher educational institutions
List of programs

Official Website

For further information and full details on eligibility, documents, and procedures, visit the official Study in Azerbaijan website or review the official call.