Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Scholarships 2026 (Fully Funded)

If you plan to study in the UK with financial support, the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS) Scholarships is one of the best opportunities for international students. This scholarship provides fully funded programs at UK universities across a wide range of fields. In this article, we will explain everything you need to know about the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS) Scholarships, including its benefits, eligibility criteria, required documents, and a detailed step-by-step application process to help you apply successfully.

Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS) Scholarships 2026-2027 are only offered for master’s studies. This scholarship covers 100% of course fees and a grant for living costs of £20,780.

The Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies established these scholarships to enable graduates to pursue studies that will benefit the Muslim world.

The Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies is a recognized independent center of the University of Oxford. It was established in 1985 to encourage the scholarly study of Islam and the Islamic world. The center provides a meeting point for the Western and Islamic worlds of learning.

Oxford contributes to the multidisciplinary and cross-disciplinary study of the Islamic world. Beyond Oxford, its role is strengthened by an international network of academic contacts, which includes partnerships with universities and research institutions across various countries that facilitate collaborative research and knowledge exchange. Please visit the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies website for additional details.

Scholarship Summary

Level of Study: Master’s, PhD
Institution(s): University of Oxford
Study Destination: The UK
Courses Offered: All full-time master’s and DPhil courses
Program Period: One year for master’s and 3 years for PhD
Deadline: January 2026 (Relevant December/January deadline for your course)

Scholarship Coverage

OCIS scholarships provide the recipient with the following benefits:

100% of course fees and a grant for living costs (at least £20,780)

Eligibility Criteria for the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Scholarships

To be eligible for OCIS scholarships, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Required Language: English
Eligible Countries: You must be one of the following:
- ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom and from a Muslim community (with preference given to those from a financially disadvantaged household), or
- a national of, and ordinarily resident in, 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, Syrian Arab Republic, Chad, Malaysia, Tajikistan, Comoros, Maldives, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, 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 DPhil course at Oxford.
You should intend to return to your country of ordinary residence once your course is completed.
Scholarships will be awarded on the basis of academic merit.
You should be intending to undertake study in a field derived from or of relevance to the Islamic tradition, or which is of relevance and benefit to the Muslim world.
This scholarship is not open to candidates applying for postgraduate certificate or postgraduate diploma courses, part-time courses, or non-matriculated courses.
Candidates who hold deferred offers to start in 2026-27 will not be considered for this scholarship.

How to Apply for Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Scholarships:

Please follow the steps below to avail OCIS scholarships:

You have to submit your application for graduate study at Oxford by the relevant January 2026 deadline and choose your specific course from here.
Click on “apply” for full-time, create a new account, and provide the required documents.
Upload the OCIS Supporting Statement here

Notes:

Each course has a specific statement of purpose form.
Each course requires specific scores (TOEFL iBT, IELTS Academic).
Each course has a specific deadline.
To be eligible for consideration for this scholarship, applicants must be successful in being offered a place on their course after receiving applications by the relevant January deadline. Course applications held over after the January deadline for re-evaluation against those received by the March deadline, or applications on a waiting list, are not eligible for scholarship consideration.
You can see that all Asian and African countries are eligible here.