Scholarship window opens for UAE students for Spring 2026

Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research has opened applications for study scholarships for the Spring 2026 semester.

The Ministry outlined 12 eligibility conditions for applicants and confirmed that the registration window closes on November 7. Candidates must submit all required documents by November 21, with final scholarship results to be announced on November 28.

The Ministry also listed nine grounds for rejecting academic admission letters, urging students to review the guidelines carefully before applying.

1. Application requirements

The Ministry requires that the applicant:

• Be a UAE national.

• Meet the requirements of the academic degree being applied for.

• Obtain admission to a university and major included in the Ministry’s approved list of universities and specializations for scholarships.

• Pass the interview and competency tests.

• Have previous qualifications attested and equivalised.

Additional requirements include:

• Full-time on-campus study outside the UAE.

• Providing proof of exemption, deferment, or completion of national service (males only).

• Signing a declaration of commitment to all regulations, rules and decisions related to scholarships and financial aid, and any other declarations required by the Ministry after final approval.

• Not already holding a full scholarship from any institution inside or outside the UAE.

• Not having previously been sponsored for the same or a lower academic degree—whether funded by the Ministry, another entity, or self-funded.

• Not having previously been sponsored by the Ministry or another entity and had the scholarship cancelled for any reason.

2. Academic conditions

The Ministry stipulated that academic admission letters must include the specialization and a link to the program from the university’s website if it is not stated in the letter.

It will not consider admission letters that involve:

      •     A training period,

      •     An English language program,

      •     Dual-degree or double-major programs,

      •     A preparatory program prior to postgraduate studies (e.g., Pre-Master).

Reasons for rejecting academic admission letters include:

      •     An additional academic year for the master’s program (for bachelor’s applicants),

      •     Programs delivered via distance learning,

      •     MBA, Executive MBA, or any programs/courses designed for professional or executive levels,

      •     Programs offered through continuing education or professional studies centers.

Scholarship specialisations

The Ministry stated that scholarships are available in all specializations, provided the approved criteria include one of the following:

      •     The university is ranked among the top 50 globally in the chosen major, or

      •     The university and specialization are ranked among the top 100 in the United States or Australia, or

      •     Top 200 in other countries, or

      •     Top 300 in non-English-speaking countries.

Scholarship recipients represent around 10% of applicants

The Ministry confirmed, through a media statement by Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Al Mualla, that the Academic Scholarship Program is the oldest scholarship program in the UAE.

He stated that the initial objective was to provide educational opportunities for citizens due to the limited number of higher education institutions in the country. With the development of this sector, the program had to evolve by focusing on excellence and quality.

He revealed that scholarship recipients account for only 10% of total applicants, as around 3,000 students apply annually, and only the elite are selected.

The total number of sponsored students currently studying abroad, including new and continuing students, has reached 592 students enrolled in more than 115 higher education institutions across 22 countries, all ranked among the world’s top institutions. A total of 187 students graduated from the program in the 2024–2025 academic year.

Al Mualla added, on the sidelines of the 2025 New Scholarship Students Forum, that the scholarship program is a national decision focused on the country’s priorities, by selecting top Emirati students and sending them to the world’s best universities so that, upon their return—with their academic and practical experience—they can contribute to shaping the nation’s future.

He continued: “The scholarship program began with the founding of the Union, when academic specializations available within the UAE were limited. The goal was to provide citizens with opportunities to specialize abroad due to the scarcity of higher education institutions. As the sector evolved, the program developed to focus on the best high-achieving students and send them to top global universities in various fields.”