Azerbaijan’s Heydar Aliyev International Education Grant offers 100 annual fully funded scholarships, covering tuition, flights, monthly allowance, and medical insurance, for students from OIC and Non-Aligned Movement countries. Open for 2026–27.

What Is This Grant?

The Heydar Aliyev International Education Grant Program is a new, fully comprehensive scholarship offered by the Republic of Azerbaijan through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Science and Education, providing 100 funded places annually for foreign students to study in Azerbaijani higher education institutions.

It covers everything: tuition, international flights, monthly allowance, medical insurance, visa, and registration. This is the complete package, not a partial grant that leaves you funding accommodation separately.

The programme runs annually for 5 years from the 2026–27 academic year, meaning it will fund multiple cohorts through to 2031.

What the Grant Covers

This is one of the most comprehensive scholarship packages available from any government programme — covering not just academic fees but the practical costs of international relocation.

Who Can Apply?

Eligible countries include:

• Member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)
• Member states of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)
• Small Island Developing States
• Countries sharing common cultural, ethnic, and historical ties with Azerbaijan

Nigeria is a member of both the OIC and the Non-Aligned Movement — making Nigerian students eligible. Most African, Middle Eastern, South and Southeast Asian, and Pacific Island nations are covered under at least one of these categories.

Eligible Degree Levels

The grant covers entry across the full academic ladder:

• Bachelor’s Degree
• General Medicine Programme
• Master’s Degree
• Medical Residency Programme
• Doctoral (PhD) Programme

This breadth is unusual — most government scholarship programmes focus on a single degree level. The Heydar Aliyev Grant covers everyone from school leavers to PhD applicants.

Number of Grants

100 grants are offered annually. Given the broad eligible country pool and the multiple degree levels covered, this is a competitive but genuinely accessible number, particularly for applicants from countries that are less commonly represented in Azerbaijan’s student population.

Why Azerbaijan?

Azerbaijan is a rapidly developing country at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, with a growing higher education sector and significant investment in university infrastructure. Baku, the capital, is a modern, cosmopolitan city with a relatively low cost of living compared to European capitals.

For students interested in petroleum engineering, architecture, international relations, medicine, or technology, Azerbaijani universities offer strong programmes with improved international ties. The experience of studying in a Muslim-majority, Turkic-speaking country with strong connections across Central Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe also offers a genuinely distinctive international perspective.

For Nigerian students specifically, Azerbaijan and Nigeria both hold OIC membership and maintain diplomatic relations. The full cost coverage — including flights and medical insurance — removes virtually all financial barriers to participation.

How to Apply

Application details for the 2026–27 cycle should be directed to the Embassy of Azerbaijan in your country or the official grant programme portal through Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) or Ministry of Science and Education.

For Nigerian applicants: contact the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Nigeria or the nearest Azerbaijani diplomatic mission for application forms, deadlines, and submission instructions specific to the 2026–27 academic year.

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