Over the last decade, Malta has witnessed significant overall expansion in the higher education sector. In a knowledge-based economy, it is imperative to have a strong base of Master's and Doctorate programmes researching innovative and creative hypothesis that ultimately bring intellectual and economic growth to society.
High quality postgraduate education is of central importance to a number of objectives among others:
- The increase of research and development activity in Malta;
- The development of new academics and fields of study and research;
- An ever more highly skilled workforce;
- The precious impact and social benefit of groundbreaking discoveries.
Postgraduate education forms an increasingly important part of any country's economic and social agenda. It supplies a key part of many people's continuing professional development. For this purpose, the Malta Government Scholarships Post-Graduate Scheme aims at providing more opportunities to promote further specialisation at higher levels of education particularly at a Masters and Doctoral level.
The key objectives of this Scholarship Scheme are to:
- assist exceptional students to pursue further levels of academic research;
- encourage and promote more student participation at a postgraduate level of academic research, both locally and internationally;
- contribute towards research in identified areas of national priority;
- increase research activity at the University of Malta;
- increase the capacity and level of research, innovation and development activity in Malta.
Offered Benefits
Value of award for full-time Masters Programme in Malta or outside Malta:
- For Masters courses provided by a recognised University, the Scholarship grant will cover tuition fees and maintenance costs up to Euro 6,000 per annum.
- Tuition fees shall be paid on receipt of original invoice, and the balance shall be awarded as a maintenance grant.
- For tuition fees lower than Euro 3,500 per annum, a maintenance grant of Euro 2,500 per annum shall be paid.
- Maintenance grants shall be paid on a pro-rata basis for the duration of the course, at the beginning of every academic year.
- For Students who have paid part of the tuition fees to a university directly themselves, the fees paid by the student shall be reimbursed to the student on receipt of both the University original invoice and the original official receipt of payment or equivalent (i.e. receipted invoice where applicable) issued by the receiving University.
- Students will be generally expected to follow one year courses, however programmes of a longer duration up to a maximum period of two years will be considered by the Malta Government Scholarships Scheme Board.
Value of award for Doctoral Programme in Malta or outside Malta:
- For Doctoral programmes provided by a recognised University, the Scholarship grant will cover tuition fees, bench fees and maintenance costs for the duration of the course up to Euro 8,500 per annum.
- Tuition fees and bench fees shall be paid on receipt of original invoice, and the balance shall be awarded as a maintenance grant.
- For tuition fees and bench fees lower than Euro 3,500 per annum, a maintenance grant of Euro 5,000 per annum shall be paid.
- Maintenance grants shall be paid on a pro-rata basis for the duration of the course, at the beginning of every academic year.
- For Students who have paid part of the tuition fees and/or bench fees to a university directly themselves, the fees or bench fees paid by the student shall be reimbursed to the student on receipt of both the University original invoice and the original official receipt of payment or equivalent (i.e. receipted invoice where applicable) issued by the receiving University.
- Students will be generally expected to follow programmes lasting three years; however programmes of a longer duration up to a maximum period of four years will be considered by the Malta Government Scholarships Scheme Board during applications submitted in 2010-2011 only.
Value of award for part-time or distance learning Masters programmes in Malta or outside Malta:
- For Masters courses provided by a recognised University through distance learning or on a part-time basis, the Scholarship grant will cover tuition fees only up to a total of Euro 7,000 for the entire duration of the course. The grant shall be split in annual instalments covering invoices for tuition fees over the total number of years up to a maximum of three years.
- For students who have paid part of the tuition fees to a university directly themselves, the fees paid by the student shall be reimbursed to the student on receipt of both the University original invoice and the original official receipt of payment or equivalent (i.e. receipted invoice where applicable) issued by the receiving University.
- No maintenance costs are covered for students on distance learning or part-time programmes.
Value of award for part-time or distance learning Doctoral programmes in Malta or outside Malta:
- For Doctoral courses provided by a recognised University through distance learning or on a part-time basis, the Scholarship grant will cover tuition fees only up to a total of Euro 25,000 for the entire duration of the course. The grant shall be split in annual instalments covering invoices for tuition fees over the total number of years
- For students who have paid part of the tuition fees to a university directly themselves, the fees paid by the student shall be reimbursed to the student on receipt of both the University original invoice and the original official receipt of payment or equivalent (i.e. receipted invoice where applicable) issued by the receiving University.
- No maintenance costs are covered for students on distance learning or part-time programmes.
