Brunei Darussalam Government Scholarship 2027/2028: Complete Guide

If you want to study in Brunei without paying university tuition, the Government of Brunei Darussalam Scholarship is one programme to watch. The previous award included air travel, accommodation and separate monthly allowances for personal expenses and meals. The next application call has not yet been released, so students should use the published 2026/27 rules to prepare rather than assume they can apply now.

Status: Not open yet. The 2027/2028 call has not been published (checked October 14, 2026). Last year’s call ran from December 15, 2025 to February 15, 2026, so the new one may open in December.

Who runs it

Brunei’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs runs the scholarship. Its full name is “The Government of Brunei Darussalam Scholarship to Foreign Students Tenable in Brunei Darussalam”.

Who can apply

• International students who are studying in Brunei for the first time.
• Diploma and bachelor’s applicants aged 25 or under on July 1 of the year the course starts.
• Master’s applicants aged 35 or under on the same date.
• Applicants with one of these English results: IELTS 6.0, TOEFL 550, a Credit 6 in GCE O Level English, or a grade C in IGCSE English as a second language.

You cannot apply if you are a Bruneian, a Brunei permanent resident, or if you study or have studied at a university or college in Brunei. The scholarship does not fund PhD study.

Nigeria and India: Nigeria and India belong to the Commonwealth, a group mentioned in earlier scholarship notices. The latest call should still be checked for its exact nationality criteria and any restrictions before a student submits an application.

Where you can study

• Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD)
• Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB)
• Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA)
• Kolej Universiti Perguruan Ugama Seri Begawan (KUPU SB)
• Politeknik Brunei

What it covers

These are the amounts in the 2026/2027 call. The 2027/2028 amounts are not published yet.

• Tuition: no tuition, acceptance, examination, registration or orientation fees.
• Flights: one economy ticket to Brunei at the start and one economy ticket home at the end.
• Personal allowance: BND 500 a month.
• Meals allowance: BND 150 a month.
• Book allowance: BND 600 a year.
• Housing: a room in the university or polytechnic residential college.
• Insurance: full insurance cover for the whole scholarship.
• Baggage when you finish: up to BND 500 for students going home to a country outside ASEAN.

Scholars cannot take paid work or hold a second scholarship without approval. There is no allowance for a spouse or children.

How much financial support is provided?

The allowance amounts are from the prior official Ministry of Foreign Affairs scholarship terms. They are not a promise that the 2027/28 award will use identical amounts.

Eligibility checklist for first-time applicants

• Check the new call’s nationality and first-time-study restrictions.
• Confirm that you meet the July 1 age limit for the proposed level of study.
• Choose a participating university and an eligible diploma, bachelor’s or master’s course; the award is not a PhD scholarship.
• Check which school qualification or accepted English test result satisfies the published language requirement.
• Contact your two referees ahead of time and prepare certified copies of required documents.
• Check whether your chosen institution requires a separate university application in addition to the scholarship form.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Brunei Government Scholarship fund a PhD?

No. The published scholarship is for diploma, undergraduate and master’s programmes.

Is IELTS mandatory?

Not for every applicant. The published eligibility rules offer alternative evidence of English proficiency, including certain O Level or IGCSE results. Check exact grades in the new call.

Are students from Nigeria or India eligible?

Both are Commonwealth countries, but applicants must confirm nationality eligibility in the next official scholarship notice.

Is there a confirmed opening date for 2027/28?

Not as of October 14, 2026. The last window began in December 2025; that historical pattern is not an official new opening date.

When to apply

• 2027/2028 call: not published yet.
• 2026/2027 call: opened December 15, 2025 and closed February 15, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Brunei time.

Selection can include an interview or a written test.

How to apply

1. Read the call on the Brunei Ministry of Foreign Affairs scholarship page.
2. Fill in the online application form linked from that page.
3. If you choose UBD or UTB, also apply on that university’s own admission portal: UBD or UTB.
4. Upload your documents and two reference forms (forms C1 and C2, linked from the call page).

Documents you need:

• Your ID.
• Certified copies of your certificates, transcripts and testimonials.
• Certified English translations of any document not in English.
• Certified copies of your birth certificate and passport.
• Two reference forms from your referees.

Older calls said applications must be endorsed by your country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Ministry of Education. The 2026/2027 call does not mention this. Check the new call for any endorsement step.

Four practical checks before applying

1. Check your age now. The cut-off date is July 1 of the year your course starts.
2. Check your evidence of English proficiency. See whether your existing school results meet the published alternatives before booking and paying for a new language test.
3. Ask your referees early. Both reference forms must come with your application.
4. Apply to the university too. UBD and UTB applicants must use both portals.

Related guides

• Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC) and Other Fully Funded China Scholarships (2027 Guide)
• Türkiye Scholarships 2027: Fully Funded Study Abroad in Turkey for Nigerian and Indian Students
• ICCR Scholarships in India for Nigerian and African Students: India-Africa Maitri Guide

Status checked October 14, 2026, from the Brunei Ministry of Foreign Affairs call. Amounts shown are for 2026/2027, so check the new call before you apply.