A 50% increase in scholarship allowances… and these eight new benefits

The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research revealed an increase in financial allocations for scholarship students by 50%, within the updated national system for scholarships, in a step aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of Emirati talent, providing more comprehensive financial and academic support for national students studying outside the country, and linking scholarship paths to development priorities and the needs of future sectors.

The Ministry stated, through its official accounts on social media platforms, that the new update included eight main items of financial allocations, which were reviewed and developed to keep pace with the aspirations of the state, take into account the needs of scholarship students and the requirements of study and living in the host countries, and contribute to providing a more stable environment that helps them focus on their educational attainment and achieve advanced academic levels.

She explained that the updated system establishes integrated governance for scholarship programs, by regulating eligibility and admission criteria, and setting clear foundations for selecting universities, specializations, and countries, in accordance with national priorities, the level of academic institutions, and the quality of their programs and outputs.

The system also aims to align academic specializations with the actual needs of the labor market, enhance monitoring of students’ performance and evaluation of their academic outcomes, and direct scholarship programs towards fields capable of supporting priority economic and development sectors, in a way that raises the efficiency of spending and investment in national human capital.

The eight financial allowances discussed in the update include: the monthly allowance for the student, travel tickets, graduation allowance, baggage shipping allowance, priority allowance related to majors, universities, and countries, tuition fees, health insurance for the scholarship student and for companions if the scholarship student is married, in addition to the reward for outstanding academic performance, and an allowance for study supplies.

The priority allowance represents one of the paths that enhances the direction of students towards the universities, specializations, and countries most closely linked to national goals, thus encouraging them to enroll in specific academic programs that meet the needs of strategic sectors, and providing the state with specialized competencies in fields that are witnessing rapid growth and an increasing demand for advanced skills.

The reward for outstanding academic performance also reflects a trend towards motivating scholarship students to achieve advanced academic results, and turning academic excellence into one of the criteria associated with financial support, which enhances the culture of achievement and excellence, and raises the level of scientific outputs of scholarship programs.

The Ministry has identified seven priority economic sectors within the new system, including technology and engineering, energy, creative sectors, water and environment, transportation and logistics services, health care, and finance.

The selection of these sectors reflects a trend towards preparing national cadres who possess precise specializations and advanced skills capable of leading economic and technological transformations, supporting vital sectors, and contributing to the development of innovative solutions to future challenges in the fields of energy, sustainability, health, technology and the digital economy.

The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research had announced the adoption of a decision by the Council of Ministers regarding academic scholarships and financial allocations for scholarship students, in a step it described as a qualitative shift in the national scholarship system, and in support of the state’s efforts aimed at preparing qualified Emirati competencies who possess the knowledge, skills and experience necessary to lead economic sectors and future priority areas.

The decision comes within an integrated path adopted by the Ministry to develop the scholarship system in the UAE, raise the efficiency of its management, enhance the quality of its outputs, and ensure that educational investments are directed towards the academic specializations and programs that achieve the highest national and development value.

Modernization also contributes to enhancing the efficiency of investment in national human capital, by moving scholarship programs from merely financing study outside the country to an integrated strategic system that begins with the student’s choice, specialty, and university, extends to monitoring his academic performance, and ends with qualifying him for active participation in the labor market and leadership of priority sectors.