HESPAL - Higher Education Scholarships for Palestinians

About this scholarship

The HESPAL programme is a unique scholarship scheme supporting the capacity-building of academics and the institutional development of higher education institutions in Palestine.

Funding type

Academic tuition fees, through fee waivers offered by participating UK partner universities A living allowance for the 12 months duration of master’s programmes Arrival allowance and thesis allowance An additional allowance (for 2026 scholars) to contribute toward visa, health insurance and/or travel costs

Tuition fees

Covered

Living costs

Covered

Travel

Partially covered

Insurance

Partially covered

Eligibility requirements

Nationalities

Listed nationalities only — Palestinian Territories

Residence condition

No residence condition

Eligibility criteria for the 2027/2028 cycle will be confirmed when applications open For reference, the 2026/2027 cycle required applicants to be Palestinian from the Gaza Strip (including displaced Gazans). Applying for a master’s programme only — PhD applicants are not eligible. Employed by or part of the academic staff at a Gazan university. Nominated by their Gazan university. Women, displaced academics, and individuals with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Support for applicants with disabilities will be provided where programme capacity and available funding allow

Minimum grade

Not stated

Work experience asked for

Not stated

Return condition

Return home after the award

How to apply

Through a nomination

Language requirements and exemptions

Language test required IELTS TOEFL iBT Waiver not mentioned

Applicants will be required to provide a valid English-language certificate accepted by the UK university to which they are applying.

University admission details

Required before applying?

The program covers one-year Master's degree courses. Applicants are responsible for selecting and applying to 3 to 5 UK public universities participating in the scheme. List of HESPAL partner universities in the UK for 2026: 1) Imperial College London 2) Lancaster University 3) Oxford Brookes University 4) University of Edinburgh 5) University of Bath 6) University of Bristol 7) University of Cumbria 8) University of Essex 9) University of Exeter 10) University of Leicester 11) University of Southampton 12) University of St Andrews 13) University of Stirling 14) University of Sussex 15) University of York

Required documents

Official nomination letter from home Palestinian university, proof of employment, academic degree certificates and transcripts, valid English language certificate score report, signed return commitment contract, passport copy, and personal statement.

Application steps

The application process will be facilitated through our partner universities in Gaza; once the HESPAL application period opens, these universities will announce the program to their academic staff and nominate up to five candidates. Candidates must obtain offers of admission from partner universities in the UK to have their applications for HESPAL scholarships at those universities considered. (Offers of admission may be received at a later stage of the application process.) Steps: 1) Complete and submit the online HESPAL application form. 2) Apply to the UK partner universities participating in the HESPAL program. Select three to five partner universities in the UK that interest you, and identify the specific program or field of study you wish to pursue. Submit your application for each of your preferred programs directly through the respective universities' application portals. It is the responsibility of each candidate to thoroughly research and understand the application requirements and procedures for the universities they wish to attend.

Requirement checklist

Scholarship contacts

For enquiries with the HESPAL Coordinator: [email protected]Copy · Contact form (opens in a new tab)

Contact the HESPAL programme administration: Contact form (opens in a new tab)