Scholarship Guide

Merit Scholarships at Bangladeshi Universities 2025: Who Qualifies and How to Apply

By admin Mar 18, 2026 4 views

🏆

Most students do not realise that merit scholarships at Bangladeshi universities can cover 25% to 100% of tuition fees — and that thousands of eligible students never apply simply because they do not know these scholarships exist. This guide lists every major scholarship available at public and private institutions and tells you exactly how to secure them.

100% Tuition waiver possible at select private universities

GPA 5 Minimum HSC GPA for most full scholarships

Early Applications always prioritised over late applicants

🏆 Government and Public University Scholarships

Scholarship	Amount	Eligibility	How to Apply
PM Education Assistance Fund	BDT 6,000 to 36,000/year	Meritorious and financially needy students at public universities	Apply through your university registrar office
University Grants Commission (UGC) Scholarship	BDT 6,000 to 10,000/year	Top students at public universities based on first-year results	Automatically considered after first-year result
BUET Merit Scholarship	Full tuition waiver	Top 50 students in BUET admission test	Automatically awarded at admission
DU Merit Scholarship	BDT 3,000 to 5,000/month	Top scorers in DU admission test by unit	Apply through DU scholarship portal after admission
Board General Scholarship	BDT 300 to 500/month	GPA 5.00 in SSC and HSC from all education boards	Automatic — based on board results
Board Talent Pool Scholarship	BDT 350 to 600/month	Top 20 students per district in SSC and HSC	Automatic — based on board results

🏫 Private University Merit Scholarships

Up to 100%

North South University (NSU)

Vice Chancellor Scholarship for GPA 5.00 students covers 100% tuition. Merit scholarships at 25%, 50% and 75% levels also available based on admission test performance and CGPA maintenance.

Up to 100%

BRAC University

Vice Chancellor Award for GPA 5.00: 100% tuition waiver. Dean's Award at 50%. Merit Award at 25%. All require maintaining a minimum CGPA of 3.0 to 3.5 each semester to retain the scholarship.

Up to 75%

AIUB

Full Merit Scholarship for combined GPA 10 (SSC + HSC). Half scholarships for combined GPA 9.5 to 9.99. Renewable each semester based on CGPA performance in the programme.

Up to 50%

IUB

Presidential Scholarship for GPA 5.00 in both SSC and HSC: 50% tuition waiver. Sibling discount of 10% additionally available for students with a sibling already enrolled.

Up to 100%

DIU (Daffodil International)

Full scholarship for GPA 5.00 in both boards. Partial scholarships at 25% to 75% for GPA 4.50 and above. DIU also offers need-based scholarships regardless of GPA for financially disadvantaged students.

Sports and Culture

Sports and Cultural Scholarships

Most private universities offer separate scholarships for national-level athletes, cultural achievers and students with disabilities. These are less publicised but often go unclaimed due to low awareness.

📝 How to Secure a Scholarship: Step-by-Step

Step 1

Apply early — always. Most private university scholarships are first-come, first-served within the eligible pool. Applying on the first day admissions open gives you maximum advantage over later applicants with identical GPAs.

Step 2

Ask explicitly. Many students receive smaller scholarships than they qualify for simply because they did not ask about the full range available. Email the admissions office directly and request a complete list of current scholarship options for your profile.

Step 3

Understand the retention condition. Most scholarships require maintaining a minimum CGPA each semester. Know the threshold before you accept the scholarship and plan your first semester accordingly — a single low-grade semester can end a full scholarship.

Step 4

Apply for all scholarships simultaneously. Do not assume you will not qualify. Apply for board scholarships, university merit scholarships and need-based funds at the same time. Multiple scholarships can sometimes be stacked.

💡

The Retention Trap: The most common scholarship loss is not failing to win one — it is failing to keep it. First-semester overconfidence leading to a CGPA below 3.0 causes thousands of students to lose full scholarships every year. Treat the first semester of university as the most important exam of your academic life.

✅ Scholarship Winning Habits

Apply to every scholarship you are eligible for
Submit applications on the first day they open
Keep copies of all application submissions
Know the CGPA retention threshold upfront
Ask about stacking multiple scholarships

❌ Scholarship Mistakes

Assuming GPA 5.00 automatically means full scholarship
Not reading the scholarship terms and conditions
Ignoring need-based options if GPA is lower
Missing the application window by even one day
Neglecting CGPA after the first scholarship award

Find Out Which Scholarships You Qualify For

Talk to Kabir, our expert Admission Advisor. He will review your GPA, target university and programme — and identify every scholarship you are eligible to apply for right now.

Talk to Kabir Now →