Dubai: A total of 110 exceptional students of GEMS Education schools in the UAE have received scholarships worth Dh2.1million, it was announced on Tuesday.

The scholarship is the largest of its kind in the country that recognises outstanding achievement and promise across various categories. It is open to any student in Grade 6 or Year 7 and above, offering scholarships covering up to 100 per cent of tuition fees for academic year 2018-2019.

This year’s scholarships recognised exceptional talent across five categories, with 49 awarded for Academics, 39 for Sports, 14 for Creative and Performing Arts, five for Innovation and Digital Technology, and three for Arabic Studies.

Scholarship award ceremonies were held in 16 GEMS Education schools across the UAE, presenting an opportunity to officially mark the occasion and celebrate with scholars, parents, and teachers.

GEMS Dubai American Academy awarded a total of 18 scholarships, the highest number among all the schools. This was followed by GEMS International School — Al Khail with 13, and GEMS World Academy — Dubai with 12.

Meanwhile, the awards event held at GEMS Wellington International School — Dubai was attended by special guest Dr Abdullah Al Karam, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director-General of the Knowledge of Human Development Authority.

Commenting on the scholarships, Christophe Savard, Vice President — Career and Future Employment Architect, who oversees GEMS Education’s scholarship programme, said: “Our mission at GEMS Education is to make quality education accessible for everyone, which is why we are delighted to be in a position to offer scholarships to over 100 of our most gifted students, all of whom show great ability and potential. We are proud to be able to support their development both educationally and financially, and we wish them continued success as they progress in their individual areas of strength.”

GEMS Education scholarships are open for applications between September 1 and January 31 for Indian curriculum schools, and January 1 to March 31 for all other curriculum schools.

Scholarships are awarded based on merit, taking into consideration student essays, letters of recommendation, and student introductions.