Scholarships and Student Jobs in Malta: Stipend, Aid and Work Rules
Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.
In Malta the main public money for students is not a scholarship but a maintenance grant (the stipend), and it is tied to residence. Most students who arrive from abroad for a degree do not qualify, so the practical sources are savings, family funds and part-time work within limits. This guide reflects official pages checked in October 2026. For Europe-wide options, see scholarships and financial aid in Europe.
Tuition is the first saving
EU and EEA students pay no tuition at the University of Malta (UM), MCAST or the Institute of Tourism Studies. The catalogue shows €0 for EU students at public institutions, against a typical €8,500 a year for non-EU students. See how much it costs to study in Malta.
The maintenance grant (stipend)
Undergraduate students can receive a maintenance grant paid as a lump sum at the start of the year and then in 10 four-weekly instalments. Eurydice, the European Commission's education information network, notes that it is not merit-based: anyone eligible receives it regardless of results. Students on certain prescribed courses get a larger grant, and economically disadvantaged students get a supplementary allowance.
UM's stipends information sets the conditions for undergraduates:
- the grant is only for students reading for their first undergraduate degree, on a full-time day course, with satisfactory progress;
- Maltese students must have lived in Malta for at least five years before the course;
- EU and EEA nationals qualify if they have permanent residence in Malta, and some third-country nationals with refugee or long-term residence status can qualify;
- you apply online each year through the government's student grants portal, with your e-ID.
A student who moves to Malta only to study is therefore normally outside the scheme. Students at private institutions are not eligible for the grant, according to Eurydice. The amounts are published in the government's grant regulations, which we could not open from our checks, so read the current ones before you count on any figure.
No student loans
Eurydice says Malta has no student loan system: the government considers the stipend system sufficient. Plan on paying living costs from savings or family support.
Scholarships for international students
UM's funding page says the Government of Malta offers scholarships, including for doctoral study, and that research entities sometimes offer funded postgraduate studentships. It gives no undergraduate scholarship for international students. Eurydice adds that students at private institutions may apply for government-funded competitive scholarship schemes. Individual private colleges may offer discounts, so ask each one.
Working while you study: non-EU students
Identità, the immigration agency, allows students on a study residence permit to work only with an employment licence, under these conditions:
- not during the first 90 days in Malta (UM's guidance says after the first three months);
- up to 20 hours a week in total, across all employers;
- only if you are on a full-time course of MQF Level 5 or higher and keep attending;
- your employer must obtain the licence through Jobsplus before you start;
- no self-employment.
Identità also says you still need funds that do not depend on your earnings, so a part-time job cannot replace your proof of funds. See student visa for Malta.
Working while you study: EU and EEA students
The Maltese government says citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland do not need an employment licence to work in Malta, although employers must register them with Jobsplus, and some newer EU members were subject to transitional arrangements. We could not open the government page directly, so check that page too, and see working while studying in Europe for the wider picture.
Bank account and tax number
UM's international pages say banks in Malta require a Tax Identification Number, and they list the student options and what each asks for. Each bank has its own requirements, so start with the University of Malta bank accounts page.
Where to look next
Official sources
- University of Malta: stipends and grants
- University of Malta: fees and funding
- Eurydice: higher education funding in Malta
- Identità: study residence permit
- University of Malta: third-country nationals planning to study at UM
- Government of Malta: moving to Malta and looking for a job
Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.