Scholarships and Student Financial Aid in Albania

State scholarships for students in Albania

Albania's higher education support runs through three main scholarship categories, confirmed by the Eurydice network .

Excellent-student grants

Students with the maximal GPA in admission at national level qualify for this grant, regardless of the study programme or institution they choose. You keep the grant for as long as your results stay excellent through your studies.

National-priority programme grants

Albania's Council of Ministers names certain study programmes a national priority each year. Students admitted to one of these programmes get funding tied to that priority status, separate from the excellent-student route.

Need-based grants

Students admitted to public higher education institutions who meet the government's criteria for financial need qualify for a separate grant, with the exact criteria set by Council of Ministers decision. Expect to submit family income records, proof of household size, or documentation of a specific disadvantage, since the faculty's student affairs office reviews each application against the government's published criteria rather than granting the award automatically to every applicant who asks.

Student loans

Beyond grants, Albania runs a student loan scheme open to anyone who earns a place in higher education, per the same Eurydice source. Specific interest rates and repayment terms aren't published on that page, so confirm current terms directly with your university's student affairs office or the Ministry of Education before you count on this route.

Keeping a scholarship once you have one

State grants in Albania depend on your results, not just your admission score. The excellent-student grant continues only while your academic performance stays strong, so a weak semester can put your funding at risk. Check your specific university's rules on minimum GPA or credit progress to keep a state scholarship, since a missed requirement usually costs you the grant rather than just a warning.

University scholarships

Individual universities add their own scholarships on top of state support. The University of Tirana publishes a dedicated scholarships page updated each academic year, and most other public and private universities do the same. Check the financial aid or scholarship section of your target university's website directly, since amounts and eligibility change every year.

Funding for European students moving to Albania

If you come from elsewhere in Europe, three routes are worth checking. Erasmus+ exchange agreements between your home university and an Albanian one can cover a semester or a year with a mobility grant paid by your home institution. Some private universities, including Epoka University and the European University of Tirana, run merit or need-based scholarships specifically for international students in their English-taught programmes. Bilateral agreements between Albania and specific countries also fund places for students from those countries at public universities, most often for students from Kosovo and North Macedonia.

None of these routes are automatic. Contact the international office of the university you want to attend early, since scholarship application windows often close before the general admission deadline. Ask specifically whether a scholarship covers tuition only or also includes a living stipend, since the two look similar on a university's marketing page but leave you with very different monthly budgets.

Combining a scholarship with other funding

Nothing stops you from applying for a state grant, a university scholarship and a private university's own aid at the same time, as long as you meet each one's separate eligibility rules. The main state grant categories exclude students who already hold a different Albanian state scholarship or a full scholarship from another source, so read the fine print before you apply to more than one at once.

Budgeting while you wait for a decision

Scholarship decisions often land after you've already registered and paid a first installment. Set aside enough savings to cover at least one semester of tuition and living costs on your own, and treat any scholarship as a refund or a reduction rather than money you count on before the university confirms it in writing.

How to apply

Apply for state scholarships through your university once you have a confirmed place, since eligibility for the excellent-student and national-priority grants ties directly to your admission results and programme. For need-based grants, expect to submit income or family documentation that proves you meet the government's criteria. Ask your faculty's student affairs office which category you qualify for before the semester starts, since deadlines for each grant type differ.

Where to check for current scholarship listings

Scholarship amounts, deadlines and eligibility rules change every academic year, so treat any figure you find online, including this guide, as a starting point rather than a final answer. Check the Ministry of Education's official announcements, your target university's scholarship page, and the international office if you're applying from abroad, before you build a budget around a specific award.