Malta sits at the crossroads of Europe and Africa in the Mediterranean, operates entirely in English, and is a full European Union member state. For postgraduate students looking to earn a recognised European qualification in an accessible, English-speaking environment, it is an underrated destination — and the EU-funded Endeavour II Scholarships Scheme is the most direct route to studying there for free.
The 2026 cycle (5th Call) of the Malta Government Endeavour Scholarship Programme is currently open, with the application deadline set at 5 June 2026 at noon Malta time. This article is specifically written for international students and prospective applicants who want to understand whether they qualify and what the scholarship involves.
Is This Scholarship Open to International Students?
This is the most common point of confusion about the Endeavour Scholarship, and the honest answer requires a careful reading of the eligibility rules.
The scheme is not a globally open international scholarship in the same way that, for example, Chevening or DAAD awards are. It is primarily designed to support individuals who are already connected to Malta. Specifically, eligible applicants must be one of the following:
A Maltese citizen, including those who have been temporarily residing abroad for work, study, or health reasons, provided they intend to return or remain connected to Malta. An EU or EEA national who holds a permanent residence permit in Malta. A third-country (non-EU) national who has been granted long-term residence status in Malta under Maltese law and has been living in Malta for at least five consecutive years.
This means that if you are an international student who has been living and working in Malta for five or more years with long-term residency, you are eligible to apply. If you are based outside Malta with no prior connection, you are not eligible for this particular scheme. However, EU nationals who have established permanent residence in Malta do qualify.
For foreign nationals of any category, a permanent residence permit is a mandatory document in the application package.
What Level of Study Does It Cover?
The Endeavour II Scheme funds postgraduate education only — no undergraduate funding is available through this programme.
MQF Level 7 corresponds to Master’s degree programmes. Applicants at this level can study full-time, part-time, via distance learning, or through blended modalities, making the scholarship accessible to working adults.
MQF Level 8 corresponds to PhD and doctoral programmes. At this level, full-time study is required. The programme must be completed by no later than 15 October 2029.
An important restriction applies to Level 7 applicants: if you already hold a Master’s degree, you cannot use this scholarship to pursue another Master’s. You would need to apply at PhD level. Candidates currently enrolled in a PhD are not eligible to apply.
Financial Benefits in Detail
The scholarship covers the following costs for successful applicants:
Full tuition fees at the recognised institution. This is the core benefit and removes the primary financial barrier to postgraduate education.
Study-related expenses for academic work beyond tuition, covering practical and research costs.
A financial allowance depending on individual circumstances as assessed during the application process.
For awardees whose programme is based at an institution outside Malta, a dedicated Study Abroad Allowance of €4,000 per year is provided to offset travel and relocation costs. This is paid on a pro-rata basis and requires documentary evidence of travel, such as boarding passes or airline bookings with confirmed dates and destinations.
There is no IELTS requirement. Malta’s academic institutions operate in English, and the Endeavour Scholarship does not require standardised English language test scores. This is particularly valuable for applicants from countries where arranging and sitting the IELTS exam is logistically or financially burdensome.
Priority Study Areas
Applicants are required to align their proposed study with one of Malta’s national priority economic sectors. The Endeavour Scholarship is not an open scholarship for any field — it is targeted. Applicants must demonstrate in a mandatory motivational letter of approximately 300 words how their chosen postgraduate programme serves one of the listed priority areas.
Priority areas span key sectors of Malta’s economy and have consistently included information and communications technology, health sciences and medical research, engineering and applied sciences, environmental science and sustainability, financial services and economics, and social sciences and education. The definitive list for the 2026 5th Call is published in the official Regulations available at myscholarship.gov.mt.
The Scholarship Board places significant weight on the motivational letter. A generic or poorly matched letter is a common reason for applications being rejected at the interview stage.
Universities and Institutions
Applicants list up to five recognised institutions and programmes on their application form, ranking their preferences. Only institutions whose programmes are accredited by the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA) or recognised through the Malta Qualifications Recognition Information Centre (MQRIC) are eligible. The University of Malta is the primary public institution and one of the most commonly selected, but programmes at other recognised institutions in Malta or abroad may also qualify.
Applicants studying outside Malta must provide a University Letter of Acceptance (ULA) from the institution, confirming the programme’s start and end dates, ECTS workload, tuition fee amount, and study modality.
Documents Required for the Application
The following documents are mandatory at the time of the first deadline (5 June 2026):
A motivational letter of approximately 300 words addressing the relevance of the proposed study to the selected priority area. Academic transcripts and results from your most recent completed qualification. A University Letter of Acceptance (ULA) from at least one eligible institution for a programme at MQF Level 7 or 8. Declaration Schedule I (to be filled in and uploaded per the Regulations). Assistance Allowance Declaration Schedule III. Permanent residence permit — mandatory for all foreign nationals.
Some supporting documents may be submitted by a secondary October deadline if they are not available by June, but this must be clearly indicated in the original application.
After You Apply: What to Expect
Once applications are submitted, the Scholarships Unit reviews all submissions. Shortlisted applicants are invited for an interview, which is a formal part of the selection process. Passing the interview is not optional — only candidates who succeed at this stage advance to the final document submission phase. Those who complete all requirements are formally awarded the scholarship.
After award, compliance obligations apply. Master’s awardees must provide proof of successful completion with ECTS credit evidence by November 2029. PhD awardees who do not complete their programme by that date may be required to repay all funds received.
How to Apply
Submit your application online at myscholarship.gov.mt before 5 June 2026 at 12:00 PM Malta local time. The Scholarships Unit is administered by Malta’s Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation, based at Great Siege Road, Floriana VLT 2000, Malta. Download the 5th Call Regulations from the portal before starting your application — the Regulations are the authoritative document and override any third-party descriptions of the scheme.
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