Malta’s budget: what students and working learners should watch for

Malta’s Budget 2027, presented on 26 October 2026, matters to learners for three things: student stipends, the Get Qualified tax credit and new money for adult and AI training.

Last year’s budget already raised stipends by 15% and led to a relaunched Get Qualified scheme with a 70% tax credit. This year the question is what gets added on top. This guide sets out what Budget 2026 did, what has been asked for in Budget 2027, and the dates that apply whatever the speech says.

What Budget 2026 did for learners

Budget 2026 was presented on 27 October 2025. For students, its headline was a 15% rise in every stipend, worth €17 to €58 a month depending on the course. For working adults, the bigger change came in April 2026, when the government relaunched Get Qualified.

Measure	What changed	Amount	Date	Source
Student stipends	All three stipend tiers and supplementary stipends rose by 15%	€17 to €58 more a month; about €6 million; around 16,600 students	Announced 27 October 2025; first paid 25 February 2026	MaltaToday, Malta Independent
Get Qualified tax credit	Relaunched scheme refunds part of your fees as a tax credit	Up to 70% of eligible costs	Launched 6 April 2026; covers awards from 1 January 2026	gov.mt
Time to use the credit	The credit can be used over a longer period	15 years	6 April 2026	gov.mt
Number of courses	More than one course can be claimed	Up to 4 courses in 5 years	6 April 2026	gov.mt
Attainment bonus	Extra tax credit for STEM degrees, master’s and doctorates	€3,000 to €10,000	Paid in two halves, in the third and fourth years of assessment after you qualify	Malta Enterprise guidance notes

How the stipend rise reached students

The rise took effect with the payment of 25 February 2026, which covered the last days of December at the old rate and January at the new one. Around 16,600 students were affected, at a cost of about €6 million.

How the new Get Qualified works for a working adult

You pay your course fees, finish the course and then apply to Malta Enterprise. Up to 70% of the eligible costs come back as a credit against your income tax. Under the 2026 rules you have 15 years to use that credit, so it can be spread across many years of tax bills.

You can now claim for up to four courses in any five-year period. That suits people who study in steps, for example a diploma first and a degree top-up later. The scheme has no closing date: you apply within 12 months of finishing, and the credit can be used over 15 years.

The attainment bonus is a separate credit on top. It covers qualifications Malta Enterprise links to national economic goals, such as master’s degrees, doctorates and STEM qualifications. The amounts run from €3,000 to €10,000, depending on the award.

What has been asked for in Budget 2027

This is the first budget since the general election of 30 May 2026, which Labour won. That makes Labour’s manifesto the best guide to what the government has already promised.

The government’s own promises. In May 2026, Prime Minister Robert Abela told students at Junior College that the manifesto pledged a further 15% rise in stipends. The manifesto also promised to “increase and strengthen current scholarship programmes and tax credits”. It did not say when either would happen, so 26 October is the first chance to see a date and an amount.

Employers. Malta Employers presented its pre-budget document to the Prime Minister on 9 October 2026. It asks for a National AI Upskilling and Reskilling Fund for people already in work, and an AI literacy programme across education. It also wants more work-based learning and a sharper focus at MCAST on the technical skills industry needs.

The Malta Chamber. The Chamber launched its “RESET and LEAD” document on 14 September 2026, with more than 150 proposals. It asks for a tax credit for employers on the actual cost of staff training. It also proposes a national digital and AI readiness framework for 2027 to 2031. Its document notes that STEM graduates make up only 13.8% of post-secondary output.

Teachers. The Malta Union of Teachers presented its education proposals on 5 October 2026. For adult learners, the relevant ask is a stronger focus on quality in tertiary education.

The opposition. The Nationalist Party’s election programme promised a 25% rise in stipends. It lost the election, so that figure is now a benchmark rather than a plan.

What to watch for on 26 October

What to listen for	Where it stands today	Who asked for it
A second stipend rise	Stipends rose 15% from February 2026	Labour manifesto: another 15%; PN programme: 25%
Changes to Get Qualified	70% credit, 15 years to use it, 4 courses in 5 years	Labour manifesto: stronger tax credits
The attainment bonus list	€3,000 to €10,000 for STEM, master’s and doctorates	Malta Chamber: more STEM graduates
A fund for AI and digital upskilling at work	No dedicated national fund yet	Malta Employers; Malta Chamber framework for 2027 to 2031
A tax credit for employers who train staff	Not in place for training costs	Malta Chamber
Training refunds through Jobsplus	MySkills refunds up to €5,000 per application, up to 80% for employed people	Not yet in any pre-budget ask we found

The MySkills figures come from Jobsplus, checked on 20 October 2026. If the speech names a number for any row, we will add it to our budget-night article on 27 October.

The dates a learner lives by

These dates are already set. The budget may add new ones, but it does not move these unless the speech says so.

Date	What happens	Source
29 September 2026	Stipend applications for 2026-27 opened	Stipends and Grants Department
26 October 2026	Budget 2027 speech	TVM
2 December 2026	First stipend payment of the academic year	Stipends and Grants Department
30 December 2026	Second stipend payment	Stipends and Grants Department
31 December 2026	Last day to apply for stipends paid from the start of the year	Stipends and Grants Department
31 December 2026	Last day to ask for the older Get Qualified rules if your course began before 2026	Malta Enterprise guidance notes
30 June 2027	Last day to amend a stipend application	Stipends and Grants Department
Within 12 months of finishing	Apply for Get Qualified on your course	Malta Enterprise guidance notes

If you apply for a stipend after 31 December 2026, you are considered from the date you apply, not from the start of the year. The older Get Qualified rules also need your certificate and receipts by 31 December 2030.

What this means if you study while working

Most working adults in Malta do not draw a stipend, so Get Qualified is the measure that matters. The 2026 rules are generous already, and nothing announced so far says they will be cut. Until Malta Enterprise issues new guidance notes, the April 2026 version is the rulebook.

That means there is no reason to delay a course while you wait for the speech. The 70% credit applies to any eligible award gained from 1 January 2026. The 12-month window starts when you finish, not when you enrol.

If you are choosing a course now, our online diplomas start from €220 a month, and the Level 4 foundation diplomas have no entry requirements. Our guide to MQF Level 5 explains where most people start, and the course finder lists every course with its level and price.

Questions learners are asking

Will stipends go up again in Budget 2027? Labour’s manifesto promised a further 15% rise, but no date or amount is confirmed. The speech on 26 October 2026 is the first place it could be set.

Should I wait for the budget before starting a course? No. The current Get Qualified rules already refund up to 70% of eligible costs for awards gained from 1 January 2026. If the speech changes the scheme, we will update our Get Qualified guide that week.

When do I need to apply for my stipend? By 31 December 2026 to be paid from the start of the academic year. After that date, you are considered only from the day you apply.

How many courses can I claim through Get Qualified? Up to four courses in any five-year period, under the rules launched on 6 April 2026. You have 15 years to use each credit.

I started my course in 2025. Which Get Qualified rules apply to me? You can ask for the 2017 to 2025 rules in writing by 31 December 2026. You then need your certificate and financial documents in hand by 31 December 2030.

Does the attainment bonus apply to a diploma? The bonus covers specific awards Malta Enterprise links to national goals, such as master’s degrees, doctorates and STEM qualifications. Check the list in its guidance notes before you count on it.

Your next step

Read our Get Qualified guide to see how much of your course fees you can claim back, and how to apply.