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Malta Check current round

University of Malta Postgraduate Research Fee Waiver

Malta's only public university runs a fee-waiver scheme specifically for non-EU/EEA students admitted to its research degrees — Master's by Research (M.Sc./M.A. by Research) and PhD. Deserving applicants receive a waiver of 40% to 100% of the tuition fee for the normal duration of the programme. This matters a great deal for Sri Lankan applicants, because Malta's taught-degree scholarships are almost all tied to Maltese residency or tax status, and the research route is one of the very few genuinely open doors. A Master's by Research at UM currently carries a total non-EU tuition fee of around EUR 13,400, so a full waiver is worth roughly LKR 4.6 million; a 40% waiver still saves you about LKR 1.85 million. Be clear-eyed about what this is: the University explicitly states that a fee waiver is not an automatic right, it is decided case by case after you already hold an unconditional offer, and it covers tuition only — not living costs, flights, insurance or the residence permit. You will also need a supervisor and a viable research proposal before any of this is relevant. For a Sri Lankan graduate with a strong research record and the means to cover living costs in Malta, though, this is the most realistic funded route into a Maltese degree.

Rolling: apply within one month of receiving your unconditional letter of admission. Applications for October starts are typically decided in the months before the intake — confirm current terms with international@um.edu.mt

L-Università ta' Malta (University of Malta)

University-funded

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Value

40-100% of Tuition

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Level

Master's by Research & PhD

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Duration

Normal programme length

info How this award actually works

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Who awards it

L-Università ta' Malta (University of Malta) — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.

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How you are considered

Through your admission application. Awards like this are usually assessed automatically from the application you already submit — there is typically no separate scholarship form to fill in.

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What it covers

40-100% Tuition Fee Waiver for Non-EU Research Students. This is a reduction in tuition, not a full ride. You still fund the remainder, plus living costs and the balance your visa requires you to show.

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Where we come in

We make the admission application strong enough to be competitive — course choice, documents, references and deadlines. The funder makes the decision.

fact_check Eligibility Criteria

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Non-EU/EEA National

Open to third-country nationals, which includes Sri Lankan passport holders. EU/EEA students pay a nominal enrolment fee instead and are not part of this scheme.

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Unconditional Offer First

You can only apply for the waiver after you have been accepted unconditionally to read for a research degree on a full-time basis. Conditional offers and students who have already started the programme are not eligible.

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Supervisor and Research Proposal

Research-degree admission at UM depends on an academic agreeing to supervise your topic. Approach the relevant faculty or institute with a proposal well before you apply — this is the real bottleneck, not the waiver itself.

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English Proficiency

UM generally accepts IELTS 6.0-6.5 or equivalent. Sri Lankan applicants who completed an English-medium degree can often satisfy this with a Medium of Instruction letter — confirm with the UM International Office before paying for a test.

account_tree Application Process

Secure a supervisor

Contact the faculty, institute or centre running your research area, share a short proposal and CV, and get an academic to agree in principle to supervise you.

Apply for admission to the research degree

Submit the formal UM postgraduate application with transcripts, degree certificates, references and your research proposal. Aim to have this in well before the October intake.

Apply for the fee waiver

Wait for your unconditional letter of admission
Within one month, email the International Office with your letter of application, CV, copies of certificates and contact details for two referees
Use a clear subject line naming the postgraduate scholarship/fee-waiver application
Enquiries go to international@um.edu.mt

Plan your funding and residence permit

Even with a 100% waiver you must show funds for living costs, health insurance and accommodation for the Maltese residence permit. Budget realistically for Valletta/Msida rents before you commit.

Why the University of Malta?

Founded in 1592, UM is Malta's national university and teaches almost entirely in English, which removes the language barrier that makes much of continental Europe hard for Sri Lankan researchers. It is small, the campus at Msida is walkable, and Malta's EU membership means your degree is recognised across Europe.

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Founded

English

Language of Instruction

100%

Maximum Fee Waiver

Looking for a scholarship because of the cost?

Then start here instead. Scholarships are competitive, usually partial, and decided by someone else — they are the least reliable way to make studying abroad affordable. Your destination and course choice move the number far more, and both are entirely within your control.

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