Study in Bangladesh: IUBAT Offers Tuition Scholarships to Students from Sierra Leone and Africa

The International University of Business Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT) in Dhaka, Bangladesh, is inviting students from Sierra Leone and other African countries to apply for its Scholarship for International Students. The award covers full tuition and university fees for bachelor's and master's study, but it does not pay for flights, visas, housing or food.

The IUBAT campus in Uttara, Dhaka (file photo, 2013). Photo: Jaber Al Nahian / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

IUBAT's official scholarship page names Sierra Leone among the eligible countries, alongside Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Kenya and many others. Faddabah Newsroom checked the university's own pages: this is a competitive tuition scholarship, not a fully funded one, so plan your budget before you apply.

Key facts

University: IUBAT, International University of Business Agriculture and Technology, Uttara, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Founded: 1991; government-approved, with curricula approved by Bangladesh's University Grants Commission
Teaching language: English
International students: about 165 from 20 countries (university figure, October 2026)
Scholarship covers: tuition, admission and registration fees, health insurance
Not covered: flights, visa, accommodation, food, personal costs
Grade needed: over 80% in your final school exam (bachelor's) or bachelor's degree (master's)
Next intakes: Spring 2027 (January) and Summer 2027 (May)
Apply: iubat.ac.bd/international

What is IUBAT?

IUBAT is a private university in Uttara, in the north of Dhaka, close to the international airport. It was established in 1991 and describes itself as Bangladesh's first private university. It is approved by the Government of Bangladesh under the country's private university law, and it is a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities. It appears in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027 in the 1001–1200 band. The university says it has more than 10,000 students, including students from Somalia, Nigeria and Nepal.

Programmes you can study

All programmes are taught in English.

Bachelor's (4 years): Business Administration (BBA), Computer Science and Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Agriculture, Economics, English, Tourism and Hospitality Management, and Nursing
Master's: MBA, MSc in Computer Science and Engineering, MSc in Civil Engineering, and Master of Public Health (MPH)

The international scholarship page lists only the MBA at master's level, so if you want another master's programme, ask IUBAT whether the scholarship applies before you apply. Engineering applicants need science with mathematics; Agriculture applicants need biology.

The scholarship: what you get

Full tuition fees, paid into your university account (not to you in cash)
Admission and registration fees
Health insurance

What it does not cover

Air tickets
Visa fees
Accommodation and food
Pocket money and other personal costs

To keep the scholarship you must maintain a CGPA of at least 3.00 out of 4.00. IUBAT says it can accept or decline any application, so the award is not automatic.

Who can apply

Non-Bangladeshi applicants from the listed countries, which include Sierra Leone
Bachelor's: at least 12 years of schooling, with over 80% marks in your final examination
Master's: over 80% marks in your bachelor's degree or equivalent
The scholarship page asks for SAT or ACT and TOEFL or IELTS scores; MBA applicants may submit a GMAT score

For general admission, IUBAT accepts schooling completed in English as proof of English, which covers WASSCE holders from Sierra Leone. However, the scholarship page asks for test scores, and IUBAT does not publish how WASSCE grades are converted to "80%". Email the university to confirm both points before you apply.

Other discounts

Grade-based tuition waivers for all students, from 10% up to 100%
An extra tuition discount for female students
A 50% tuition waiver for any semester in which a student scores a perfect 4.00
Up to US$560 a year in tuition help if a student's parent or sponsor dies or becomes disabled

How much will it cost?

IUBAT does not publish its tuition fees for international students online. If you are not awarded the scholarship, ask the university for the exact fee in writing before you pay anything. Figures on other websites, such as "from US$3,530 a year", are not official.

IUBAT helps international students find rooms near the campus. Its website quotes about US$60 a month for a single room, US$85 for standard and US$160 for deluxe, though these figures may be out of date. Cost-of-living website Numbeo (November 2026) estimates about €353 (around 49,000 taka) a month for a single person in Dhaka, not counting rent. Students who share rooms and live simply may spend less, but plan your budget with these figures in mind. Registered students also get free university bus transport and health insurance covering hospital costs of up to 100,000 taka a year.

Intakes and deadlines

Spring 2027 (January to April): IUBAT's admission website lists 25 November 2026 as the deadline; the scholarship page lists 16 January
Summer 2027 (May to August): scholarship deadline 20 March

Because the two Spring dates differ and a student visa takes time, Summer 2027 is the realistic target for most applicants from Sierra Leone. If you want Spring, apply before 25 November.

How to apply

Go to iubat.ac.bd/international and click "Apply Now".
Register with your name and email, then enter the verification code sent to your inbox.
Complete your profile and upload a passport-size photo and a copy of your passport.
Upload your WASSCE certificate and other academic records.
Choose your programme, write your Statement of Purpose and Career Plan, and submit.
Email scholarship@iubat.edu to say you are applying for the international scholarship.

International applicants can take IUBAT's admission test online and do not need an interview.

Getting your visa

If you are admitted, IUBAT issues an acceptance letter and a visa request letter. You then apply for a Bangladesh student visa online at visa.gov.bd and submit it to a Bangladesh embassy or high commission, usually with your admission letter, a sponsorship letter from the university, your last three months of bank statements and photos. A student visa is normally issued for up to one year and renewed each year in Bangladesh with help from IUBAT's International Office.

Bangladesh's foreign ministry now lists a Bangladesh High Commission in Freetown, but it is not yet clear whether it is issuing visas. Ask IUBAT or the High Commission which office handles Sierra Leonean applications before you apply.

Faddabah Newsroom tips

Do not pay agents. You apply directly online. In 2018, Somali students at IUBAT said an agent misled them about costs, and some ended up in debt and visa trouble.
Get it in writing. Before you travel, get an email from IUBAT confirming your scholarship and any fees you must pay.
Use official websites only: iubat.edu and iubat.ac.bd. Be careful with posts calling this a "100% fully funded" scholarship.
Budget for four years of living costs, plus flights and visa fees, even if you win the scholarship.
Ask about airport pickup. IUBAT says it helps new students before they arrive, but pickup is not promised on its website.
Changing universities is not easy. Foreign students need a release letter from their university to transfer.

Official contacts

Scholarship enquiries: scholarship@iubat.edu
Admissions: admissions@iubat.edu
International Program Office: sadekul@iubat.edu and mazadur_rahman@iubat.edu
Scholarship for International Students page: iubat.edu/sis

Sources

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