Questions and Answers

The Salam Scholarships team would not be able to answer any queries about your preferred course/PhD. For Undergraduate/Master’s queries, you should email gret@ulster.ac.uk

PhD candidates should contact the Doctoral College with any queries at researchstudent@ulster.ac.uk

No. The International Admissions team will simply assess your application to ensure that your documents and education history meet the entry criteria for your chosen course. It is therefore important that you carefully research your preferred course(s) before you apply. Information on entry conditions, module detail and campus location are in the online prospectus. You may also contact gret@ulster.ac.uk for additional support and guidance.

In some cases, the Doctoral College may be able to help direct your PhD query to the relevant department/school contact.

The Salam Scholarships team would not be able to answer any specific queries about the progress of your application to your course/PhD application. For Undergraduate/Master’s application queries, you should contact the International Admissions team at internationaladmissions@ulster.ac.uk

For PhD queries on admissions, applicants should email researchstudent@ulster.ac.uk

No, being offered a conditional Salam Scholarship does not mean you are approved for your course/PhD at Ulster University. There are separate application forms and assessment processes for the Salam Scholarships programme and your course/PhD at Ulster University.

All successful Salam Scholarships for 25-26 (conditional award) will be subject to an unconditional offer being awarded for your full-time course/PhD at UU and a UK study visa being granted for the start and duration of your studies in Northern Ireland.

Each Undergraduate course will have slightly different requirements, both in terms of overall points and subjects needed, so please carefully check your eligibility for the relevant subject in the Undergraduate on-line prospectus. Normally, students with a Community College Diploma or equivalent qualification would be eligible to apply for an Undergraduate course.

No, on its own, the Tawjihi isn’t enough to be eligible for an Undergraduate course at UU. However, you might consider the International Foundation Year which offers approximately 25 integrated degrees across all faculties at Ulster University. On successful completion of the International Foundation Year, you will progress to year 1 of your chosen bachelor degree.

Such transfer requests (e.g., into a 2^nd/3^rd year of an Undergraduate degree) would be considered by the International Admissions team on a case-by-case basis. Our advice would be to carefully check the requirements for your preferred course at UU and to then apply, submitting all academic evidence you have available.

Please note that any course transcripts from your previous/current university in Palestine should include the level of study (degree, diploma etc), subjects studied, dates and marks obtained.

Each application will be fully considered by the International Admissions team. Our advice would be to carefully check the requirements for your preferred course at UU and to then apply, submitting all academic evidence you have available.

Please note that any course transcripts from your previous/current university in Palestine should include the level of study (degree, diploma etc), subjects studied, dates and marks obtained.

Yes. For the MBBS - Graduate Entry Medicine Degree at Ulster University, you must already have completed an Undergraduate degree in any subject.

For the 2025-26 academic year, The Salam Scholarships will offer up to two scholarships for the MBBS at Ulster University.

Yes, you can still apply for a Salam Scholarship.  However, any offer of a scholarship is dependent on you being awarded an unconditional offer for your course/research at Ulster University.

The International Admissions team (Undergraduate/Master's) - internationaladmissions@ulster.ac.uk and Doctoral College (PhDs) - researchstudent@ulster.ac.uk will be able to advise on what documentation is acceptable and by when it needs to be submitted for the 2025-26 academic year.

Most courses at Ulster University require a minimum English level of IELTS 6.0 (Academic) or equivalent, with no band score under 5.5. We also accept IELTS Academic Online. You should check your specific course English Language requirements very carefully.

To given some idea, below are examples of the minimum qualifications needed for course applications to Ulster University including their international equivalent grades.  As allows, however, please check the entry requirements for your specific course.

Full details of  entry requirements for international students is available at:  https://www.ulster.ac.uk/global/apply/entry-requirements

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE
Community College Diploma with 60% mark or above
International Baccalaureate (26+ mark)​
Important - Tawjihi alone will not allow you to undertake an Undergraduate degree.  An Integrated Foundation Year course should be considered instead

MASTER’S
An Undergraduate Bachelor Degree with the following minimum grade:  
2:1- GPA 3.3 out of 4; grade B; 60-69% mark
2:2- GPA 2.7 out of 4; grade C+; 50-59% mark

PHD
A first (70%+) or 2:1 Hons degree or equivalent (e.g. 2:2 Hons degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction) or equivalent international qualification/s

No, the Salam Scholarships are available across all subjects and areas of study/research offered at Ulster University in Northern Ireland.

The number and type of Salam Scholarships offered each year may be subject to change.

No.

Salam Scholarships are offered for full-time study only.

For the 2025-26 academic year, we aim to launch the Salam Scholarships call in November 2024 and announce successful Salam scholars in March 2025.

If you are dependent on a Salam Scholarship to study at UU, we would advise you to wait for the outcome of your Salam Scholarship application in March 2025 before applying to Ulster University for your preferred course/PhD.

You may wish to undertake some initial research and preparation for a possible UU application, in particular your eligibility for a specific course/PhD. Before making a PhD application, please also check that supervision is available in the subject area that you are interested in by checking the list of available self-funded and sponsor-funded PhD opportunities

The only exception is the MBBS graduate entry medicine course where you must apply via UCAS by 31 January 2025. As part of your MBBS application, you must also undertake the GAMSAT exam in March 2025. The application deadline for GAMSAT is January/February 2025. The Salam Scholarships will cover the GAMSAT fee for a limited number of individuals (on a first come, first served basis). To be considered, please complete the MBBS Expression of Interest form as soon as possible.

Get more details on the MBBS

No, the Salam Scholarships are only for applicants who want to study at Ulster University in Northern Ireland.

No, the Salam Scholarships are open to all eligible female Palestinian women, no matter which institution you have studied at within Palestine, Israel or Lebanon. If you have previously studied outside these locations, you are not eligible for The Salam Scholarships.

To be eligible for the Salam Scholarships, applicants must currently reside in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The only exception is for individuals from Gaza who have fled the territory because of the current war.

For the 2025-26 Salam Scholarships call, if you have already studied at a university outside the West Bank, Gaza, Israel or Lebanon, you would not be eligible to apply.

No. To be eligible for Salam, you must not already hold a qualification at the level of course, or higher, to which you are applying at Ulster University. For example, if applying for an Undergraduate degree, you must not already have completed a degree at an Undergraduate level.

Accommodations regarding additional information may be allowed for applicants from Gaza, if agreed in advance with the Salam Scholarships Officer. Applications from individuals elsewhere in Palestine, who do not submit additional requested information by the deadline, will be rejected.

A conditional Salam Scholarship means your Salam application has been successful. However, your award is dependent on you receiving an unconditional offer for your specific course/PhD at Ulster University by the specified deadline for the 2025-26 academic year.

No. If your course/PhD application to Ulster University is not approved by the deadline set for the 2025-26 academic year, your Salam Scholarship conditional award will be withdrawn. You would need to apply for both the Salam Scholarship and your UU course/PhD again in 2026-27.

The only exceptions may be for individuals in Gaza. Any such deferral would need to be agreed in advance with the International Admissions team/Doctoral College and the Salam Scholarships Officer.

If you have been selected as a reserve Salam candidate for 2025-26, it means that you may be able to take up an award if another applicant with a conditional Salam award is not approved for their UU course/PhD, withdraws or if further funding becomes available.

Due to Ulster University application deadlines for the academic year 2025-26, we would advise you to go ahead and apply for your preferred course/PhD if you are a reserve Salam candidate. However, please do not use funds to apply for a new passport, book an English Language exam etc unless you receive a conditional Salam award and/or speak to the Salam Scholarships Officer beforehand.

For information, receiving an unconditional offer from UU for your course/PhD would not mean your Salam Scholarship status would change from reserve. Your Salam status would only change, and a conditional Salam award be offered, if sufficient additional Salam programme places and/or funding become available.

For the September 2025 intake at Ulster University, the PhD application deadline is 31 March 2025 and the Undergraduate and Postgraduate application deadline is 02 June 2025.

More information can be found on our Global Application page.

The only exception is the MBBS graduate entry medicine course where you must apply via UCAS by 31 January 2025. As part of your MBBS application, you must also undertake the GAMSAT exam in March 2025. The application deadline for GAMSAT is January/February 2025.

The Salam Scholarships will cover the GAMSAT fee for a limited number of individuals (on a first come, first served basis). To be considered, please complete the MBBS Expression of Interest form as soon as possible.

More details on the MBBS are available on the School of Medicine site.

No.

We receive a large number of Salam applications annually. The assessment panel and Scholarships Officer would therefore not be in a position to provide individual feedback.

A Salam Scholarship would cover the following costs: Full tuition fees at Ulster University; full accommodation; a monthly stipend; UK visa application and Immigration Health Surcharge; annual travel grant; one-off bursary for incidentals.

Categories and levels of funding may be subject to change.

No, Salam Scholarship funding will be for successful scholarship recipients only and not for any accompanying dependents (where relevant).

No, the Salam Scholarships are for Palestinian women only who have not previously studied outside Palestine, Israel or Lebanon. Priority will be given to women who can demonstrate financial need.

Using artificial intelligence software to generate answers for your Salam application questions is prohibited. Applicants must submit their own original work.

You must not use someone else’s work or present content generated by AI tools like ChatGPT as your own. Doing so violates Ulster University’s guidelines on plagiarism and fraud.

If your application is found to be fraudulent or copied, it will be disqualified. You will be asked to confirm that you have not used artificial intelligence to generate your answers as part of the application form.

Accepted Palestinian nationality documents include: Palestinian state passport; Palestinian green ID card; Jordanian temporary passport for residents of Jerusalem or elsewhere in Palestine; Israeli travel document; Palestinian refugee travel document. Palestinians who carry an Israeli passport would not be eligible.

Identity documents submitted with your Salam Scholarships application should ideally be valid and have not expired. Any exceptions must be agreed with the Salam Scholarships Officer.

Please note that for UK visa applications, your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the expected completion of your study at Ulster University.

For proof of address, accommodations would be allowed for applicants from Gaza, if agreed in advance with the Salam Scholarships Officer. For individuals from elsewhere in Palestine, accepted documents include: bank statement; signed letter from a local authority confirming name/address; utility bill; rental agreement etc. All such documents should include the applicant’s name and full address.

Provided the Salam application deadline has not passed, content changes will be allowed as an exception for individuals from Gaza only. Amendments should be emailed to salamscholarships@ulster.ac.uk

For those elsewhere in Palestine, such changes will not be permitted once your application form has been submitted. In addition, no amendments will be allowed for any applicant following the Salam deadline.

Evidence of a specific English Language Level will only be requested if you are shortlisted for a Salam Scholarship (unless otherwise agreed with the Salam Scholarships Officer). You will not need to send this information when you submit a Salam Scholarships application form.

All final Salam Scholarships will also be subject to an unconditional offer being awarded for your course/PhD at UU (including evidence of the required English Language Level) and a UK study visa being granted for the start and duration of your studies in Northern Ireland.

The Salam Scholarships will offer funding for individuals to undertake an accepted English Language exam only if you have a) been shortlisted for a Salam Scholarship; and b) contacted the Salam Scholarships Officer before the end of February 2025 to explain your extenuating circumstances, ask for funding to undertake an accepted English Language exam if shortlisted and obtain approval.

This would be relevant for Salam applicants from Gaza in particular. In such cases, Ulster University's 'Password' exam may be the best option if an English Language exam such as IELTS is not possible.

For information, Duolingo is not accepted by Ulster University.

Interviews will only be required for shortlisted Salam applicants. Details of what interviews will involve will be sent to candidates beforehand.

Accommodations will be allowed for individuals from Gaza if agreed in advance with the Salam Scholarships Officer.

References (in English) will only be requested in the event you are offered a conditional or reserve Salam Scholarship.

However, contact details for two referees must be provided within your Salam application form. All referees should be independent and should not be family or friends. At least one referee must be able to confirm your financial status and the other should be in a position to comment on your education and/or employment.

The Salam Scholarships will fund the GAMSAT exam for a small number of eligible individuals in 2025.  This will be on a first come first served basis.

Anyone interested in the MBBS and having their GAMSAT exam paid, must complete this Expression of Interest form in the first instance: https://forms.office.com/e/m422sRac9u