University of Malta Master's by Research and PhD Scholarship

This structure makes Malta an unusually accessible EU study destination for postgraduate research students, since non-EU tuition fees at many European universities can be substantial, and a full waiver effectively brings the cost of a Maltese research degree down to local-student levels for the length of the programme.

The scholarship is strictly tied to admission: only applicants who have already received an unconditional offer of admission to a full-time or part-time Master's by Research or PhD programme are eligible to apply, and professional doctorates or MBA-type programmes are explicitly excluded from the scheme.

Malta's compact size, English-medium higher education system (Malta is one of the few EU countries where English is an official language and the primary language of university instruction), and Mediterranean setting make it a distinctive alternative to larger, more crowded European research hubs, particularly for fields such as marine sciences, digital technology, and Mediterranean studies where the university has built specific research strengths.

Because the waiver does not cover living costs or, in most cases, bench fees for laboratory or equipment use in STEM programmes, applicants should budget separately for accommodation, living expenses, and any programme-specific bench fees when planning their finances.