Qatar dumped billions into US schools over last four decades: report

Qatar, a monarchy ruled by the Al-Thani family, has seen a rapid reversal of fortunes in its international standing in recent years. In 2017, the small Gulf state - home to just 2.65 million people - was the subject of an economic and travel blockade launched by Saudi Arabia and other Arab states who accused it of being too close to Iran and sponsoring terrorism. But today, Qatar enjoys warm relations with the United States and is a major player in world affairs. 

A source close to the Qatar diplomats said the vast majority of the funding Qatar spends on U.S. universities is spent in their own country, with close to 90% of the funds going to managing the U.S. universities in Doha. 

Northwestern University opened a journalism school in the wealthy gulf state in 2025, receiving over $600 million in funding from Qatar. Cornell's Qatar medical school, established in 2001, received nearly $1.8 billion from the country, Carnegie Mellon's Qatari extension received over $740 million from the oil-rich country, Texas A&M's Engineering school in Qatar received nearly $700 million in funding, Virginia Common Wealth University in Qatar received $100 million and Georgetown University in Doha received over $760 million from the monarchy.

Georgetown University in Qatar awarded Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, mother of Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, its "President's Award" in April. Bint Nasser manages the Qatar Foundation which oversees education in the city. The Qatari royal praised Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar after he was assassinated by the IDF in Oct. 2024. 

"The name Yahya means the one who lives. They thought him dead but he lives. Like his namesake, Yahya bin Zakariya, he will live on and they will be gone," she posted on X. 

Ali Al-Ansari, the Media Attaché at the Qatari Embassy in Washington, DC, told Fox News Digital that Qatar is "proud to partner" with top U.S. universities to provide opportunities for students. 

"American universities at Education City operate with complete independence and autonomy. Donations to US universities are allocated to the operating costs of these branch campuses, including construction, maintenance, faculty salaries, and other expenses incurred in Qatar - not in the United States," he said. "Qatar never interferes in the educational content or curriculum of any American school, college, or university."

Al-Ansari continued, "Allegations that Qatar has any influence over US universities are categorically false and based on deliberate misinformation. For several months, we have been the target of a campaign by bad actors whose goal is to weaken Qatar's partnership with the United States and undermine our role as a mediator working to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and bring the remaining hostages home. These individuals and groups do not want peace. They distort facts and misrepresent the nature of our university partnerships to serve their own agenda."

Georgetown, Carnegie Mellon, Northwestern, Texas A&M, Cornell and Virginia Commonwealth University did not respond to a request for comment for this story. 

The article was updated to include a statement from the Media Attaché at the Qatari Embassy in Washington, DC.