Tuition and Financial Aid

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.

Tuition and Fees, 2025-2026 Academic Year

First-year students entering Fall 2025¹

Tuition	USD 67,020	QAR 244,623
First-Year experience fee	USD 680	QAR 2,482
Student activities fee	USD 314	QAR 1,146
Technology fee	USD 480	QAR 1,752
Books	USD 300	QAR 1,095
Health insurance²	USD 1,000	QAR 3,650
Total tuition and fees³	USD 69,794	QAR 254,748

CMU-Q utilizes an approximate exchange rate of QAR 3.65 = USD 1 for tuition and fees.
Health insurance is subject to change following negotiations with the provider.
The enrollment deposit is a non-refundable fee of USD 1,000 credited towards CMU-Q tuition and fees.

Additional costs for students living on campus⁴

Housing⁵	USD 5,888	QAR 21,492
Food	USD 4,400	QAR 16,060
Supplies and equipment	USD 700	QAR 2,555
Miscellaneous personal expenses	USD 1,400	QAR 5,110
Transportation allowance⁶	USD 1,900	QAR 6,935
Total additional costs	USD 14,288	QAR 52,151
Total cost of attendance	USD 84,082	QAR 306,899

4. Additional costs are budgeted using a market exchange rate
5. Housing is provided by Qatar Foundation (QF) and students are required to directly pay QF a one-time damage deposit of USD 550 or QAR 2,000. The estimate is based on the cost of a single residence hall room. Other housing options may be subject to availability.
6. Transportation allowance includes an estimate for airfare for eligible non-resident students and actual support may vary.

Financial Aid

Five types of financial aid are available, depending on the student’s nationality, financial need and academic merit.

Qatar Foundation Need-Based Grant Program for Students of All Nationalities

Qatar Foundation provides a world-class financial aid program for admitted students to Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar. The QF need-based grant program for CMU Qatar provides grant aid to students of all nationalities through the financial generosity of Qatar Foundation. Grants (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.

For Early Decision, the need-based grant application deadline is November 17.

International applicants outside of Qatar are not eligible for financial aid during the Early Decision round. Additionally, international applicants admitted through Early Decision will not be able to apply for Financial Aid at a later date. For more information, please refer to the eligibility criteria for Early Decision.

For Regular Decision, the priority deadline for the grant application is February 1.

Learn more about the QF grant application and process.

Begin your Qatar Foundation need-based grant application.

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. Learn more about FAFSA eligibility requirements.

We would advise all U.S. citizens to apply for FAFSA. Learn more through the CMU Student Financial Services web page.

If you are applying for need-based grants through the QF grant program, please understand that all U.S. citizens will be required to apply for FAFSA aid before QF 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 in the Final Award Letter amount from QF.

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 partner universities. 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 visit the Qatar Foundation Scholarship Office 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 QF. 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).