The USM Graduate Scholarship 2026 supports eligible candidates entering full-time postgraduate research programmes at Universiti Sains Malaysia. The scholarship funds tuition fees for the first and second semesters, subject to the university’s conditions and semester-based review. Applications remain open until 1 September 2026.
Programme Snapshot
Programme: Graduate Scholarship
Category: Postgraduate research scholarship
Host: Universiti Sains Malaysia
Country: Malaysia
Study Levels: Research Master’s and PhD
Study Mode: Full-time research mode
Funding Status: First- and second-semester tuition fees
Application Deadline: 1 September 2026
Eligible Applicants: Malaysian Master’s and PhD candidates; international PhD candidates
About the USM Graduate Scholarship 2026
The Graduate Scholarship is administered through the Institute of Postgraduate Studies at Universiti Sains Malaysia. It aims to attract Malaysian and international candidates to postgraduate research programmes while supporting the university’s research and publication objectives.
The scholarship is intended for new students who have already received a full admission offer from USM but have not yet registered as full-time students. Part-time candidates are not considered.
Scholarship Coverage
The USM Graduate Scholarship provides tuition support during the initial stage of the recipient’s research programme.
Confirmed scholarship support includes:
✓ Tuition fees for the first semester
✓ Tuition fees for the second semester, subject to extension approval
✓ Semester-based financial support
✓ Access to research study at Master’s or PhD level, according to the applicant category
Recipients must apply for an extension before the second semester begins. The university evaluates the extension request according to the student’s research progress and publication-related requirements.
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Who Can Apply?
Applicants must hold a full admission offer for a research-mode postgraduate programme at Universiti Sains Malaysia. They must also be waiting to register as full-time students.
The scholarship is available to:
• Malaysian candidates entering a research Master’s programme
• Malaysian candidates entering a research PhD programme
• International candidates entering a research PhD programme
• Eligible applicants with the required academic and publication records
• Candidates whose proposed main supervisor meets the scholarship’s research requirements
International applicants are eligible for PhD study only under the categories stated on the official page. International Master’s candidates are not listed as eligible.
Academic Requirements for Master’s Candidates
Applicants seeking admission to a research Master’s programme must have obtained a bachelor’s degree with a minimum CGPA of 3.33 out of 4.00 or an equivalent qualification recognised by the Malaysian Government.
Preference is given to candidates who have submitted a manuscript for publication in a journal indexed by one of the following databases:
• Web of Science
• Scopus
• Excellence in Research for Australia
The publication condition for Master’s candidates is described as a preference rather than an absolute publication requirement.
Academic Requirements for PhD Candidates
PhD applicants must meet one of the stated postgraduate qualification requirements.
Applicants should have:
• A Master’s degree by coursework or mixed mode with a minimum CGPA of 3.33 out of 4.00
• A Master’s degree completed through research mode
• An equivalent qualification recognised by the Malaysian Government
PhD candidates must also have at least one manuscript published in a journal indexed by Web of Science, Scopus or Excellence in Research for Australia.
Supervisor Requirements
The applicant’s main supervisor must satisfy at least one of the scholarship’s research-support conditions.
The supervisor must have either:
• At least one active and sufficient research grant as Principal Investigator, with at least one year remaining from the application date; or
• At least two publications from the previous year in journals indexed by Web of Science, Scopus or Excellence in Research for Australia, with the supervisor named as corresponding author
The active research grant must be sufficient to support the candidate’s research throughout the candidature period.
Scholarship Extension Requirements
Financial support is awarded on a semester basis. Recipients must submit an extension application before the second semester begins.
The extension decision is based on the recipient’s research progress. The official conditions include the submission of at least one manuscript to a Web of Science Q1 or Q2 journal.
For the manuscript used in the extension assessment:
• The scholarship recipient must be the first student author
• The main supervisor must be included in the list of authors
• The manuscript must be submitted to a Q1 or Q2 journal indexed by Web of Science
Meeting these conditions does not automatically guarantee an extension, as the university assesses the recipient’s overall research progress.
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Required Application Information and Documents
The official application form requests personal, admission, academic and research information from each candidate.
Applicants should be prepared to provide:
• Personal and contact details
• Nationality and identification or passport information
• Name of the USM school, institute or research centre
• Intended degree level
• Main supervisor’s name and email address
• USM admission offer letter
• Bachelor’s degree certificate
• Bachelor’s degree transcript
• Master’s degree certificate and transcript for relevant PhD applicants
• Academic grades and mode of previous study
• Publication information where applicable
• Supporting evidence for an accepted or published manuscript
The form states that the applicant’s name must match the name shown in the USM offer letter. Uploaded documents should also comply with the file formats and size limits displayed on the application form.
Publication Documents
Applicants reporting an accepted or published manuscript must enter the publication information in the relevant section of the application form.
The requested information may include:
• Manuscript title
• Indexing database
• First page of the manuscript
• Journal Citation Report documentation
• Confirmation that the publication is indexed by Web of Science, Scopus or Excellence in Research for Australia
The application form instructs candidates to upload the first page of the manuscript rather than the complete publication.
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Applicant Declaration
The official form requires applicants to confirm that they are not receiving another scholarship or form of financial assistance.
Applicants must also certify that the information submitted is complete and accurate. Universiti Sains Malaysia may reject an application if the information provided is incorrect or false.
How to Submit an Application
The scholarship application is completed through the official Graduate Scholarship Application Form linked by the Institute of Postgraduate Studies.
Applicants should:
• Confirm that they have received a USM research programme admission offer
• Ensure that they have not yet registered as full-time students
• Review the eligibility requirements for their degree level
• Confirm that their main supervisor meets the stated requirements
• Prepare the required academic and publication documents
• Complete each section of the online application form
• Upload the documents within the stated file-size limits
• Complete the applicant declaration
• Submit the form by 1 September 2026
Candidates should review their information carefully before submitting the application.
Application Deadline
Applications for the USM Graduate Scholarship remain open until:
1 September 2026
The official page identifies this date as the closing date for the current scholarship application period.
Apply Here
Submit your application through the official application form below.
