Are you looking for a Master’s or PhD opportunity in the United Arab Emirates?
The Khalifa University Postgraduate Admissions 2027 process is open to eligible UAE and international applicants.
Khalifa University Postgraduate Admissions 2027 offers qualified international students the opportunity to pursue Master’s and PhD programmes in the United Arab Emirates. Khalifa University of Science and Technology also provides competitive postgraduate scholarships for eligible students, with benefits that may include tuition support, accommodation, medical insurance and other financial assistance.
The university also offers competitive merit-based postgraduate scholarships for eligible students. Depending on the scholarship awarded, benefits may include tuition coverage, accommodation, textbooks, medical insurance, visa support and, for PhD scholarships, a monthly stipend.
Official Khalifa University Postgraduate Admissions
Applicants interested in Khalifa University Postgraduate Admissions 2027 should carefully check the programme requirements before submitting their application.
Quick Facts
| Institution | Khalifa University of Science and Technology |
|---|---|
| Country | United Arab Emirates 🇦🇪 |
| Location | Abu Dhabi |
| Study Level | Master’s & PhD |
| Programmes | Interdisciplinary postgraduate programmes |
| International Students | Yes |
| Scholarships | Available for eligible postgraduate students |
| PhD Options | Regular PhD & Direct PhD |
| Application Fee | AED 200 |
| Study Mode | Full-time or part-time, depending on programme |
| Current Intake | Spring 2027 PhD |
| Spring 2027 PhD Application Period | 3–31 August 2026 |
Khalifa University’s current admissions page states that Spring 2027 PhD applications are open from 3 August 2026 to 31 August 2026.
About Khalifa University
Khalifa University of Science and Technology is a research-focused university based in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
The university offers postgraduate education across areas such as:
- ⚙️ Engineering
- 💻 Computing
- 🧮 Mathematical sciences
- 🔬 Physical sciences
- 🏥 Health and biomedical sciences
- 🤖 Technology and innovation
- 🌍 Research and sustainability
Its postgraduate programmes are designed for students interested in advanced academic study and research.
Master’s and PhD Opportunities
Khalifa University offers postgraduate opportunities at two major levels.
🎓 Master’s Programmes
Applicants seeking admission to a Master’s programme generally need:
- A relevant Bachelor’s degree
- Minimum 3.0/4.0 CGPA or equivalent
- IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 91
- At least two referee recommendations
- Statement of Purpose of 500–1,000 words
- Admission interview
The university notes that the degree must come from a reputable accredited institution.
🎓 PhD Programmes
Khalifa University provides two routes to doctoral study.
Regular PhD
For applicants who already hold a Master’s degree:
- Relevant Bachelor’s degree with minimum 3.0/4.0 CGPA
- Relevant Master’s degree with minimum 3.25/4.0 CGPA
- IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 91
- At least two referee recommendations
- Statement of Purpose
- Research Statement
- Admission interview
Direct PhD
Applicants without a Master’s degree may be considered for the Direct PhD route if they have:
- Relevant Bachelor’s degree
- Minimum 3.5/4.0 CGPA
- Minimum 150 quantitative score in the General GRE
- IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 91
- At least two referee recommendations
- Statement of Purpose
- Research Statement
- Admission interview
The GRE must be taken at a test centre; the university states that the GRE Home Edition is not accepted.
🎓 Postgraduate Scholarships
One of the most attractive features of Khalifa University’s postgraduate admissions is the availability of merit-based scholarships for eligible Master’s and PhD students.
The university states that scholarship decisions consider factors such as:
- Academic achievement
- Research potential
- Field of study
- Alignment with the university’s strategic priorities
Master’s Scholarship Benefits May Include:
✅ Full or partial tuition fee coverage
✅ Textbooks
✅ Accommodation
✅ Medical insurance
✅ Visa processing support
✅ Travel assistance to/from the UAE for students residing abroad
PhD Scholarship Benefits May Include:
✅ Full or partial tuition fee coverage
✅ Monthly stipend
✅ Textbooks
✅ Accommodation
✅ Medical insurance
✅ Visa processing support
✅ Travel assistance
✅ Conference participation support, subject to funding
✅ International research internship, subject to funding
✅ Teaching and career-development opportunities
⚠️ Important
Not every applicant automatically receives the same scholarship package. Khalifa University states that postgraduate scholarships are competitive and merit-based, and benefits depend on the scholarship awarded.
Who Can Apply?
The opportunity is suitable for students who already have a university degree and want to continue to postgraduate study.
Master’s applicants
A relevant Bachelor’s degree with at least 3.0/4.0 CGPA is required under the general minimum criteria.
Regular PhD applicants
Applicants normally need both a relevant Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree, with minimum CGPAs of 3.0 and 3.25, respectively.
Direct PhD applicants
Applicants without a Master’s degree can potentially apply through the Direct PhD route with a relevant Bachelor’s degree and minimum 3.5/4.0 CGPA, plus the required GRE quantitative score.
International Students
🌍 International students can apply.
Khalifa University provides postgraduate scholarship opportunities for both UAE nationals and international students. International students may also receive benefits such as visa support, accommodation, medical insurance and travel assistance depending on the scholarship awarded.
This makes the opportunity particularly relevant to qualified applicants from countries such as Nigeria and other African countries.
English Language Requirements
Applicants generally need to demonstrate English proficiency through one of the accepted tests.
The current requirements include:
IELTS
Overall academic IELTS score of 6.5
TOEFL iBT
Score of 91
Khalifa University specifically states that the TOEFL iBT Home Edition is not accepted.
Some applicants may qualify for an English-test exemption subject to university review and approval, but applicants should still provide evidence of meeting the relevant language requirement.
Current Application Deadline
📅 Spring 2027 PhD Admission
Applications open: 3 August 2026
Application deadline: 31 August 2026
The university currently states that this application window is for PhD programmes only.
⚠️ Applicants should not assume that this deadline applies to every Master’s or PhD intake. Always check the official admissions page for the programme and intake you want.
Application Fee
The current postgraduate application requires an AED 200 application fee, inclusive of VAT, paid when submitting the application.
Official Links
🎓 Postgraduate Admissions:
Khalifa University Postgraduate Admissions
💰 Postgraduate Scholarships:
Khalifa University Postgraduate Scholarships
📝 Application Portal:
Khalifa University Postgraduate Application Portal
Related Scholarship
As agreed, we will use only ONE internal link.
For this article, you can link to the previous:
👉 Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship 2027
Khalifa University Postgraduate Admissions 2027 Requirements
Khalifa University offers postgraduate admission opportunities for Master’s and PhD applicants, including international students. The university also provides competitive, merit-based scholarships for eligible postgraduate students.
🎓 Master’s Admission Requirements
Applicants for a Master’s programme must generally have:
- A relevant Bachelor’s degree
- Minimum 3.0/4.0 CGPA or equivalent
- IELTS Academic 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 91
- At least two referee recommendations
- A Statement of Purpose of 500–1,000 words
- Admission interview
The degree must be from a reputable accredited institution.
🎓 PhD Admission Requirements
Khalifa University provides two main routes to PhD admission.
1. Regular PhD
For applicants who already have a Master’s degree:
- Relevant Bachelor’s degree with minimum 3.0/4.0 CGPA
- Relevant Master’s degree with minimum 3.25/4.0 CGPA
- IELTS Academic 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 91
- At least two referee recommendations
- Statement of Purpose: 500–1,000 words
- Research Statement: 500–1,000 words
- Admission interview
2. Direct PhD
Applicants who do not have a Master’s degree can apply through the Direct PhD route if they have:
- Relevant Bachelor’s degree
- Minimum 3.5/4.0 CGPA
- Minimum 150 quantitative score in the General GRE
- IELTS Academic 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 91
- At least two referee recommendations
- Statement of Purpose
- Research Statement
- Admission interview
The GRE must be taken at a test centre; the GRE Home Edition is not accepted.
🌍 English Language Requirements
Applicants generally need to demonstrate English proficiency through:
IELTS
Overall Academic IELTS: 6.5
TOEFL
TOEFL iBT: 91
The TOEFL iBT Home Edition is not accepted.
Some applicants may qualify for an exemption, subject to university review and approval. However, the university says applicants should still upload evidence supporting their English-language qualification.
📝 Statement of Purpose
The Statement of Purpose should explain why you want to study at Khalifa University and why you are a suitable candidate.
The university recommends discussing:
- Your background and interests
- Your motivation for graduate study
- Why you selected the particular programme
- What you hope to gain from the programme
- Your career goals
- How your previous education and work experience relate to the programme
- Other relevant achievements or information
For our readers, the important thing is to make the statement personal and specific to Khalifa University, rather than using a generic scholarship essay.
🔬 Research Statement for PhD Applicants
PhD applicants must also submit a Research Statement of 500–1,000 words.
The statement should explain:
- Your research interests
- What you hope to achieve
- Previous research, project or publication experience
- A research project you would like to pursue
- How your proposed research relates to your chosen field
The university recommends that prospective PhD students review its institutional research priorities before preparing their Research Statement.
💰 Postgraduate Scholarship Benefits
Khalifa University offers competitive, merit-based scholarships to UAE nationals and international students.
Scholarship awards depend on the scholarship awarded and the student’s academic and research profile.
Master’s Scholarships May Include
✅ Full or partial tuition fee coverage
✅ Textbooks
✅ Accommodation
✅ Medical insurance
✅ Visa processing support
✅ Travel assistance to/from the UAE for students residing abroad
PhD Scholarships May Include
✅ Full or partial tuition fee coverage
✅ Monthly stipend
✅ Textbooks
✅ Accommodation
✅ Medical insurance
✅ Visa processing support
✅ Travel assistance
✅ Conference participation support, subject to funding
✅ International research internship, subject to funding
✅ Teaching experience and career development opportunities
⚠️ Important
These benefits are not guaranteed to every applicant. Khalifa University describes the scholarships as competitive and merit-based, and the benefits depend on the scholarship awarded.
📄 Required Documents
Applicants should prepare clear, legible copies of the required documents.
The university lists the following documents:
- 🎓 Certified Bachelor’s/Master’s degree certificate, as applicable
- 📑 Official academic transcript showing the grading scale
- 🗣️ English-language test certificate
- 📊 GRE score report where applicable
- 📄 Detailed CV
- 📝 Statement of Purpose
- 🔬 Research Statement for PhD applicants
- 📸 Passport-style photograph on a white background
- 🛂 Valid passport
- 🇦🇪 Valid UAE visa for international applicants currently residing in the UAE
- 🪪 UAE national ID where applicable
Applicants who graduated from universities outside the UAE must also provide the required Recognition of University Certificates from the UAE Ministry of Education.
🇦🇪 Recognition of Foreign Degrees
This is particularly important for international applicants.
Applicants holding qualifications from universities outside the UAE must obtain recognition of their university certificates from the relevant UAE Ministry of Education authority.
Khalifa University advises applicants to begin this process early because it can involve attestation, notarisation, translation and other procedures.
💳 Application Fee
The postgraduate application fee is:
AED 200
The fee is inclusive of VAT and is paid when submitting the application.
📅 Spring 2027 PhD Deadline
For the currently announced Spring 2027 PhD admission:
📅 Applications open: 3 August 2026
📅 Deadline: 31 August 2026
⚠️ The university specifically states that this Spring 2027 application window is for PhD programmes only. Applicants interested in other intakes should check the official admissions page for the applicable deadline.
🖥️ How to Apply
Step 1 — Choose Your Programme
Review Khalifa University’s available interdisciplinary Master’s and PhD programmes.
Step 2 — Check the Requirements
Make sure you meet the academic, English-language and other requirements.
Step 3 — Prepare Your Documents
Scan your certificates, transcript, CV, passport and other required documents clearly.
Step 4 — Prepare Your Statements
Master’s applicants need a Statement of Purpose.
PhD applicants need both a Statement of Purpose and Research Statement.
Step 5 — Apply Online
Create your application through the official postgraduate application portal.
Step 6 — Pay the Application Fee
Pay the AED 200 application fee.
Step 7 — Upload Your Documents
After submitting the application, follow the status page instructions to upload the required documents.
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Applying without checking the CGPA requirement.
❌ Confusing Regular PhD with Direct PhD requirements.
❌ Forgetting the GRE requirement for Direct PhD applicants.
❌ Using the TOEFL Home Edition.
❌ Submitting an incomplete application.
❌ Uploading unclear or unreadable documents.
❌ Waiting until the deadline to begin foreign-degree recognition.
❌ Assuming every applicant automatically receives a full scholarship.
❌ Using a generic Statement of Purpose that does not explain why you chose Khalifa University.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Khalifa University fully funded?
Some postgraduate scholarship awards can provide substantial funding, including full or partial tuition, accommodation and other benefits. However, scholarships are competitive and the exact package depends on the award.
Can international students apply?
Yes. Khalifa University offers postgraduate scholarships to both UAE nationals and international students.
Can Nigerians apply?
Yes. Nigerian applicants can apply as international students if they meet the programme requirements.
Can I apply for a PhD without a Master’s?
Yes. You may be eligible for the Direct PhD route if you meet the higher Bachelor’s CGPA requirement and the GRE requirement.
What is the Direct PhD CGPA requirement?
A minimum 3.5/4.0 CGPA in a relevant Bachelor’s degree is required under the stated minimum criteria.
What is the Regular PhD requirement?
A relevant Bachelor’s with at least 3.0/4.0 and a relevant Master’s with at least 3.25/4.0.
What is the application fee?
The fee is AED 200, including VAT.
When is the Spring 2027 PhD deadline?
31 August 2026.
🔗 Official Application Links
🎓 Postgraduate Admissions:
Khalifa University Postgraduate Admissions
💰 Postgraduate Scholarships:
Khalifa University Postgraduate Scholarships
📝 Application Portal:
Khalifa University Application Portal
Related Scholarship
As agreed, we will use only ONE internal link in this article.
You can link this post to your previous Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship 2027 article.