Scholarships and Student Funding in The Gambia

Government funding: the Students Revolving Loan Scheme

The Gambian government's main tool for funding higher education is the Students Revolving Loan Scheme (SRLS), created under President Adama Barrow's administration to cover tuition and other education costs for students enrolled at accredited tertiary and higher education institutions. The scheme works as a revolving fund: students repay their loans once they finish study and start earning, and that repaid money funds the next group of borrowers. The government committed D40 million to the scheme, with an approved 2026 budget of D56.5 million, and a Strategic Plan and Loan Policy covering eligibility, loan coverage, disbursement, and repayment run through the 2026-2030 period.

The scheme only pays out at institutions accredited by NAQAA , so confirm your program's accreditation status before you apply for a loan against it. Detailed eligibility rules, application forms, and disbursement schedules sit with the SRLS board and its Executive Director. Contact the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology or the scheme's office directly for the current application window and required documents, since the policy framework is still rolling out.

External scholarships

The Islamic Development Bank's IsDB-ISFD Programme funds bachelor's degree study at public universities for students from 21 least developed member countries, and The Gambia sits on that eligible list. The program targets academically strong students from low-income households and runs on an Education Trust model: instead of a conventional grant, beneficiaries repay part of their funding gradually once they find employment, which keeps the fund running for future applicants. IsDB also runs separate Master of Science and PhD scholarship tracks open to Gambian graduates who already hold a first degree.

Beyond IsDB, Gambian students compete for regional and international awards open across West Africa or the wider continent, including Commonwealth Scholarships for Commonwealth member states, and scholarships tied to specific bilateral partners such as China, Morocco, and Turkiye through their embassies in Banjul. These awards change their intake windows and quotas every cycle, so check the funder's own site or the relevant embassy page each year rather than relying on older listings.

Budgeting without a scholarship

Most Gambian students fund their studies through a mix of family support, part-time work, and the SRLS loan rather than a single scholarship. Public institutions such as UTG, GTTI, and MDI keep tuition lower than private universities, which reduces the funding gap you need to close. Apply for the SRLS loan alongside any external scholarship rather than treating them as alternatives. A loan covers a funding gap a scholarship does not close, and having both approved gives you a backup if one falls through.

Keep your academic transcripts, WASSCE certificates, and financial documents ready year-round. Both the SRLS and IsDB applications ask for verified school records and proof of financial need, and gathering these after a deadline opens costs you weeks you do not have.