Egypt has launched the national “Future Scientists” grant initiative to support high-achieving university students and strengthen the country’s long-term scientific and human-capital base. The programme was unveiled at Cairo University under the patronage of Entissar El-Sisi, and in the presence of Mostafa Madbouly and senior government officials.
The initiative provides full and partial scholarships covering tuition fees, accommodation, and living expenses throughout the entire period of study, enabling beneficiaries to focus on academic and research excellence. It also incorporates skills development, scientific research support, and labour-market alignment, implemented through coordination between the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the Central Bank of Egypt, and national partners.
Scholarships are offered across priority disciplines including medicine, engineering, computer science and artificial intelligence, nursing, veterinary medicine, applied arts, agriculture, tourism and hotels, and archaeology. The programme emphasises geographical and social inclusion, with dedicated quotas for female students, persons with disabilities, and students from Upper Egypt and border governorates, as well as beneficiaries of the Takaful and Karama social-protection programme.
Minister of Higher Education Ayman Ashour said the scholarship system is already operational following the signing of two protocols with the Central Bank of Egypt—one to support students affected by the suspension of USAID-funded scholarships, and another to finance the “Future Scientists” programme. Additional agreements were signed with the Ministry of Social Solidarity to provide 400 scholarships through Nasser Social Bank, alongside cooperation with Misr El Kheir Foundation and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to support students at the Egypt-Japan KOSEN Institute starting in the 2025/2026 academic year.
Central Bank Governor Hassan Abdalla announced the establishment of a dedicated fund for the initiative, supported by contributions from the private sector and national institutions, underscoring education as a core pillar of sustainable development. Applications for the programme opened last September, alongside upgrades to the national digital scholarship platform in preparation for the 2026/2027 academic year.
