MBZUAI, in Abu Dhabi, is a graduate-only university focused entirely on artificial intelligence. For PhD students it pays tuition and a stipend, plus one return flight home each year, health insurance and a UAE residence visa. The stipend is AED 17,500 for international PhD students and AED 43,500 for UAE nationals — unit not stated on the page.
How the funding works: in the first year the university funds you centrally while you find a faculty advisor. By the start of your second year, your funding moves to that advisor’s research budget. MBZUAI states that continued funding depends on a confirmed advisor match and satisfactory progress. In practice, the advisor match is the real admission test, not a formality.
Master’s applicants should read the terms closely. MBZUAI now says M.Sc. students are fee-paying by default. Funding comes only through a faculty-sponsored assistantship or, for UAE nationals, an approved government scholarship, and it is not guaranteed. That is why this listing covers the PhD only.
Who it fits: graduates in computer science, electrical or computer engineering, mathematics, physics or similar fields, with a CGPA of at least 3.0 or 3.5 out of 4.0 depending on the program. You need three referees, a research statement, a statement of purpose, proof of English, and a paid screening exam (AED 200).
Timeline: the portal opened on 7 September 2026 (Computational Biology opens on 7 October). The deadline is 15 December 2026 at 5 p.m. Gulf time. Decisions arrive by 31 March 2027, you must reply to an offer by 15 April, and the semester starts in mid-August 2027.
Tips for applicants from the region:
1. Take the screening exam early. It is a gate before your file is complete, and you do not want to discover a problem in the second week of December.
2. Read two or three MBZUAI faculty profiles and name them in your research statement. Year-two funding depends on one of them taking you on.
3. Code on GitHub and any publication, even in a regional venue, carry weight.
4. UAE nationals and residents have extra document requirements (Emirates ID, family book, national service letter). Collect them before you start.
5. Gulf time is GMT+4. On 15 December Egypt is on GMT+2 and Morocco on GMT+1, so applicants there effectively lose two to three hours on deadline day.
