Higher Education Scholarships for Palestinians (HESPAL)

HESPAL offers a unique opportunity for the academic in Palestine to pursue postgraduate studies in the UK. Delivered in partnership with Palestinian and UK universities, the scholarship aims to support young Palestinian academics, develop their expertise, and contribute to strengthening the capacity of the Palestinian higher education sector.

Scholarship details

The University of Edinburgh, in partnership with HESPAL, are offering one fully-funded postgraduate scholarships for junior academics employed by Palestinian universities.

Applications are currently closed.

Funding and support

The scholarship covers the main expenses for selected scholars, including:

  • academic tuition fees
  • living allowance for the 12 months duration of master’s programmes
  • arrival allowance and thesis allowance
  • additional allowance (for 2026 scholars) to contribute toward visa, health insurance and/or travel costs 

Scholars are expected to cover all other expenses and any unforeseen costs.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the HESPAL 2026 cycle, applicants must be:

  • Palestinian from the Gaza Strip (including displaced Gazans)
  • applying for a master’s (MA) programme only (PhD applicants are not eligible)
  • employed by or part of the academic staff at a Gazan university
  • nominated by their Gazan university

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

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.

How to apply

Applications are currently closed.

The application process will be facilitated through our partner Gaza universities. Once the HESPAL call is open, Gaza universities publicise the call across their academic staff and nominate up to 5 candidates. Nominated scholars must follow the application process, which includes the following steps:

Please review the Terms & Conditions outlined below for this scholarship closely before submitting your application.

Terms & Conditions

  1. The Scholarship will be administered by the British Council on behalf of the HESPAL Steering Committee and is offered on the conditions set out below. Your acceptance will constitute a contract between you and the British Council and will be governed by English law.

     

  2. The HESPAL Steering Committee is grateful to the University of Edinburgh who are contributing the value of the academic fees for the scholarship you are undertaking.

     

  3. The HESPAL Steering Committee is grateful to Al-Quds University who will commit to pay to you, during the period of the Scholarship:
    • Arrival allowance of £500
    • A monthly stipend of £1350 (or any other figure that the HESPAL board approves throughout the scope of the scholarship)
    • Thesis allowance of £350

Any costs over this agreed amount will be borne by you undertaking this scholarship.

 

  1. The conditions on which the offer is made are that you should:
    1. diligently pursue the course of studies agreed and conform to the rules of the university with or in which you work or study
    2. return to the university which employs you and has released you for 12 months in order for you to fulfil this scholarship
    3. not pursue any other course of study, or transfer to any other education institution
    4. keep in touch with the British Council and in particular keep it informed if you:
      1. change your address, even temporarily
      2. change your marital status
      3. suffer any injury, illness, loss or damage to your person or property
      4. become involved in any legal action (civil or criminal) actual or threatened
      5. are absent for more than four days at any one time from your place of study
    5. remain in the UK (except for authorised absences) during your scholarship
    6. not accept paid employment unless agreed with the British Council
    7. not accept any other public award intended as a maintenance allowance
    8. not serve as an official representative (whether diplomatic, consular or otherwise) of any government during the course of your studies
    9. not engage in political activities or in any other activities of a public nature likely to affect the British government adversely
    10. not apply for a Tier 1 Post Study Work visa to work in the UK after your studies
    11. if conditions allow and it is safe to do so; return to your home country at the conclusion of the Scholarship
    12. remain in touch with the British Council in your home country after your return and complete any required programme surveys on your experience
    13. accept that the British Council may use my personal experience of my time in the UK in external facing communications to help promote HESPAL in the future.

 

  1. The British Council will be entitled to terminate the Scholarship at any time, by immediate notice to you in writing, in the event of:
    • your misconduct whether in connection with your study or otherwise
    • your failure to make such progress in your study as the British Council considers satisfactory
    • your failure to fulfil any one or more of the undertakings set out above
    • circumstances arising that, in the opinion of the British Council after discussion with you and your academic superiors, would render it impossible for you to complete your studies satisfactorily or prevent the purpose of the Scholarship from being fulfilled.

 

  1. In the event of such termination, the HESPAL Scholarship scheme shall have no further obligation to you, and you shall be bound to repay as much of the money paid out under the Scholarship as it may demand, except that there shall be no such demand in the following circumstances:
    • where the termination is on account of your ill health certified by a registered medical practitioner
    • in respect of any expenditure incurred more than six months before the termination

Complete the HESPAL application form (below) and upload the required documents. The application must be completed with the approval of your home Palestinian university. 


 

Before you apply

Before you start filling out the online application form, you are advised to:

  • carefully read and understand each section of the application, along with the overall requirements for your candidacy
  • explore and carefully identify the subject area(s) you wish to pursue in your studies
  • conduct thorough research on the programmes offered by the UK partner universities to ensure they align with your academic and professional goals
  • ensure that you meet the specified qualifications and required grades for your selected programme
  • prepare and compile all supporting documents required, as detailed in section 4 of the guidelines. 

The HESPAL scheme is highly competitive and merit based. It is therefore essential to complete the application form in full. Please note that late or incomplete applications will be disqualified.

Candidates who are interested in studying The University of Edinburgh must also submit an admissions application to the University using the Degree finder, and be able to secure an admission offer for their chosen degree programme.


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