Heydar Aliyev – International Education Grant Program
Scholarship Overview
The Heydar Aliyev International Education Grant Program is a fully funded scholarship established by presidential decree and jointly administered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Honoring the legacy of Azerbaijan’s National Leader, the program awards 100 scholarships annually to international students for a period of five years, enabling them to pursue preparatory, undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, and medical studies at leading Azerbaijani universities.
Scholarship Benefits
- Full tuition fees covered for the entire duration of study
- Annual economy-class round-trip international flight (country of origin ↔ Baku)
- Monthly allowance of 800 AZN (~470 USD) for accommodation and living expenses
- Annual health insurance coverage of 200 AZN
- Visa and residence permit support
Eligibility
| Age – Bachelor’s / Medicine | Under 35 years as of September 2026 |
| Age – Master’s / Residency | Under 40 years as of September 2026 |
| Age – Doctoral (PhD) | Under 45 years as of September 2026 |
| Academic GPA | Minimum 70% (or equivalent) in prior studies |
| Nationality | One application per eligible nationality only |
Required Documents
All the documents must be in one of the following languages and must be notarized: Russian/Turkish/Azerbaijani. If the documents are in another language, they must be accompanied by a notarized translation into English.
- Completed nomination/application form
- Copies of diplomas and transcripts from all prior studies (GPA ≥ 70%)
- Medical certificate confirming good health, including negative HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B/C results (issued within 3 months of submission, translated and notarised)
- Copy of valid passport
- CV / résumé
- Proficiency in the language of study. Applicants willing to study in English are required to have following scores:
Undergraduate: min IELTS 5 (TOEFL 40);
Postgraduate: min IELTS 5.5 (TOEFL 50);
Or equivalents for Russian/Turkish/Azerbaijani
- Motivation letter;
- Local and international awards (if available).
How to Apply
The application process involves two stages:
- Stage 1 – National Nomination (15 March – 15 May 2026): Submit all required documents to the relevant government authority in your home country (Ministry of Education, Embassy of Azerbaijan, etc.). Shortlisted candidates will be officially nominated.
- Stage 2 – SIACAS Online Registration (1 – 15 June 2026): Nominated applicants register on the official Study in Azerbaijan Centralised Admission Service portal at portal.edu.az, select the ‘Heydar Aliyev International Education Grant’ programme, and choose up to three specialties at different universities. Final document submission deadline: 15 June 2026, 18:00 Baku time.
Deadline: 15.04.2026, 18.00 Baku time
Contacts
| Ministry of Foreign Affairs (AZ) | scholars@mfa.gov.az |
| Ministry of Science & Education (AZ) | info@studyinazerbaijan.edu.az |
| SIACAS Technical Support | siacas.support@tsii.edu.az |
| Official Portal | studyinazerbaijan.edu.az |
| Application Portal | portal.edu.az |
More information: https://studyinazerbaijan.edu.az/heydar-aliyev-international-education-grant-program