I read the CPISP pages on 1 November 2026. Deadlines and rules can change, so check the programme's site before you act on anything here.
The short answer
The programme's selection page says the final recipients are chosen on GPA, SAT scores, IELTS scores and the results of critical thinking and leadership training. IELTS is therefore one input among several, not the whole decision. The pages I read do not name a minimum IELTS band, so do not assume a number from a forum or a friend. Ask the Scholarship Office what applies to your year.
Band Booster IELTS is an independent private tutoring service. It is not connected to CPISP, the Court of the Crown Prince or any university, and it does not run the selection.
What the programme is
According to the CPISP overview page, twenty fully funded university scholarships are granted every year. Scholars choose their field of study and an accredited university they gain acceptance to, if it is located outside Bahrain and the region. The overview also says the selection process includes considering SAT and IELTS scores.
Who can apply
The selection process page sets the entry conditions:
- Bahraini citizenship.
- Enrolment in Grade 11.
- A cumulative GPA of 97 percent or higher for Grade 10 and the first semester of Grade 11.
- An application to the Scholarship Office within a specified annual deadline. The page gives no date, so ask the office for the current one.
How the selection runs
Reading the selection page and the candidacy page together, the order is this:
- Application. Eligible students apply to the Scholarship Office.
- Qualifying assessments. Applicants are assessed on their English proficiency and critical reasoning. On the pages I read, the programme does not say which English test is used, and does not say it is IELTS.
- Shortlist. The candidacy page says at least 100 students are chosen as potential recipients; the selection page says about 100. The candidacy page then describes the training these students receive.
- Candidacy training. Candidates attend training sessions and workshops over the summer and the academic year. The pages mention foundation courses to prepare for IELTS and SAT, critical thinking and leadership training, a personality and career assessment, an academic writing course and a Level 3 team-leading certificate.
- Final selection. Recipients are chosen on the weighted results below.
Where IELTS counts
The selection page lists the weights for the final choice:
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Grade Point Average | 30% |
| IELTS score | 25% |
| SAT Math | 25% |
| SAT Writing and Language | 10% |
| Leadership training | 6% |
| Critical thinking | 4% |
A quarter of the weighting is a large share. The pages I read do not say whether the weighted result is used as a ranking or as a threshold, so ask the Scholarship Office. For a general view of what universities in Bahrain ask, see IELTS scores asked by Bahrain universities.
What the pages do not say
On the four pages I read, I did not find any of the following:
- A minimum IELTS band for candidates.
- Which IELTS version (Academic or General Training) the programme expects. Confirm this before you book, and see Academic or General Training for the difference.
- When candidates sit IELTS, or who pays for the test.
- A list of application documents. The Resources page shows no list.
- A link to an Arabic version of the site. The pages I read were in English.
Where the programme is silent, do not guess. Write to the Scholarship Office and keep the reply.
Contact
The Resources page gives the Scholarship Office at the Court of the Crown Prince, Building 1600, Shaikh Salman Highway, Block 906, Riffa / Alrowdha, with the email address scholarship@ccp.bh and the phone numbers +973 17659 999 and +973 17664 451.
Booking the IELTS test itself
CPISP does not book the test for you on the pages I read. If you need to sit IELTS, book with a test provider and read booking IELTS in Bahrain for ID, cancelling and test day, and results, re-marking and retakes for what follows. Band Booster does not register candidates or set test fees.
How lessons with Mike can help with this
Mike teaches every lesson himself, one-to-one, live on Google Meet, in English. He holds the Cambridge CELTA, is based in Hanoi and scored 8.5 in Speaking in his own IELTS. A lesson can cover Listening, Reading, Writing or Speaking. He marks Writing Task 1 and Task 2 against the public band descriptors, runs Speaking Parts 1 to 3 in the real format with feedback in the moment, and leaves written progress notes in your account.
Lessons do not replace the programme's own foundation courses and carry no promise about a score or a scholarship. If you are under 18, a parent or guardian first agrees to a short consent letter before the booking is made. Rescheduling is at no charge up to 12 hours before the slot. You can see open slots in your own time zone, or read about Mike first.
