Abu Dhabi: Details of AED 1.9 billion Scholarship Program for Emiratis

The Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) has launched the Khotwa (RizeUp) scholarship programme to further enhance access to education opportunities and open new knowledge horizons for high school graduates.

The AED 1.9 billion programme aims to enhance academic capabilities while providing students from a variety of academic and social backgrounds who have not previously received scholarships with future-ready skills and broad educational experiences to enable them to achieve their full potential and contribute to the growth of Abu Dhabi’s knowledge-based economy.

The fully-funded scholarship programme will create opportunities for students to study for two years at community colleges in the United States and Canada, before transferring their credit to any international or local university to complete their bachelor’s degrees, when necessary requirements are met.

ADEK aims to enroll 100 in the first cohort this year, with numbers set to increase annually to reach a total of 6,000 scholarship beneficiaries by 2028.

Students at public, private and charter schools across Abu Dhabi with a minimum GPA of 65 percent in their grade 12 finals are eligible to apply for the Khotwa (RizeUp) programme, providing they scored a minimum of 3.0 in IELTS tests. The same criteria apply for National Service Graduates who do not hold a bachelor’s degree. Priority will be given to candidates whose families are receiving social support.

Under the directives of Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed, ADEK has launched the Khotwa (RizeUp) scholarship programme for Emirati high school graduates with a minimum score of 65 per cent, to further enhance access to education opportunities and open new knowledge horizons for all. pic.twitter.com/pT3LDKed47

— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@admediaoffice) September 22, 2022

For those who do not yet have the English proficiency levels to pursue post-high school studies at North American community colleges, the programme will also cover the costs of one additional year of English language studies for candidates, to be undertaken in the host country.

Shortlisted candidates must attend a mandatory five-day bootcamp at ADEK headquarters in October to assess their readiness for overseas study and homestay programmes.

Successful applicants are set to leave the UAE for their assigned community college and homestay programme in January 2023.