Follow these steps to become a CMU Qatar student
Tuition and fees, 2023-2024 academic year
Tuition on the Qatar campus is the same as the Pittsburgh campus in the United States. In Qatar, there are many different types of financial assistance to help pay for the cost of a Carnegie Mellon education. Merit-based scholarships and need-based grants are available to students of all nationalities. Additionally, Qatari citizens have access to government scholarships and corporate sponsorships.
Freshmen Entering Fall 20231
| Tuition | US$ 62,260 | QAR 227,249 |
| Orientation fee (fall semester only) | US$ 555 | QAR 2,026 |
| Activity fee | US$ 288 | QAR 1,051 |
| Technology fee | US$ 460 | QAR 1,679 |
| Books | US$ 300 | QAR 1,095 |
| Health insurance2 | US$ 820 | QAR 3,000 |
| Total tuition and fees3 | US$ 64,683 | QAR 236,100 |
1CMU-Q utilizes a fixed exchange rate of QAR 3.65 = 1 USD for Tuition and Fees.
2Health Insurance is subject to change following negotiations with the provider.
3The Enrollment deposit is a non-refundable fee of $1,000 credited towards CMU-Q Tuition and Fees.
Additional cost for students living on campus4:
| Living Expenses – Housing5 | US$ 5,868 | QAR 21,300 |
| Living Expenses – Food | US$ 4,470 | QAR 16,150 |
| Supplies and Equipment | US$ 700 | QAR 2,530 |
| Miscellaneous | US$ 1,400 | QAR 5,070 |
| Transportation Allowance6 | US$ 1,900 | QAR 6,900 |
| Total Additional Costs | US$ 14,338 | QAR 51,950 |
| Total Cost of Attendance | US$ 79,021 | QAR 288,050 |
4Additional costs are budgeted using a market exchange rate
5Housing is provided by Qatar Foundation (QF) and students are required to directly pay QF a one-time damage deposit of US$550 or QAR 2,000. Other housing options may be subject to availability. For further details, please see:https://www.qf.org.qa/education/student-housing
6Airfare is based on an average of regional fares. The eligible support will vary depending on the city and country of origin.
Financial Aid
Five types of financial aid are available, depending on the student’s nationality, financial need and academic merit.
[ + ]
Need-based grant program for students of all nationalities
Qatar Foundation provides a world-class financial aid program to students at CMU-Q. Beginning with students who entered in Fall 2019, the QF need-based grant program provides grant aid to CMU-Q students of all nationalities through the generosity of Qatar Foundation. Grants (ie. aid with no repayment) of up to the full cost of attendance are made to families based on their unique financial circumstances.
The QF need-based grant program provides an outstanding opportunity for all students to receive funding for their studies at CMU-Q.
To begin your need-based grant application, please visit the following link: https://fas.qf.org.qa/
- For Early Decision, the need-based grant application deadline was November 17.
- For Regular Decision, the priority deadline for the grant application is February 15.
Important information regarding the grant application and process can be found on this page: https://admission.
Need-based financial aid for U.S. citizens
Please note that U.S. citizens, and some non-citizens (ex. green card holders) are eligible for Federal Financial Aid (FAFSA) to support your studies at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar. There are different types of funding within FAFSA, including grants (no repayment) and loans.
We would advise all U.S. citizens to apply for FAFSA by following these instructions and filling out this Verification Worksheet. If you are not a U.S. citizen, but think you might be eligible, please check the information on this site to see if you could be eligible: https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/eligibility
If you are applying for need-based grants through the CMU-Q QF grant program, please understand that all US citizens will be required to apply for FAFSA aid before CMU-Q will release the Final Award Letter. This is required to avoid students receiving more need based aid than they would be appropriately eligible for. Eligible FAFSA aid will be included into the Final Award Letter amount from CMU-Q.
Qatar Foundation Merit Scholarship program
Qatar Foundation’s Merit Scholarship program awards a limited number of Merit Scholarships annually to students who have spent at least two semesters in one of the Education City’s branch campuses. Students who have achieved a 3.6 GPA or above during their studies in Education City are eligible to apply for the scholarship.
Selection is not guaranteed as the number of available scholarships changes each year. For details regarding the application cycle and requirements, please contact the Qatar Foundation Scholarship Office ( sch@qf.org.qa ) or visit their website.
Academic merit scholarships
A limited number of merit scholarships are awarded annually by CMU-Q (with funding from Qatar Foundation) to the most academically promising applicants. These awards can be combined with need-based grants from the QF grant program. To be considered for merit scholarships, students should submit the QF grant application. Students are notified of any merit scholarship awards at the same time they receive their initial Financial Award Letter from CMU-Q. Awards are made in a similar manner to our admission decisions with a holistic process involving many factors.
Qatari and GCC citizens
For Qatari citizens and citizens of other GCC countries, government scholarships and/or company sponsorships typically cover the full cost of attendance. Qatari nationals should contact the Scholarship Office of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOE&HE) at +974 4404 4971 or visit their website for further information.
