Financing for equity in higher education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to institutions
3. Education resources to students
4. Support for students' living costs
Introduction
Key financing indicators (UIS Data)
In 2024, the gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education for both sexes (UIS) was 58.37%. The initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of GDP per capita (UIS) was 19.65% in 2013. The initial household funding per tertiary student as a percentage of GDP per capita (UIS) was 7.23% in 2017.
Tuition-free status
Public tertiary education is not tuition-free according to national laws and policies. Public higher education in Bahrain is subsidized for Bahraini citizens, while students enrolled in private higher education institutions pay the full cost of tuition.
Governance
Law no. 3 of 2005 Regarding Higher Education established that the Higher Education Council (HEC), housed within the Ministry of Education (Moe), is responsible for financing higher education. The Higher Education Law was amended by Legislative Decree No. (31) of 2020, which gave the HEC administrative and financial independence, although the council is housed in the Moe and headed by the Minister of Education (Article 2). According to the amendments (2020), the HEC has an independent budget which is allocated from the general state budget and supplemented by council revenue, subsidies, and grants (Article 3). The Ministry of Finance and National Economy (MoFNE) also plays a role in overseeing the general state budget and allocations to the Moe and HEC.
The state budget (2025-2026) includes separate allocations for the HEC, University of Bahrain, Bahrain Teachers College, Bahrain Polytechnic, and Abdullah Bin Khalid College for Islamic Studies. Ultimately, the budget must be passed into law by the Council of Representatives and the Shura Council, according to Article 109 of the Constitution (2002, as amended 2018).
1. Education resources to subnational governments
The higher education system is centrally financed and does not flow through any subnational governments.
2. Education resources to institutions
Funding for private universities in the absence of public institutions
No government funding for private universities was identified.
Allocation and equity
No institutional funds targeting equity for higher education were identified. However, the Ministry of Finance and National Economy (MoFNE) employs a National Gender Balance Model for the state budget. Through this approach, the MoFNE guides each ministry on creating gender-responsive budgets that create equal opportunities for women.
3. Education resources to students
Admission for vulnerable groups
No specific admission criteria or financial support for the admission of vulnerable groups was identified.
Scholarships, grants and loans for vulnerable groups
The National Higher Ed Strategy 2014 – 2024 includes a goal for developing merit and need-based funding opportunities for Bahrani citizens to ensure equal access to post-secondary education. The Moe provides merit-based scholarships to nationals studying at public and private universities as well as universities abroad. Scholarships are available to students achieving scores above 95% and grants are offered to students with scores ranging from 90%-94.9%. The Moe also provides scholarships to students with special needs. Scholarships cover the full cost of tuition. In the 2024-2025 academic year, the Moe scholarship plan granted over 4,000 scholarships.
Royal Decree no. 11 of 2013 also established the Isa Bin Salman Education Charitable Trust to support “needy” Bahrani citizens to access university. The trust (or waqf) is administered by a board of trustees responsible for overseeing the management and disbursement of funds and encouraging civil and corporate society to donate additional resources to the trust. Article 3 of the Royal Decree (2023) stipulates that scholarships should be granted without discrimination based on gender, descent, language, and religion. Although the trust is intended to support students with economic need, there are no specific equity-related stipulations, and students must meet high academic standards to qualify.
Beyond university education, the Tamkeen fund under the Ministry of Labour plays a central role in financing alternative tertiary learning pathways. Through the funding of vocational, professional, and industry-recognised qualifications for Bahraini nationals, Tamkeen supports upskilling and reskilling across the life course. These programmes reduce financial barriers to post-secondary and tertiary learning and provide viable alternatives to university education aligned with labour market needs.
4. Support for students’ living costs
Government-funded scholarship programmes support students enrolled in public higher education institutions and, in selected cases, private higher education institutions, based on academic merit, national priority fields, and other eligibility criteria.
Transportation
Some Moe scholarships cover living expenses and travel expenses for students studying at universities abroad.
Accommodation
Some Moe scholarships cover living expenses and textbooks depending on the level of merit.
Textbooks
Some Moe scholarships cover textbooks depending on the level of merit.
This profile was reviewed by Fathiya Ali Aish, Director of ECE Licensing and Follow-up Directorate at the Bahrain Ministry of Education; Lulwa Ghassan Al Muhanna, Director of Licensing and Follow-up of Private Schools at the Bahrain Ministry of Education; Dana Abdulla Ahmed Busasalli, Chief of Scholarships and Grants at the Bahrain Ministry of Education; and the Bahrain Higher Education Council.
