Scholarships and Student Funding in Angola
By Muntasir • Published Dec 23, 2025 • Updated Sep 20, 2026 • African Countries & Cities, African Scholarships & Student Funding
INAGBE, Angola's National Institute for Scholarship Management, runs the country's main state-funded scholarships for higher education, both for study inside Angola and for study abroad. The 2025/26 internal scholarship cycle opened applications from November 3 to 26, 2025, through the official INAGBE platform.
🎓 Internal scholarships (bolsas internas) cover Licenciatura, Mestrado and Doutoramento study at institutions recognized by MESCTI.
💵 Selection weighs academic merit, whether your course sits on the priority or shortage list, your age, and your family income.
⏱️ Postgraduate applicants need a minimum grade average: 14 values to apply for a Mestrado, and 14 in your Mestrado, or 16 straight from Licenciatura, to apply for a Doutoramento.
📩 Apply only through the official INAGBE portal during the announced window each year, never through third parties.
Who funds students in Angola
The Instituto Nacional de Gestão de Bolsas de Estudo (INAGBE ) is Angola's state body for managing scholarships. It operates under the Ministério do Ensino Superior, Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (MESCTI) and pays a subsídio pecuniário, a cash grant, to eligible Angolan citizens studying at institutions MESCTI legally recognizes.
Internal scholarships (bolsas internas)
Bolsas internas fund Licenciatura (Bachelor's) and pós-graduação (Mestrado and Doutoramento) study inside Angola. For the 2025/26 cycle, INAGBE opened applications from November 3 to 26, 2025 through its official platform.
To qualify, you must not already hold a degree equivalent to the one you are applying for. Postgraduate applicants also need a minimum grade average: 14 values in your Licenciatura to apply for a Mestrado, 14 values in your Mestrado to apply for a Doutoramento, or 16 values in your Licenciatura to skip straight to a Doutoramento program.
INAGBE ranks applicants using weighted criteria that differ by level:
| Level | Academic merit | Priority/shortage course | Age | Family income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licenciatura | 40% | 25% | 15% | 20% |
| Pós-graduação | 60% | 25% | 15% | n/a |
Courses on the priority or shortage list get extra weight because Angola wants more graduates in those fields. Check the current edital (official notice) for the exact list before applying, since priority courses shift by cycle.
External scholarships (bolsas externas)
INAGBE also administers bolsas externas for Angolan students admitted to study abroad, including agreements with institutions in Portugal. Rules, quotas and covered destinations change by cycle, so check the current external scholarship regulation directly on the INAGBE site if you plan to study outside Angola.
Other funding sources
Beyond INAGBE, ask your university's Serviços de Acção Social office about fee waivers, work-study placements, or emergency hardship funds. Public universities and larger private institutions such as UCAN run their own limited internal support alongside the national scholarship system. Availability and terms vary by institution and change year to year, so confirm directly with the student affairs office at your university.
How to apply
Create an account on the official INAGBE portal once the application window opens.
Gather your ID, academic certificates or transcripts, proof of admission or enrollment, and any income declaration required.
Submit your application and supporting documents before the deadline stated in that cycle's edital.
Track your application status through the portal and respond fast to any request for extra documents.
Apply only through INAGBE's official channels. Scholarship scams that ask for payment to guarantee a place circulate around every application cycle, and INAGBE does not charge fees to apply.
Common mistakes that cost applicants a scholarship
Missing the November window is the single biggest reason applicants lose a cycle, since INAGBE does not reopen bolsas internas outside the announced dates. Late or incomplete document uploads, expired ID documents, and academic records that do not match your admission proof also lead to rejected applications.
Read the edital in full before you start your application. Requirements shift slightly between cycles, and details that applied in a previous year, such as the exact priority course list or income declaration format, often change without notice.