Various named scholarships are established in higher education institutions to stimulate students' academic achievements and support young people who show high results.
These scholarships are awarded to students based on criteria determined by the universities.
It is interesting to know what named scholarships are available in universities and what is the amount of these scholarships?
AzEdu.az has sent an inquiry to higher education institutions in this direction.
In response to our inquiry, Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC) stated that a special scholarship program is implemented for students admitted to the university with high results in admission exams:
"According to the program, students who score 600-649 points in the admission exams receive a special scholarship of 150 manats per month, and students who score 650 and more points receive a special scholarship of 300 manats per month. In the 2026-2027 academic year, 211 students who scored 600-649 points in the UNEC admission exams received a special scholarship of 150 manats per month, and 22 students who scored 650 and more points received a special scholarship of 300 manats per month. The main goal of the initiative is to encourage young people who show high academic results, increase their motivation for education, and support their success.
In addition, UNEC has created special scholarship opportunities for students who distinguish themselves with high academic results in each semester. The 15 students with the highest results in each course receive an excellent student scholarship of 200 manats per month. Thus, 60 students win UNEC's TOP 15 scholarship every semester."
Azerbaijan University of Architecture and Construction (AzMIU) noted that students who score more than 600 points in the university receive an incentive scholarship of 250 manats per month, and students who score more than 500 points receive 150 manats:
"In addition, the university has established a scholarship named "Architect Ajami". The scholarship, created to draw attention to the history of Azerbaijani architecture and the university's contribution to this field, is awarded to one student in the amount of 500 manats. Support for students at AzMIU is not limited to internal university scholarships. Companies and partner organizations collaborating with the university also allocate named scholarships for students studying in various specialties.
Such scholarships cover construction management, transport construction, architecture, and engineering. At the same time, banks provide named scholarships to support students studying in relevant specialties in the Faculty of Construction Economics, as well as in marketing. The amounts of named scholarships provided by companies differ. Thus, the monthly amount of scholarships can be determined as 100, 200, 300 manats, or other amounts."
According to the information we obtained from the Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University (ADPU), various named and incentive scholarship programs are implemented to improve students' academic performance, increase interest in the teaching profession, and encourage students who show high results:
Based on the relevant decisions of the University's Scientific Council, there are currently 15 named scholarships at ADPU. These scholarships are awarded to students admitted to the university with the highest scores, as well as those who achieve a high overall average success indicator (ÜOMG) based on the results of examination sessions. The Heydar Aliyev scholarship, amounting to 250 AZN, is awarded to the student who completes the semester with the highest results across the university for the next semester, while other named scholarships, amounting to 205 AZN, are awarded based on the results of semester exams and established criteria for relevant specialties and faculties.
The scholarship named after Firudin bey Kocharli, with a monthly amount of 125 AZN, is awarded for 1 year to the student admitted to the university with the highest score. Starting from the 2025/2026 academic year, a new special scholarship program "UGUR" has also been established at ADPU for newly admitted students. Within the framework of the program, the first 10 students after the student who scored 600 and more points in the admission exams, chose ADPU, and received the "Firudin bey Kocharli" scholarship, are awarded a scholarship of 200 manats per month during the first semester of the first academic year.
In addition, since 2014, applicants who score more than 500 points in the admission exams and list the teaching profession as one of their first two choices are eligible to receive the "Future Teacher" scholarship of 100 manats per month from the Ministry of Science and Education.
Trade union scholarship programs also play an important role in supporting students' social activity and academic achievements. The Azerbaijan Trade Union of Science and Education Workers awards a one-time scholarship of 300 manats to 14 students who are members of the ADPU Student Trade Union Committee, and who distinguish themselves with their social activity and academic performance every semester."
ADA University reported that students can receive discounts of 25, 50, and 100 percent on tuition fees, and if they belong to certain categories, they can receive a monthly scholarship:
"Students who score 690-700 points in the State Examination Center (SEC) exam during admission to the undergraduate level are 100 percent exempt from tuition fees. Those who score 650-689 points receive a 100 percent discount on tuition fees for the first two semesters, and those who score 600-649 points receive a 50 percent discount.
Full exemption from tuition fees and student payments is provided for winners of republican subject Olympiads in physics, mathematics, and informatics, as well as winners of relevant international subject Olympiads. Students who complete the XI grade of ADA School with a 4.00 CGPA can receive a 50 percent discount on tuition fees for the first semester.
Scholarships based on academic results are also available for undergraduate students continuing their education at the university. Thus, students included in the Dean's List of Distinction can benefit from a 50 percent discount on tuition fees, and those included in the List of High Performance can benefit from a 25 percent discount.
Within the framework of the Rector's List of Honor and the Lotfi A. Zadeh List of Honor programs for students of the relevant school, a 100 percent discount on tuition fees is applied to students with a 4.00 GPA. At the master's level, selected students are 100 percent exempt from tuition fees within the framework of the Graduate Assistantship Program. Program participants work on research projects with faculty members. A 20 percent discount on tuition fees is also provided for master's students within the framework of the Rector's List of Honor and List of High Performance programs.
ADA University also has financial support opportunities for students with special status. For the first academic year, 100 percent exemption from tuition fees is provided for children of internally displaced persons, war veterans, children of martyr families, persons who have lost their parents and are deprived of parental care, as well as students belonging to other certain categories who meet the relevant conditions. In addition, within the framework of the "Heroes Tribute" program, full exemption from tuition fees is applied in the first semester for persons with certain military status and their family members. The continuation of the discount in subsequent semesters depends on academic performance and other conditions of the program.
According to the university's rules, students who have lost their parents and are deprived of parental care are provided with a payment twice the amount of the scholarship determined by the state. At the undergraduate level, the monthly payment varies between 220-400 manats depending on academic results, and at the master's level, it varies between 240-480 manats. Special scholarship programs are also available for international students. Within the framework of the Almardan bey Topchubashov International Scholarship Program, students who meet certain conditions can receive full exemption from tuition fees, accommodation, and medical insurance support.
Although the previous rules of the program also provided for a monthly scholarship of 400 manats, it is noted that this payment is not given to students admitted from the fall semester of 2025. In addition, the international scholarship program for Georgian citizens admitted to the relevant programs of the School of Education taught in Azerbaijani offers master's students a payment of 500 manats per semester, full exemption from tuition fees, and dormitory support.
ADA University also has need-based financial aid for students experiencing financial difficulties. Students who meet the relevant requirements can be supported up to a maximum of 75 percent of the tuition fee.
It should be noted that the terms of scholarships and discounts available at the university vary depending on the program. Some of the scholarships are presented not in the form of direct cash payments to the student, but in the form of exemption from a certain part of the tuition fee."
Sumgayit State University (SDU) stated that, based on the results of the admission exams conducted by the State Examination Center, students who score 500 (five hundred) and more points and are admitted to the undergraduate level of Sumgayit State University for full-time education receive an additional scholarship of 200 (two hundred) manats per month at the expense of the university:
"In the 2026-2027 academic year, the number of such students was 21."
Azerbaijan Technical University (AzTU) reported that a special scholarship has been established for applicants admitted with high scores:
"Thus, all applicants who score more than 600 points in the admission exams receive an additional scholarship of 200 AZN, and one person with the highest score in each faculty who scores more than 500 points receives an additional scholarship of 100 AZN. In addition, a scholarship named SABAH has been established for students studying in SABAH groups."
Azerbaijan University of Tourism and Management (ATMU) stated that in 2025, the "Martyr Mahammadali Hormat oglu Hasanzade Named Scholarship" was established at ATMU:
"The scholarship is awarded to students studying at the undergraduate and graduate levels of the university who have the highest overall average success rate. To date, based on the selection of the ATMU Named Scholarship Commission and the decision of the Scientific Council, four students in the 2025/2026 academic year and four students in the 2026/2027 academic year (8 in total) have been awarded this scholarship. The scholarship is given to students for the duration of the academic year, and its amount is 200 manats. In addition, students who qualify for the "Martyr Mahammadali Hormat oglu Hasanzade Named Scholarship" receive a Certificate of Victory Day."
According to information from the Baku Higher Oil School (BHOS), academic Khoshbakht Yusifzade and academic Yusif Mammadaliyev named scholarship programs are implemented to encourage students' academic achievements and support students who show high results:
"The academic Khoshbakht Yusifzade named scholarship program is awarded to two students with the highest academic performance studying in the last year of the Oil and Gas Engineering specialty. The academic Yusif Mammadaliyev named scholarship program covers two students with the highest academic performance studying in the last year of the Chemical Engineering specialty. Within the framework of both scholarship programs, students are paid a scholarship of 200 manats per month."
Khazar University reported that the university only has the Nailakhanim scholarship:
"Other scholarships are not available. The amount of the scholarship is 500 manats. In addition, rental costs, travel air tickets, and diploma nostrification costs are paid by the Nailakhanim Foundation."
Baku Slavic University (BSU) noted that, to encourage students' academic achievements, increase access to higher education, and strengthen young people's professional motivation, three named scholarship programs have been established starting from the 2025/2026 academic year:
"One of the scholarship programs is aimed at increasing access to higher education for applicants admitted to higher education institutions from relevant regions, especially supporting female students with high academic potential. Taking into account statistical indicators for relevant regions, five students who score more than 500 points in the admission exams are provided with scholarships within the framework of this program.
Another scholarship program has been established to maintain gender balance in teacher training, attract male students to teaching specialties, increase their professional motivation, and encourage them to pedagogical activities. The program covers male students who score more than 450 points in the admission exams and are admitted to the specialties of "Primary school teacher" and "Foreign language teacher (by languages)". Five students receive scholarships within the framework of this program.
The "Youth of the New Era" named scholarship program, established starting from the 2025/2026 academic year, provides for encouraging the student admitted to the university with the highest admission score. Within the framework of the program, one student admitted to the university with the highest score is provided with a scholarship.
In the 2026/2027 academic year, a total of seven students are candidates for scholarships under three scholarship programs. These programs serve to support students with high academic performance, increase access to higher education for young people from regions, and strengthen interest in pedagogical specialties."
Thus, it is clear from the responses of higher education institutions that various named scholarship programs are implemented in universities to improve students' academic performance, encourage applicants admitted with high scores, and support distinguished young people. Some of the scholarships are based on the results of admission exams, while others are based on academic performance per semester, selected specialties, and social criteria.
The monthly scholarship amounts and forms of financial support differ in the universities participating in the survey. While some higher education institutions provide students with monthly payments between 100-300 manats, the amount of individual named scholarships reaches 500 manats. In addition, as in ADA University, some programs are applied not as direct cash payments, but as partial or full exemption from tuition fees.
